Bio

PJ Brunson is a South Carolina-based singer, songwriter, composer, guitarist and pianist who has performed extensively across the Southeast region, opening for legendary artists such as Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith.

Known in the Carolinas as the "female James Taylor", the acoustic folk/easy listening artist delights audiences on guitar and piano with hints of Americana, country, pop, blues, Celtic, new age, classical and rock. Her songs, instrumentals and lyrics reflect her deep appreciation of poetry, art, literature and Southern heritage -- with imagery-accented stories of love and lore that appeal to audiences from all walks of life.

PJ has received accolades from fans and the media alike. The publication Creative Loafing named her Charlotte's "Best Acoustic Folk Act".

PJ’s latest recording, a six-song EP titled “The Other Side (Part 1)” releases on August 1st, 2023. It is a celebration of family relationships and love. PJ remembers her mother, father, grandmother, and grandfather in song, and relays the love story of her friend and mentor, Miss Peggy. The country-folk songs are tender and often moving and were arranged and recorded locally with the help of some talented musician friends. Also premiering on August 1st is an accompanying music video for one of the songs, “Reel Love”, produced by PJ and Rock Hill photographer and videographer Terry Roueche. The video is a moving musical and visual tale of the love story of Peggy and her beloved husband Jim Reel. You may see some familiar local faces in the film who graciously shared their time and talents.

Her 2014 album, "Home To Me", was nominated for Folk Album of the Year by members of the International Music and Entertainment Association. The songs are brought to life with the artist's mesmerizing alto vocals and intricate finger picking on acoustic guitar. Fans have praised the 14-song project as comforting, drifting, thought provoking, life changing, and authentic -- a gentle way to find peace in a troubled world.

The singer-songwriter has recorded five other albums as a solo artist and/or member of the New Age duo Ananda, with songs airing on radio stations and websites around the world. PJ's other solo albums are "Long Road - Live" (2003) and "Come Hell or High Water" (2001).

One of her greatest accomplishments as a budding professional artist was opening for Lovett and Griffith at Spirit Square in Charlotte and advancing to the second round of the "You Can Be A Star" talent search. She has performed at a host of prominent venues since then, including the Commodore Lounge and Renaissance Hotel in Nashville; the Charlotte Music Awards Singer-Songwriter Showcase; the York (S.C.) Summerfest; Community Performance Center in Rock Hill, S.C.; the Sylvia Theater in York, S.C.; Manhattan's in Knoxville, Tenn.; The Grey Eagle in Asheville, N.C.; Cafe' 99 and Cumberlands in Charleston, S.C.; and Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, N.C

The Herald newspaper in Rock Hill, S.C., has described PJ's performances as "so clear and captivating... she has often been compared to Joan Baez and Karen Carpenter."

The artist has received substantial news media coverage, appearing on WMNF-FM in Tampa, Fla.; "The Session with Tzima Brown" on radio station 95.9-FM The Point in Columbia, S.C.; WSGE-FM in Dallas, N.C.; WGWG-FM in Boiling Springs, N.C.; and "The Bo Travis Show" on Charlotte Cable Television.

PJ wrote her first song at age 5 (a rewrite of the love theme from the movie "Exodus") after she nearly drowned during a family outing to Santee Lake in South Carolina. Her adoptive father rescued her just in time. Her maternal grandmother bought PJ her first "real" guitar when she was 16. She learned to play the instrument by observing a folk guitar teacher on ETV. Her first paid gig at a local club led to a TV appearance and opportunity to record in a real studio. She later studied classical guitar and piano after landing a music scholarship to Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C.

The artist is available to perform her original songs at concerts, restaurants, bars, churches, weddings, bookstores, festivals, parks, private parties, and coffee houses.