Biography

Considered iconic among songwriters in acoustic and bluegrass music, Branscomb is a lifelong pioneer in songwriting, performing, and teaching – work that earned her the coveted Distinguished Achievement Award (IBMA, 2017). Her distinctions include an additional 3 International Bluegrass Association Awards (2 Recorded Events of the Year and Song of the Year), two Grammy cuts (Alison Krauss and John Denver), 2014 IBMA Song of the Year ("Dear Sister," with Claire Lynch), 1993 SPBGMA Song of the Year (“Steel Rails,” Krauss), and over 230 recorded songs, many reaching #1 in bluegrass, roots, and folk music. Branscomb is in the Alabama Bluegrass Hall of Fame, the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame and has a GA Lifetime Achievement Award. Her career as a psychologist focusses on how creativity can transform lives, work that guides and informs her unique original model of teaching songwriting and her non-profit work using songwriting to transform individuals and communities. She is a sought after presenter and trainer, and directs the longest continuous experiential songwriting retreat, Woodsong Farm Songwriter Retreat. She has recently explored integrated performances that use original music and poetry to unite musicians of different genres in one performance with a “meta-level” life message.