Jenny Conlee

{{Short description|American musician (born 1971)}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Jenny Conlee | image = The Decemberists at Yale, 28 April 2009 - 12.JPG | caption = Conlee performing with the Decemberists (2009) | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|12|12}} | birth_place=Seattle, Washington, U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.decemberists.com/about/jenny-conlee/|work=Decemberists|title=Jenny Conlee|accessdate=September 24, 2016|archive-date=September 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925022312/http://www.decemberists.com/about/jenny-conlee/|url-status=live}}</ref> | death_date = | origin = | instrument = {{hlist|Accordion|keyboards|percussion|melodica|harmonica|vocals}} | genre = | occupation = Musician | years_active = | label = | associated_acts = The Decemberists, Black Prairie, From Words to Blows, Casey Neill & The Norway Rats, Reclinerland, Calobo, Sparkle Pony | website = }} '''Jennifer Lynn Conlee-Drizos''' (born December 12, 1971) is an American musician, best known as the accordionist, pianist, organist, keyboardist, melodica player, and occasional backup singer and harmonicist for the indie rock quintet the Decemberists.<ref name="Decemberists Bio">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p528246|title=''Decemberists Bio on All Music Guide''|website=AllMusic |year=2007|accessdate=2009-04-14|archive-date=2011-02-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110228053529/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p528246|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Musical career== Aside from her work with the Decemberists, Conlee has made guest appearances on several records by other artists, including Hush Records artist Reclinerland, Lewi Longmire, Jerry Joseph, Buoy LaRue and others. Before the Decemberists, she played piano for the 1990s Portland, Oregon, band Calobo. She is also a member of Portland-based Casey Neill & the Norway Rats where she plays keyboards, accordion, and glockenspiel. Her most recent project is the acoustic band Black Prairie, in which she plays with a number of other Portland artists. She also founded the band KMRIA (Kiss My Royal Irish Arse), a the Pogues cover band.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Primer: KMRIA |url=https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-18927-primer-kmria.html |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=Willamette Week |date=14 March 2012 |archive-date=2022-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609161629/https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-18927-primer-kmria.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:Jenny Conlee playing accordion with KMRIA.jpg|thumb|Jenny Conlee playing accordion with the Pogues cover band KMRIA at The High Dive in Fremont, Seattle]]

Conlee's accordions include a Paolo Soprani, which was on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-04-17 |title=AdamMartin.SPACE - 2014 Road Trip - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |url=https://adammartin.space/2014-road-trip-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=AdamMartin.SPACE |archive-date=2022-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520132524/https://adammartin.space/2014-road-trip-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and a Petosa Futura, which she described as her "regular axe".<ref>{{cite podcast | url= https://accordionuprising.wordpress.com/2022/06/06/accordion-noir-radio-playlist-2012-03-28-jenny-conlee-of-the-decemberists/ | title= Accordion Noir radio playlist 2012-03-28: Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists | website= Accordion Uprising | publisher= | host= Bruce Triggs, Rowan Lipkovits | date= 2012-03-28 | time= | access-date= 2022-06-09 | archive-date= 2022-07-05 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220705072743/https://accordionuprising.wordpress.com/2022/06/06/accordion-noir-radio-playlist-2012-03-28-jenny-conlee-of-the-decemberists/ | url-status= live }}</ref>

Her solo debut ''Tides: Pieces for Accordion and Piano'' was released in 2023.<ref name="tides">{{Cite web |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2023/04/03/portland-artist-jenny-conlees-new-tides-album-of-accordion-and-piano-evokes-coastal-environment/ |title=Portland artist Jenny Conlee's new 'Tides' album of accordion and piano evokes coastal environment |last=Frost |first=Allison |date=2023-04-03 |accessdate=2023-06-18 |publisher=Oregon Public Broadcasting |archive-date=2023-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618191307/https://www.opb.org/article/2023/04/03/portland-artist-jenny-conlees-new-tides-album-of-accordion-and-piano-evokes-coastal-environment/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Television== In 2011, she appeared on ''Portlandia'' in comedic skits with Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. She played a musician who unsuccessfully tries to play at every venue at Blunderbuss, a fictional citywide Portland, Oregon, festival, as a member of the band Sparkle Pony, and is turned away as she is not on the line up of any of them.<ref name=olive_portlandia>{{cite web|last=Turnquist|first=Kristi|title='Portlandia' episode 5: Reviews and your reactions|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2011/02/portlandia_episode_5_reviews_a.html|work=Oregonlive.com|date=21 February 2011 |accessdate=2 April 2011}}</ref>

She also appeared on ''Parks and Recreation'' when the Decemberists performed at the Unity Concert.

==Personal life== She is married to drummer Steve Drizos.<ref name="glide">{{cite web|last=Brodeur|first=Melissa|title=Steve Drizos|url=http://www.glidemagazine.com/articles/55593/steve-drizos.html|work=Glide Magazine|accessdate=25 October 2010}}</ref> In May 2011, Conlee was diagnosed with breast cancer.<ref name=pitchfork_cancer>{{cite web|last=Phillips|first=Amy|title=Decemberists Keyboardist Jenny Conlee Diagnosed With Breast Cancer|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/42410-the-decemberists-keyboardist-jenny-conlee-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer/|work=Pitchfork Media|accessdate=4 May 2011|archive-date=5 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505074851/http://pitchfork.com/news/42410-the-decemberists-keyboardist-jenny-conlee-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Colin Meloy said that a full recovery was likely, but that she would miss some concerts.<ref name=pitchfork_cancer /> On October 20, 2011, Meloy announced via his Twitter that Conlee's cancer was in remission.<ref name=cancer-remission>{{cite web|last=Meloy|first=Colin|title=Our girl's officially in remission|url=https://twitter.com/colinmeloy/status/127069948278349824|accessdate=2 November 2011|archive-date=2 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202182441/https://twitter.com/colinmeloy/status/127069948278349824|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|2890651}} * [http://www.caseyneill.org/ Casey Neill & The Norway Rats website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conlee, Jenny}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:American women accordionists Category:American organists Category:American women organists Category:Melodica players Category:American keyboardists Category:American women keyboardists Category:American rock keyboardists Category:American rock pianists Category:American women pianists Category:Musicians from Portland, Oregon Category:Musicians from Seattle Category:The Decemberists members Category:Black Prairie members Category:21st-century American accordionists Category:21st-century American women musicians