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Tier 2 · legacy legend
Deborah Henson-Conant
Person · female · United States · Stockton · born 1953 · recording since 1979
American harpist and composer
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Also known as Deborah Joyce Henson · Deborah Joyce Henson-Conant
Timeline
14 events▣ Album 12◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1
1950s
1970s
· Debut release
Debut release: You Are the Ocean
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1980s
1990s
2000s
Biography
English biography394 words · 5 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1256245890
Biography
Deborah Henson-Conant (born November 11, 1953, in Stockton, California) is an American harpist and composer. Nicknamed "the Hip Harpist", she is known for her flamboyant stage presence and her innovation with electric harps.
Career
Deborah Henson-Conant describes her music as "cross-genre: jazz-pop-comedy-folk-blues-flamenco-celtic". Deborah performs one-person shows in theaters, concert halls and festivals; and she does original music and theatre shows with symphony orchestras. Her performances mix music with theatrical and story elements. She orchestrates all her own music when she plays with symphony and often engages symphonic musicians in unexpected ways. She states that her career objectives include a desire to reevaluate misconceptions and underestimations of the harp instrument, of the stage medium, and of the self.
The soundtrack of her 2006 DVD Invention & AlchemyInvention & AlchemySpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Baroque Flamenco5:452Blues Story3:303Way You Are Blues5:404Man in the Moon2:375The Nightinggale5:196Salinger & Burns1:157Catcher in the Rye7:308Stress Analysis3:599Danger Zone5:0310Kitchen Waltz0:2811Merceditas6:15121001 Stories3:301399611:1414A Birthday Moment1:0115Congratulations (You Made It This Far)7:3616Thanks Giving0:1917The Garbageman5:46, received a Grammy nomination, and the video version began broadcast on American public television in 2007. Her performance series Inviting Invention (2006) presents a series of "performance explorations" that includes both musical and non-musical guests collaborating onstage with Henson-Conant.
In 2012, she joined Steve Vai's band for his 2012 tour and album, The Story of Light. In October 2013, Henson-Conant performed and represented the United States at the 7th annual World Harp Festival, in Asunción, Paraguay.
As you know, a lot of my music is compositional, and there's a lot of arpeggiated guitar parts. They work really well on the harp, especially since it's an electric harp and you can process it. Deborah does a really great job with that, adding those textures. ... I've studied it very precisely. I can't play it, but I understand it. What Deborah has is a little different because she has a strap-on harp with a particular range. ... There's a new kind of challenge.
Albums
The Story of Light (2012)
Invention and Alchemy (2006)
Artists Proof Ltd Edition Version 2.1 (2004)
The Frog Princess (2000)
Live Wires (with Livingston Taylor) (2000)
The Celtic Album (1998)
Altered Ego (1998)
Just for You (1995)
The Gift (1995)
'Round the Corner (1993)
Naked Music (1994)
Budapest (1992)
Talking Hands (1991)
Caught in the Act (1990)
On the Rise (1989)
Songs My Mother Sang (1985)
Compilation appearances
New Age Music & New Sounds Vol. 67 - "Liberty"
Reception
The soundtrack of her 2006 DVD Invention & AlchemyInvention & AlchemySpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Baroque Flamenco5:452Blues Story3:303Way You Are Blues5:404Man in the Moon2:375The Nightinggale5:196Salinger & Burns1:157Catcher in the Rye7:308Stress Analysis3:599Danger Zone5:0310Kitchen Waltz0:2811Merceditas6:15121001 Stories3:301399611:1414A Birthday Moment1:0115Congratulations (You Made It This Far)7:3616Thanks Giving0:1917The Garbageman5:46, received a Grammy nomination. The Daily News Online said that she has a "harp show like none other", featuring her "big, brassy voice".
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 9 | 54.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 15 | 85th |
| Studio albums | 14 | 94th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 14 | 90.5th |
| Recording span (years) | 27 | 60th |
| Genres | 1 | 56th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (15 release groups · 14 studio albums)
Albums · 14
1979 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 5 tracks · 51:43
A1Radiant One, You Are the Ocean9:43A2Spring Is in Your Heart4:00A3Lovesong12:00B2Spanish Rivers11:30B3Ocean Sunrise in the Far East14:301987 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 7 tracks · 41:41
1'round the Corner5:222Georgia on My Mind6:303Blue Bossa4:304Swingin' Shepherd Blues4:325Take Five6:326Over the Rainbow8:557Summertime5:201989 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 50:36
1On the Rise4:492Late Last Night5:363The Phoenix4:384Heartfire4:135Song for My Brother5:216Eastern Sunlight4:3377:00 A.M.4:238All Through the Night2:479It's About Time4:3410The Emerald Pool1:5211Under the Bed4:2112Rain Time3:291990 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 46:03
1Hawaii: In the Afterglow4:452Caught in the Act4:013Lammermuir Spring6:254The Magic String5:425Wave Goodbye4:506Night of the Roses5:067Anna Bella4:448Honeytime3:009Tiger Dance3:3910Greensleeves3:511991 · studio album
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Tracklist · 14 tracks · 44:49
1O Come, o Come Emmanuel3:532The First Noel3:163Angels We Have Heard on High3:034Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella3:315What Child Is This4:126Angels From the Realms of Glory2:397Lulay, Thou Tiny Child2:378O Morning Star4:539Watchman, Tell Us of the Night2:1810God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman3:2111We Three Kings3:1912Lo, How a Rose3:0413It Came Upon a Midnight Clear2:5714Deck the Halls1:461991 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 40:23
1Into the Light5:442California Calypso3:293And Then He Kissed Me...4:454Siana's Dream: The Music Box5:005Lazy Lover5:166My Mother's Mexican Hat4:367The Day It Rained Forever3:538Talking Hands5:219Farewell to Arms2:191993 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 50:11
1Coqueta5:032Budapest6:233Inevitability of You3:384Fool of the World5:245Pava Diablo5:096Nature Girl5:447Swamp Ballet5:308Tiger Dreams5:049Daphne's Madness4:0710Kerry Dance4:091994 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 53:40
1Nataliana3:162Baroque Flamenco7:023Dange Zone4:374Home in Your Arms Again3:535Johnny Ramsay7:486Love Is on Your Side4:567New Blues4:438Dance With Me3:089All Through the Night4:2710Closer to You5:0911Noche4:411995 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 57:07
1Joy to the World / El Nino Jesus4:492God Rest You Merry Gentlemen3:213We Three Kings4:484Angels We Have Heard on High3:165Stille Nacht3:046Carol of the Bells4:177Deck the Halls2:598What Child is This?4:509Un Flambeau, Jeannette Isabella4:1410Slawa / Coventry Carol3:4011O Tannenbaum3:3912Ain't That a'Rockin'?3:1813Pagk A-Tao2:5714Fum Fum Fum3:4215Dona Nobis Pacem / Leanabh An Aigh / Auld Lang Syne4:131998 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 57:51
1Bring It All Down4:1029965:133Congratulations, You Made It This Far4:134The Nightingale4:125Nobody Half As Strong4:296Siana's Dream: The Music Box3:587Cindy, Cindy3:548Altered Ego4:019Beck's Blues3:5110Dogs of Somerville5:0611Belinda4:4012Wild Mountain Thyme / Summertime4:5113Irene Goodnight5:131999 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 50:37
1The Ash Grove3:362Comin' Through the Rye4:043The Drunken Sailor4:504Siobeg Siomor / Ye Banks & Braes / Planxty Irwin5:165Slieve Russell3:336All Through the Night / Kira's Lullabye4:217Off She Goes & She's Gone3:548She Moved Through the Fair3:169Gussie's Great Escape2:5610Loch Lomond3:4211The Mason's Apron3:4012My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose3:5213St. Anne's Reel / Here in the Sun3:372006 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 17 tracks · 1:16:47
1Baroque Flamenco5:452Blues Story3:303Way You Are Blues5:404Man in the Moon2:375The Nightinggale5:196Salinger & Burns1:157Catcher in the Rye7:308Stress Analysis3:599Danger Zone5:0310Kitchen Waltz0:2811Merceditas6:15121001 Stories3:301399611:1414A Birthday Moment1:0115Congratulations (You Made It This Far)7:3616Thanks Giving0:1917The Garbageman5:46— · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 26 tracks · 53:18
1Once Upon a Time2:422Amphibia Wanted to be King0:263Don't Try to Be (More than You Are)1:564What if Miss Littlebottom was Right?1:165Ribbity Bibbity Bebop2:156Miss Lavinia Leaves1:127The King Soothes Amphibia's Fears1:078Worthington is Discussed1:249Never Laughs?1:0010Fit to be a King3:5111Worthington's Proposal5:2312Preparing for the Coronation1:2013My Secret Self2:1814Amphibia Breaks Down & the Foll Appears2:2915Thinking & The Curse Reverser1:2716The Ha Ha Song1:4717From Laughter to Tears1:4518Worthington Offers Again1:5419Into the Tower2:2620The Trumpeter & his Trumpet3:2621Josquin's Song1:1422A Cry From the Garden0:5023The Day of the Coronation5:3824Ribbity Reprise1:0125Epilogue2:0626Secret Self Reprise1:05— · studio album
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Tracklist · 19 tracks · 1:18:02
1Life Is Good5:022There's a Boat5:053Dance With Me3:224Deborah's Blues Harp0:455I'm Not as Herbal as I Ought to Be3:236Medley: Loch Lomond / Danny Boy / The Nightingale7:277Hallelujah I Love Her So2:498Home in Your Arms Again6:049I Will Be in Love With You4:0410Man in the Moon2:1811Pajamas3:2012Belinda5:1013Somewhere Over the Rainbow3:3914Railroad Bill4:2815Ickytickytambo1:3116Rain King5:4617Silvered Wings4:0418Georgia on My Mind5:2719Jailhouse Rock4:18
Album · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Just for YouSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks · 1:01:511Just for You5:16 2Budapest6:18 3The Rain King6:20 4Baroque Flamenco6:54 5Dance With Me4:12 6Danger Zone5:20 7Closer to You5:03 8Under the Bed8:17 9The Phoenix8:08 10Watermelon Boogie6:03 | Live | 1995 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Deborah Henson-Conant head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 9 | 54.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 15 | 85th |
| Studio albums | 14 | 94th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 14 | 90.5th |
| Recording span (years) | 27 | 60th |
| Genres | 1 | 56th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e87a07a3-2741-4049-bb12-c9d303bd6ad1discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e87a07a3-2741-4049-bb12-c9d303bd6ad1core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q450640seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah_Henson-Conantbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah_Henson-Conant
Why this artist is in the database
- List of jazz musicians
Tier rule: genre canon: jazz
Image: no portrait (not displayed: the licence credit is missing)
Wikidata: Q450640 · MusicBrainz: e87a07a3-2741-4049-bb12-c9d303bd6ad1
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