History of Brandi Carlile in Timeline

Brandi Carlile is an acclaimed American singer-songwriter and producer known for her genre-blending music, encompassing folk rock, alternative country, Americana, and classic rock. She has garnered significant critical and commercial success, evidenced by her eleven Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards. She has also received an Academy Award nomination, solidifying her status as a versatile and accomplished figure in the music industry.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1969: Joni Mitchell's Last Appereance at Newport Folk Festival

Joni Mitchell had her last appeareance at Newport Folk Festival in 1969, it would be decades until she returned.

1994: Previous Instances of Grammy Nominations for Song of the Year

1994 was the previous time that any songwriter or songwriting team was nominated for Song of the Year twice in the same year. Brandi Carlile had this honor in 2022.

November 2002: Carlile Comes Out as Lesbian

In a November 2002 interview, Brandi Carlile came out as a lesbian.

2007: Original Release of The Story album

The album 'The Story', which was covered in 'Cover Stories' in 2017, was originally released in 2007.

2008: Establishment of the Looking Out Foundation

In 2008, Brandi Carlile and Tim and Phil Hanseroth established the Looking Out Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization to give financial support to and raise awareness of causes in which they believe.

2009: Met Catherine Shepherd

In 2009, Brandi Carlile met Catherine Shepherd.

2010: Seattle's City of Music Breakthrough Award

Brandi Carlile won Seattle's City of Music Breakthrough Award for 2010.

June 2012: Engagement Announcement

In June 2012, Brandi Carlile announced her engagement to Catherine Shepherd.

September 15, 2012: Marriage to Catherine Shepherd

On September 15, 2012, Brandi Carlile married Catherine Shepherd in Wareham, Massachusetts.

2012: Catherine Shepherd Becomes Executive Director of Looking Out Foundation

Since 2012, Carlile's wife, Catherine, has been the Looking Out Foundation's Executive Director.

May 2017: Release of "Cover Stories" Benefit Album

In May 2017, Brandi Carlile released "Cover Stories", a benefit album featuring songs from her 2007 album, "The Story."

July 2018: Announcement of "Girls Just Wanna Weekend" Music Festival

In July 2018, Brandi Carlile announced the creation of her own music festival, "Girls Just Wanna Weekend."

October 2018: Collaboration with Sam Smith on "Party of One" Re-Imagining

In October 2018, Brandi Carlile teamed up with Sam Smith to re-imagine the single "Party of One" as a duet.

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February 3, 2019: Girls Just Wanna Weekend festival

The "Girls Just Wanna Weekend" festival took place at Puerto Aventuras on the Riviera Maya in Mexico, from January 30 – February 3, 2019.

October 2020: Performance of "A Beautiful Noise" with Alicia Keys

In October 2020, Brandi Carlile and Alicia Keys urged people to vote with their song "A Beautiful Noise", which the pair performed on 'Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy' and aired on CBS on October 29.

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October 1, 2021: Release of "In These Silent Days" album

On October 1, 2021, Brandi Carlile released her seventh album, "In These Silent Days." The album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top Rock Albums and Americana/Folk Albums charts.

October 23, 2021: Musical Guest on Saturday Night Live

On October 23, 2021, Brandi Carlile was the musical guest on NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL), where she performed "Right on Time" and "Broken Horses."

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December 10, 2022: SNL Performance with Lucius

On December 10, 2022, Brandi Carlile reappeared as a musical guest on SNL, performing "The Story" and "You and Me on the Rock" with Lucius.

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2022: Headlined Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival

In 2022, Brandi Carlile headlined the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, Tennessee.

2022: Grammy Nominations for Song of the Year

In 2022, Brandi Carlile received two Grammy nominations for Song of the Year, making her the first female songwriter to achieve this in the same year and the first since 1994 for any songwriter or songwriting team.

2022: Performance at Newport Folk Festival with Joni Mitchell

In 2022, Joni Mitchell performed with Brandi Carlile and her associates as the closing act of the Newport Folk Festival. Mitchell's presence was an unannounced surprise; the performance was billed as "Brandi Carlile and Friends."

January 2023: Headlined Inauguration Party for Maura Healey

In January 2023, Brandi Carlile headlined the inauguration party for Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, the first lesbian governor in the United States.

February 2023: Looking Out Foundation's Earthquake Relief Efforts

In February 2023, the Looking Out Foundation raised $300,000 in seven days for the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake relief effort.

2023: People's 2023 Women Changing the World Honor

Brandi Carlile and her wife Catherine were honored amongst People's 2023 Women Changing the World for their work with the Looking Out Foundation.

2023: Collaboration with Tanya Tucker on "Sweet Western Sound" album

In 2023, Brandi Carlile teamed up with Tanya Tucker to produce, write, and sing with Tucker on the critically acclaimed album Sweet Western Sound. Tucker and Carlile recorded a duet that appears on Sweet Western Sound called "Breakfast in Birmingham".

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April 5, 2025: SNL performance with Elton John

On April 5, 2025, Brandi Carlile appeared on SNL alongside Elton John to promote their new album, Who Believes in Angels?

June 2025: Performances in the UK and Glastonbury Festival

In June 2025, Brandi Carlile performed at the Opera House in Manchester, at The Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, and later performed an afternoon set on The Pyramid Stage during Glastonbury Festival, Somerset.

September 3, 2025: Announcement of "Returning to Myself" album and release of title track

On September 3, 2025, Brandi Carlile announced her ninth studio album, "Returning to Myself," and released the album’s title track as the lead single on the same day.