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Judy Mayhan is a talented vocalist and musician originally from the Midwest. She studied classical piano and voice, ultimately majoring in Voice/Theatre at the University of Kansas. In 1960, she made the bold decision to hitch-hike to New York City with a $50 guitar and $100, eager to pursue a career in music and theatre. In NYC, she found work in a sandal-making shop and became involved in the burgeoning folk music scene in Greenwich Village. Judy was befriended by the legendary Dave Van Ronk, who introduced her to the Appalachian mountain dulcimer, suggesting it would complement her lyric soprano voice. He also helped her secure gigs, including her first performance as his opening act. During this time, she developed her skills alongside contemporaries such as Bob Dylan, Hoyt Axton, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Peter, Paul and Mary, performing at venues like Sheridan Square Park, The Gaslight Coffeehouse, and Gerde’s Folk City. By 1962, Judy had traveled across the country with Hoyt Axton, performing in the folk scenes of San Francisco and Los Angeles, including at the Troubadour, where she received her first album opportunity. Following the release of her album, she appeared on the Steve Allen TV variety show, gaining recognition for her clear soprano voice and deep sensitivity to song meanings. Not content to be confined to one genre, Judy recorded two popular albums for Atco/Atlantic (Moments in
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