Hilary Gardner
Biography Hilary Gardner
Hilary Gardner
Acclaimed singer Hilary Gardner grew up in Wasilla, Alaska infatuated with New York City. Her stunning Anzic Records debut, The Great City, is part love letter, part lament to New York and the big dreams it represents. The Great City can be heard on radio stations across the country, and the album has garnered effusive praise from the jazz community, including DownBeat Magazine, which named Hilary "an artist to watch in 2015" and a Rising Star Female Vocalist.
Hilary is a founding member of DUCHESS, a Boswell Sisters-inspired vocal trio with Anzic Records label-mates Amy Cervini and Melissa Stylianou. In addition to their two critically lauded albums, Duchess and Laughing at Life, they have launched a podcast, Harmony & Hijinks. Duchess has performed at the Ottawa Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, Saratoga Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, and the Jerusalem Jazz Festival. The trio has also enjoyed sold-out appearances at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Rubin Museum.
The Frank Sinatra estate chose Hilary to appear as the live, onstage singer in Tony-award winner Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away. Backed by a 19-piece big band, Hilary sang solos and duets with Frank Sinatra in a performance hailed by critics as “wonderful” (Huffington Post), “elegant” (USA Today), and “terrific” (New York Observer).
Hilary performed with Jeff Goldblum and his band at the Café Carlyle, prompting New York Magazine to call hers "a voice worth seeking out." In the wake of her appearance with Goldblum, Michael Feinstein invited Hilary to be his guest on NPR's Song Travels with Michael Feinstein. She was also a guest on Judy Carmichael’s SiriusXM program, Jazz Inspired.
Hilary has appeared as a guest soloist with symphonies across the country, including the Minnesota Orchestra, Carolina Philharmonic, Rochester Symphony Orchestra, and the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. Hilary performs as a leader throughout New York City and the United States.
