Sharon Van Etten

Although she was born and raised in suburban New Jersey, Sharon Van Etten's folk music evokes the open landscapes of a more expansive America. A dedicated choir student during her childhood, she studied clarinet, violin, and piano before moving on to guitar. She began writing songs in high school and sang in a choir group, the Madrigals. She credits her choral experiences as indispensable in learning to musically notate, as well as to sing harmonies. Upon graduation, Van Etten moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to attend Middle Tennessee State University. There she studied reco...