Lisa Loeb

Lisa Loeb Bio

Lisa Anne Loeb (born March 11, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author and actress. She first rose to fame with Stay (I Missed You), a hit from Reality Bites that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for an artist without a recording contract. Over the years she has released multiple albums spanning pop, rock and children’s music, earning recognition for her intimate vocal style and eclectic collaborations. Loeb has acted in films such as House on Haunted Hill and Fright Night, and appeared on television in Gossip Girl and Fuller House, among other projects. She also hosts Camp Lisa and runs an eyewear brand, reflecting her entrepreneurial and philanthropic work in music, education and family entertainment.

Early Life and Background

Lisa Anne Loeb was born in Bethesda, Maryland, and was raised in Dallas, Texas, where her parents still reside. Her mother, Gail, was the president of the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance and Foundation, and her father, Peter Loeb, was a gastroenterologist. She has a younger sister, songwriter Debbie Loeb. As a child, Loeb studied piano, but later switched to guitar. She attended The Hockaday School, an all-girls private school in Dallas. For two years, she had her own radio show on 88.5 KRSM-FM, a 10-watt station licensed to the nearby all-boys St. Marks School of Texas.

Path to Music

After graduating from high school in 1986, Loeb attended Brown University, where she graduated in 1990 with a degree in comparative literature. At Brown in the mid-1980s, Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell formed a band named Liz and Lisa, with future singer/songwriter and classmate Duncan Sheik as a guitarist. The duo released the albums Liz and Lisa (1989) and Liz and Lisa – Days Were Different (1990) independently. After college, Loeb attended Berklee College of Music in Boston for a session of summer school, and in 1990 formed a full band called Nine Stories.

Lisa Loeb Career

Early Career (1989-1994)

Loeb’s professional career began with her band Nine Stories in the early 1990s. The band, named after the book by J.D. Salinger, released the cassette Purple Tape in 1992, which included early recordings of later popular tracks such as Do You Sleep?, Snow Day, Train Songs, and It’s Over. Loeb developed a following from her solo acoustic performances on the New York City coffeehouse circuit and the rock club circuit, playing at venues including CBGB and performing at music festivals such as the New Music Seminar and South by Southwest.

Breakthrough (1994-1997)

Loeb’s big break came through her friendship with actor Ethan Hawke, who lived in an apartment across the street from her in New York City. She gave Hawke the Juan Patiño-produced version of Stay (I Missed You); he in turn gave it to director Ben Stiller during the making of the 1994 film Reality Bites. Stiller used the song in the film’s ending credits, and it was included on the soundtrack on RCA Records. Hawke directed a rare one-take video for the song, which became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., earning Loeb the distinction of being the first artist to top the Hot 100 before signing to a record label.

Notable Works and Milestones

In September 1995, Loeb’s debut album, Tails, credited to Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories, was released on Geffen Records. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA and included the hit Stay and top 20 hit Do You Sleep?. In 1997, Loeb released her second major-label album on Geffen, Firecracker, which was also certified Gold and included hit singles such as I Do, which peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. She subsequently toured with The Wallflowers and Chris Isaak, and performed at Lilith Fair.

Lisa Loeb Award Nominations

Throughout her career, Loeb has received numerous award nominations. Most notably, Loeb and Nine Stories were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for their song Stay, and were named Best International Newcomer in the Brit Awards. Her work has consistently garnered recognition across music, film, and television throughout her extensive career.

Lisa Loeb Awards Won

Loeb has achieved significant recognition for her musical work, particularly in the children’s music genre. In 2018, she won the Grammy Award for Best Children’s Album for her album Feel What U Feel. She has also received multiple National Parenting Product Awards for her children’s albums, including Nursery Rhyme Parade! in 2016 and Lullaby Girl in 2017. Camp Lisa, her children’s musical, earned National Parenting Publications Awards Honors and NPR’s year-end Top 10 list of best kids’ music for 2008.

Lisa Loeb Family

Loeb married Roey Hershkovitz in 2009; they met in 2006 during a business meeting for a food TV show. The couple have two children. She previously dated musician Dweezil Zappa from 1998 to 2004. Her cousin is New York City-based drag queen Alexis Michelle, who was a competitor on the ninth season of reality television series RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Personal Life

In addition to her music and acting career, Loeb has pursued various entrepreneurial ventures. In November 2010, she launched the Lisa Loeb Eyewear Collection, where each type of frame is named after one of her song titles. She also sells a brand of coffee called her Wake Up! Brew, which is organic and fair trade, with all profits going to Camp Lisa. In 2023, Loeb revealed on a podcast that she has misophonia, a condition characterized by sensitivity to certain sounds.