A Little Bit About Me...

Barbara Lusch was born, raised and is happy to have returned to family, idyllic summers and the rainy days of Portland, Oregon. Barbara says her grandmother Alice Warren who sang beautiful harmonies with her three sisters is the reason she learned to love music. Barbara remembers singing with her grandma while her grandpa was playing the accordion. After that, Barbara was never completely happy if she didn't have an outlet for singing. Barbara spent a decade in New York and Los Angeles, gaining experience and national exposure in numerous network television series, daytime soaps, sitcoms, films and commercials, concert venues, as well as in the theater.

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A little Bit More About Me...

Back in Portland, Barbara performed with the popular band Pepe and the Bottle Blondes before embarking on her solo career in 2002. Barbara’s career has her performing in the great venues of Pacific Northwest as well as making trips back to New York to perform for jazz enthusiasts. Her first CD, "Barbara Lusch", released in 2004, was met with enthusiasm from the press as well as radio audiences nationally and internationally. Barbara’s second CD, "Surprisingly Good For You," received equally passionate acclaim from fans and industry insiders. “Rock Me Sweet” is Barbara’s third CD and it represents a new direction. Barbara with her arranger and friend, Earl Rose created heart felt ballads from 80’s rock classics. Barbara attracted to songs that tell stories, has fans falling in love with the lyrics as they engage with Barbara’s sultry voice and connect to the music in a new way.

All About Me...

🎭 Early Life & Acting Career

Barbara Ann Lusch was born on October 26, 1957 in Portland, Oregon YouTube+11Wikipedia+11Barbara Lusch+11.
She earned a BA in Education from Oregon State University, later working in marketing before pursuing music full-time IMDb+1IMDb+1.
Her acting began in the early 1980s with a feature film role in Unhinged (1982), followed by performances in TV shows like Coach (1989), The Trials of Rosie O’Neill (1990), and Nowhere Man (1996) Wikipedia+1All About Jazz+1.
On stage, she notably played Chava opposite Theodore Bikel in Fiddler on the Roof (Atlantic City, 1985)Wikipedia+1All About Jazz+1.

🎶 Music & Jazz Career

Raised by a musical family, Barbara’s grandmother, Alice Warren, performed harmonies in the 1920s–30s, inspiring Barbara’s early passion for music All About Jazz+5All About Jazz+5Barbara Lusch+5.
She spent a decade honing her craft in New York and Los Angeles across commercials, theater, television, and modeling Barbara Lusch+1Barbara Lusch+1.
In the mid‑1990s she sang lead with Portland’s Pepe and the Bottle Blondes, performing at venues and symphony events throughout the region before launching a solo career in 2002 All About Jazz+5All About Jazz+5Barbara Lusch+5.

📀 Albums & Style

Barbara has released three studio albums, each showcasing her unique jazz-pop interpretations:

Barbara Lusch (2004/2005) – Debut album featuring jazz interpretations of pop, swing, Bossa Nova, and American Songbook standards. Praised for her "pure, relaxed and alluringly breathy" tone and expert timingTheAudioDBBarbara Lusch+11All About Jazz+11Blusch+11.
Surprisingly Good for You (2006) – A diverse mix including Broadway tunes, country classics, and torch numbers, all reinterpreted through her unique jazz lens Wikipedia+4Blusch+4Barbara Lusch+4.
Rock Me Sweet (2014) – A bold reinterpretation of 1980s male rock anthems, slowed down and reimagined as evocative torch ballads. Includes tunes originally by Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, U2, and more. Recorded at the iconic Capitol Studios with orchestral arrangements by Earl Rose and engineering by Al Schmitt Blusch+7All About Jazz+7All About Jazz+7.

Barbara explained that her goal was to convey emotional depth and narrative from the lyrics—she sings each song as though delivering a monologue, blending her acting skills with musical storytelling Indie Music Discovery.

🗣 Voice-Over & Modeling

Early in her career in Los Angeles and San Francisco, Barbara worked as a petite model and recorded voice-over work alongside her acting and singing pursuits All About Jazz+1All About Jazz+1.

🎤 Live & Community Engagement

A mainstay of Portland's music scene, Barbara regularly performs at venues such as Jimmy Mak’s, Wilf's Restaurant, the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, and Portland Jazz Festival. She’s also appeared at New York’s Metropolitan Room and other jazz venues TheAudioDB+9All About Jazz+9All About Jazz+9.
Her shows often incorporate a revue-style format, blending songs from Rock Me Sweet with stories from her life to create a cabaret‑jazz‑pop experience Wikipedia+11All About Jazz+11TheAudioDB+11.

🌟 Voice & Musical Identity

Barbara’s voice has been compared to icons like Peggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney, Eva Cassidy, Doris Day, and Julie London—described as smoky, sensual, and deeply communicative Indie Music Discovery+2All About Jazz+2All About Jazz+2. Her approach emphasizes clarity of lyrics and emotional storytelling, often transforming familiar songs into fresh, intimate experiences All About JazzIndie Music Discovery.

✅ Quick Summary

AttributeInsights

BornOct 26, 1957 in Portland, OR

DisciplinesActress, Jazz Singer, Voice‑Over Artist, Model

AlbumsBarbara Lusch (2004), Surprisingly Good for You (2006), Rock Me Sweet (2014)

Acting HighlightsUnhinged, Coach, Fiddler on the Roof

Voice StyleSultry, narrative-driven jazz interpreter

Performance ReachPacific Northwest venues, New York jazz clubs

Artistic ApproachStory-driven reinterpretations with emotional clarity

Barbara Lusch remains a unique and multifaceted artist—blending acting, storytelling, jazz, and interpretation in a way that brings new life and meaning to every piece she performs. Let me know if you’d like to explore her music further or find her performances online!