Rachel Blumberg | |
---|---|
Rachel Blumberg playing drums for Bright Eyes
|
|
Background information | |
Born |
Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
February 10, 1969
Genres | Indie pop, folk rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | drums, percussion, vocals, ukulele, banjo, accordion, piano |
Associated acts | Norfolk & Western, M Ward, The Decemberists, She & Him, Jolie Holland |
Rachel Chaiya Blumberg (born February 10, 1969) is an American drummer and singer, best known for her tenure as the drummer for the indie rock band The Decemberists.
Blumberg was born in Portland, Oregon in 1969. She is the daughter of Naomi Blumberg, a Portland cellist and President Emerita of the Oregon Cello Society, and Bernie Blumberg, a professional musician and a public school music teacher, supervisor and principal.
In addition to drumming for The Decemberists, Blumberg was a member of many Portland-based indie bands, including Sissyface, Boycrazy, Norfolk & Western, The Minders (briefly) and M. Ward's backing band.
She spent most of 2007 lending her drumming and singing talents to the touring Omaha indie band Bright Eyes on the Four Winds and Cassadaga tour. In 2007 and early 2008, she recorded new records with Norfolk & Western, M. Ward, and Jolie Holland.
In addition to drums and singing, she plays ukulele, banjo, accordion, piano, and other various stringed, electronic or percussion instruments.
She is also a visual artist and has shown her work in Portland, Oregon and Omaha, Nebraska. Notable musicians who own her work include Jonathan Richman, Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Jenny Conlee of The Decemberists, and Laura Veirs.