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All Music Guide:
Christine Lavin emerged out of the crowded New York City songwriter scene of the '80s with a style that distinguished her from her peers. First, her songs were overwhelmingly concerned with contemporary romantic mores (that scary, uncertain world of "relationships," "commitments," and "biological clocks"). Second, while her takes on this subject could sometimes be sentimental or even maudlin, more often they were humorous. "If You Need Space, Go to Utah" was the first track on her second recording, a 1983 EP called Husbands and Wives. (Her first album, 1982's Absolutely Live, was out of print until 2000, when it was reissued on CD.) In 1984, Lavin self-released her first full-length studio album, Future Fossils, which included both her serious and comic numbers, notably "Damaged Goods" (what people start to feel like after enough failed relationships) and "Don't Ever Call Your Sweetheart by His Name" (how difficult it is to remember people's names after enough failed relationships).
In 1986, she signed to Rounder's Philo label, which issued Beau Woes and Other Problems of Modern Life, Another Woman's Man (a 1987 reissue of Husbands and Wives), Good Thing He Can't Read My Mind (1988), Attainable Love (1990), Compass (1991), and Live at the Cactus Cafe: What Was I Thinking? (1993). She moved to Shanachie Records in 1995, releasing Please Don't Make Me Too Happy and Shining My Flashlight on the Moon (1997). Then she set up her own record company, named after her website, christinelavin.com, and released One Wild Night in Concert (1998) and Getting in Touch with My Inner Bitch (2000) herself; that year, Rounder also released the Bellevue Years collection.
In 2002, Lavin moved yet again, releasing I Was in Love with a Difficult Man on Redwing's Blind Pig label. A year later, she signed with Appleseed to issue the holiday effort Runaway Christmas Tree. The concert album Sometimes Mother Really Does Know Best followed just in time for Mother's Day in spring 2004. Lavin has also made a particular point of promoting the work of her contemporaries, notably on such collections as When October Goes, and with 1991's Buy Me Bring Me Take Me: Don't Mess My Hair!!!, she launched the part-time group Four Bitchin' Babes. In 2005, Folkzinger, her 17th solo album (and third for Appleseed Records), was released, and in 2006 she compiled and commissioned songs about food for the compilation One Meat Ball, on which Lavin sang the recipe for French toast bread pudding on a track of the same name. Her own studio effort, Happydance of the Xenophobe, followed in 2007, with Cold Pizza for Breakfast arriving in 2009.
Wikipedia:
Christine Lavin (born January 2, 1952) is a New York City-based singer-songwriter and promoter of contemporary folk music. She has recorded numerous solo albums, and has also recorded with other female folk artists under the name Four Bitchin' Babes. She has also put together several compilation albums of contemporary folk artists, including her latest JUST ONE ANGEL, 22 singer/songwriters singing Christmas/Hanukah/Solstice/New Year's songs including actor Jeff Daniels, Grammy-winners Janis Ian and Julie Gold, and the Guitar Man Of Central Park David Ippolito.
She is known for her sense of humor, which is expressed in both her music and her onstage performances. Many of her songs alternate between emotional reflections on romance and outright comedy. Two of her more famous songs include "Sensitive New Age Guys" and "Bald Headed Men."
One of Lavin's songs, "Regretting What I Said to You When You Called Me 11:00 On a Friday Morning to Tell Me that at 1:00 Friday Afternoon You're Gonna Leave Your Office, Go Downstairs, Hail a Cab to Go Out to the Airport to Catch a Plane to Go Skiing in the Alps for Two Weeks, Not that I Wanted to Go With You, I Wasn't Able to Leave Town, I'm Not a Very Good Skier, I Couldn't Expect You to Pay My Way, But After Going Out With You for Three Years I DON'T Like Surprises!! Subtitled: A Musical Apology" is notable for having the longest known song title. It is the eighth song on her 1984 album Future Fossils, and is 3:04 (3 minutes and 4 seconds) long.
In her youth, Lavin was a cheerleader in Peekskill, New York, and she still has impressive baton-twirling skills; she often ends a concert by twirling a glow-in-the-dark baton with the house lights turned off as she leaves the stage.
Lavin worked at Caffe Lena in Saratoga, New York, until Dave Van Ronk convinced her to move to New York City and make a career as a singer-songwriter. She followed his advice and accepted his offer of guitar lessons. She has lived in the City ever since.
Lavin was the original host of "Sunday Breakfast" on WFUV in New York City.
Lavin was a founding member of the Four Bitchin' Babes when they were formed in 1990.
In recent years Lavin has been known to host knitting circles before her shows, inviting any knitters, hookers (people who crochet), or other crafters to join her.
