Heather Kropf
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Heather Kropf

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States | Established. Jan 01, 1996 | SELF

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States | SELF
Established on Jan, 1996
Band Folk Singer/Songwriter

Calendar

Music

Press


"Pittsburgh Tribune Review"

Kropf’s work has a quiet elegance, both musically and lyrically. - Rege Behe


"Personal Recommendation"

Heather Kropf’s music, presented with the full band….absolutely outstanding. How Heather’s music was meant to be heard, and further cementing my belief that she’s one of Pittsburgh’s finest songwriters. - Eric George, drummer (City Love Story, AcoustiCafe house band)


"CD Baby"

Heather's voice is truly refreshing. A beautiful and standout element is that she is one of the few natural singers that I've heard in recent years. - Rebecca Martin, jazz vocalist and songwriter


"Pittsburgh Magazine"

Pittsburgh has been truly blessed with a very refreshingly gifted singer-songwriter and keyboard artist. - Tim Stevens


"Year in Review"

Local folk singer and songwriter Heather Kropf pens beautifully detailed songs, teaming them up with the area's best acoustic players. - WYEP 91.3 FM Pittsburgh


Discography

Heather Kropf - Sky
Heather Kropf - What Else is Love
Too Tall Americanos (Heather Kropf and Keith Hershberger) - EP
Heather Kropf - Hestia
Too Tall Americanos (Heather Kropf and Keith Hershberger) - The Woods Are Yours And Mine EP
Heather Kropf - Chrysalis

Heather Kropf - Lights

Compilations and Singles:
"Cholera" on WYEP, Live & Direct, Vol. 2
"River" on WQED, Live from Studio A - Holiday All-Star Jam
"7 Times" - MKL vs. Soy Sos, Featuring Heather Kropf 
"7 Times" - Suits & Dashikis


Photos

Bio

Pittsburgh-based singer/songwriter Heather Kropf grew up in the Pacific Northwest, the daughter of Mennonites. A student of classical piano and fine art, her approach to pop songwriting is intuitive rather than schooled. Early influences included Joni Mitchell, Sade and Suzanne Vega. She has opened for many artists including Bettye LaVette, The Weepies and Chris Smither and was an original guest host of the popular AcoustiCafe Open Stage at Pittsburgh’s Club Cafe. Her passion for music has extended to community projects such as Fair Play Pittsburgh, which she co-founded with Christiane Leach and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

Her most recent album Lights (2017) is a sonically arresting and luminous collection of songs about social and personal unrest and growth, produced and mixed by Lex Price (Mindy Smith, Peter Bradley Adams).

This release was the culmination of an eight year journey. Following the release of her third album Hestia in 2009, Kropf was diagnosed with multiple illnesses and was unable to return to music in earnest until 2012, transformed in artistic vision and purpose, with a new collection of songs that eventually became her Kickstarter-funded fourth album, Chrysalis. 

In every way Chrysalis spoke of a fresh start. Kropf pushed into richer sonic territory in new partnerships with co-producer Jeff Berman, a versatile multi-instrumentalist and composer, and recorded under the guidance of Grammy-winning engineer, Jay Dudt. Her intentional selection of musicians that span diverse genres — from the Pittsburgh Symphony to jazz session players to her Americana/folk rock and singer/songwriter peers — has been instrumental in deepening her signature sound of thoughtful folk/pop that defies trendiness. 

Kropf's pursuit of understatement and emotional intelligence in production-style led her to Price for the quick follow-up album. Price hand-picked a roster of players including Tim Young (Rickie Lee Jones), Steve Moore (Laura Veirs), Ian Fitchuk (Kasey Musgraves), and Joshua Grange (Sheryl Crow), to create a layered atmosphere that shimmers around her unadorned vocals.

Since this pair of releases, Kropf has been performing frequently, opening for Kim Richey, Eileen Ivers, Kate Davis, and Jill Barber, and touring venues like Hartwood Acres in Pittsburgh and Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. Mostly recently, she toured nationally with a two-woman show, We Know There are Oceans, created with writer/performer, Michelle Milne. “I feel fortunate to still be making music,“ says Kropf. “Everything is a gift and nothing is guaranteed. I savor each moment I get to do what I do.”

Band Members