JUDY NAZEMETZ is a genre-non-specific song humorist, a singer-songwriter who brings the funny to everything she writes. And, yes, you might have seen her in a musical or two.
A Central Jersey girl, Judy was brought up on polka, Mitch Miller, her sister’s 4th grade songbook, and a lot of rock and folk. Then, she saw Davy Jones on Broadway as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! and musical theatre (and Davy Jones, of course) became her love.
Judy’s a veteran sketch comedy and improv performer, learning her stuff as one of Fred Willard’s MOHOS, NYC’s Chicago City Limits and The Other Leading Brand, LA’s Wrought Irony and Theatresports improv groups. She’s worked with music legend Mike Stoller and comedy legend Robin Williams. She performed over 100 comedy bits on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She’s created songs on the spot from audience suggestions, and has done so in folk, rap, country, holiday, reggae, opera, Irish, jazz, gospel, and polka styles. And, Judy’s taken her love of genre hopping into the recording booth.
Judy’s albums VARIETY PAK, BALANCING ACT, MEAT BIRD IN BEIGEVILLE and CHRISTMAS CHEER have been played all over the world, from Australia to Macedonia to the hinterlands of New Jersey. In the UK, her Andrews Sisters style jazz song about the ups and downs of hamster ownership, THE HAMSTER DIDN’T DIE TODAY, won Best Blues Song of the Year on SevernFM’s Blues Hour with Dr. Wart Hoover. Judy’s been featured on radio station WTBQ-93.5 FM’s “Hootenanny Cafe” with John Stein. She’s sung and told her stories at FAR (Folk Alliance Region)-West’s annual gatherings from Oakland to Woodland Hills CA and in the coolest gin joints up and down LA’s Ventura Blvd.
“What’s a MEAT BIRD?” you ask? “Listen to the song,” replies Judy, in her loud central Jersey accent that oozes common sense, “and you’ll find out.”