Lizz Wright
A vocalist with a rich, soul-drenched contralto who weaves gospel roots, jazz intuition, and folk storytelling into a uniquely warm American sound.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American jazz and gospel singer·Birthday: January 22·Generation X
Biography
Lizz Wright's voice is a place of deep comfort and spiritual resonance. Hailing from Georgia, the daughter of a pastor, she grew up immersed in the hymns and rhythms of the church, a foundation that never left her. She studied voice at university but found her true path not in opera, but in the fluid spaces between jazz, gospel, and soul. Her 2003 debut 'Salt' announced a major new artist, one who treated standards and original compositions with the same earthy, grounded authenticity. Wright doesn't just sing songs; she embodies them, her performances feeling like intimate conversations. Over successive albums, she has expanded her palette to include folk and R&B, collaborating with a range of artists while maintaining a centered, poetic vision that offers listeners a sense of grace and connection.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Lizz was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lizz Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Lizz's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Released her critically acclaimed debut album 'Salt' in 2003, which topped the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart.
- Her 2005 follow-up 'Dreaming Wide Awake' solidified her status, debuting at number one on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
- Has collaborated with a diverse array of musicians including Toshi Reagon, Angélique Kidjo, and David Batteau.
- Her album 'Grace' (2017) was hailed as a powerful return to her gospel and soul roots.
Did You Know?
She is a trained vocalist who originally studied opera before turning to jazz and gospel.
She worked as a vocalist for the jazz ensemble The In the Spirit Choir before her solo career.
She is an avid cook and has spoken about the connections between food, community, and music.
“I think the voice is an instrument that carries memory and carries time.”
