Tour Itinerary (back to top)

Past itineraries - sorted by state and performance date (view)

8/27/10 6:00 PM Jersey City, NJ Saint Peter's College
8/30/10 8:00 PM Sault Sainte Marie, MI Lake Superior State University
9/2/10 9:00 PM New Concortd, OH Muskingum College
9/14/10 8:00 PM Gillette, WY Gillette College
9/15/10 11:00 AM Sheridan, WY Sheridan College
9/16/10 11:00 AM Pueblo, CO Pueblo Community College
9/17/10 12:00 PM Colorado Springs, CO Colorado College
11/8/10 7:30 PM Bluffton, SC University of South Carolina - Beaufort

1/25/11 11:30 AM Wausau, WI Northcentral Technical College
2/8/11 11:00 AM Sugar Grove, IL Waubonsee Community College
2/9/11 11:00 AM Sugar Grove, IL Waubonsee Community College
2/18/11 9:00 PM Appleton, WI Lawrence University

Reviews and comments (back to top)

We enjoyed Cary very much! He was very friendly and great to work with. We had a limited audience, but I feel that those who came enjoyed the music that Cary provided. Thanks again for working with us this year and I looked forward to seeing more great events!
Jordan Kenyon, Hall Director, Briar Cliff University – Sioux City, IA


Cary Judd totally rocked the house!! It was one of our biggest events we have had this sememster. And we had so many people comment on how AWESOME he was!! Thanks again for helping set up such a wonderful event today!!
Cassie Gormley, SAB Director, Idaho State University – Idaho Falls, ID

Audience loved him. He was polite. We would love to have him back! It was a small, intimate crowd, which we planned on, and he was received very well. WHAT AN AMAZING PERFORMER! Anytime during spring we could have him and Valerie on the same day/sequential days?
Megan Bradstreet, Asst. Dean of Student Life , Kentucky Wesleyan College – Owensboro, KY

The Cary Judd show went great! He did a Fantastic job and the audience loved him. He was also very easy to work with (as is always the case with your artists). I’m going to forward an email that was sent to me today from a student regarding last night’s show (just to give you a bit more feedback). We would definitely look at bringing Cary back to campus.
Erin Duncan, Director of Student Activities, Mount Marty Collegeon, SD

Thank you—Cary was really wonderful. We liked his music—crowd responded well. Cary was super easy to work with—that is always so helpful.
Nicole Lovik-Blaser, Assistant Director Student Activities, Waldorf College – Forest City, IA

He was great!!! Very entertaining with his stories, and excellent music. I had listened to a few of his songs on myspace beforehand, but they were even better live. Definitely would bring him again.
Erica Jurrens, SWAT President, Waldorf College - Forest City, IA

I worked at Cary's show and really enjoyed it! His performance was great and he had good interaction with the audience (told stories, etc). The audience seemed to really enjoy it as well. The crowd was smaller, but the majority of them stuck around after he was done playing to buy CDs/shirts and talk with him. Overall, it was a fun night.
Cassie Jacobson, STAR Programming Intern, University of Saint Thomas - Saint Paul, MN

Cary’s performance went over well. The audience enjoyed his music and his performance.
Brooke Donovan, Asst. Director Student Activities - Mount St. Mary's University, Emmitsburg, MD


Cary Judd was absolutely amazing! He was an AWESOME performer.....best music I have heard in awhile. The audience loved him too. I think everyone at the show bought a CD they liked him so much. I will definatly consider him for next year.
Zeb Zacharias, CAB Coffeehouse Chair, Gustavus Adolphus College - Saint Peter, MN


Cary was excellent! He was really personable with the students. They were great! The audience loved them. I think 6 or so of them bought CDs and/or shirts, so that was good! We would like to look at Cary for an outdoor show possibly. It won't be 2007-2008 but the following school year, right at the beginning or right at the end of the school year.
Crystal Sutter, Coordinator of Student Activities, Quincy University – Quincy, IL

Cary Judd was awesome! He sounded great as ever. AsJa, SGA president, really was thrilled to take him to lunch. Entertainers only work on our campus in conjunction with another activity going on, so I will keep you posted when we have our other activities. It has been great working with you!
Juliana Kepner, Retention Student Life Specialist, Labette Community College – Parsons, KS

It was great, it was a unique sound that isnt really brought to SIUE's campus very often and everyone really enjoyed it.
Summer Bernal, Concerts Chair, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, IL

Cary was wonderful. He was very respectful and his performance was wonderful. The audience was not a large as I would have liked, but the people that were there enjoyed him a lot. We are thinking of asking him to return again in the Fall during our Welcome Back Week. We really enjoyed working with you and Cary!
Traci Haug, Residence Council President, Missouri Western Sate University - Saint Joseph, MN

The Cary Judd performance was great. The students had great responses…there was an article about it in the student newspaper this morning and there were several quotes from students who said they were very impressed with the show.
Sarah Thuma, Director of Student Activities, Baker University - Baldwin City, KS

Cary Judd did a fantastic performance. He was very well received by the audience and he was able to sell quite a few cd's without any difficulty. He was a great musician to work with, and I believe one of the fraternizes here at Baker is interested in bringing him for another show at a later date.
Jessica Miner, SAC Entertainment Coordinator, Baker University – Baldwin City, KS

Everything went amazing today for our show. We received a ton of good feedback and had a great time with Cary. He was the first performer we've had that actually showed up and played on time so it turned out to be a great deal. Thanks again for making everything so easy on our , we really appreciate good agents at Washburn.
Darin Tuck, CAB Music Chair, Washburn University - Topeka, KS

Cary Judd was fabulous...he was my favorite acoustic musician we've had so far. Amazing!
Terri Shriwise, VP of Programs for Union Board, Fort Hays State University - Hays, KS

It was great. Christy Gibbons , our advisor, loved it and we had a good turnout and people really enjoyed it. I am going to recommend to Christy that we try and get him to play once a school year and maybe make it into a tradition for SVU. Every student that I have talked to really enjoyed that show and would like to see him back.
Ammon Magnusson, Program Board Chair, Southern Virginia University, Buena Vista, VA

The concert was AWESOME! Cary was a delight to have and we could not have asked for a more humble or personable performing artist. Although there was not a lot of students at the show, due to finals week, the ones that were there really enjoyed his musical talent. Thanks again for yet another great performer!
Lacey Beth Peck, Musical Entertainment Chair, Linfield College, McMinnville, OR

The concert was AWESOME! Cary was a delight to have and we could not have asked for a more humble or personable performing artist. Although there was not a lot of students at the show, due to finals week, the ones that were there really enjoyed his musical talent. Thanks again for yet another great performer!
Lacey Beth Peck, Musical Entertainment Chair, Linfield College, McMinnville, OR

The show went GREAT with Cary! He got a HUGE response from the student body and he sold quite a few CDs! He was awesome to work with. Thank you!!!!!
Blake Red Elk, Graduate Assistant - University Programs, University of Arkansas

Cary was awesome, everything went very well and we had an overall great turnout. He had a really amazing performance.
Jacquelynn Bensing, Coffeehouse Chair, University of Arkansas

Cary did an awesome job, by far one of the best performances we've had this year. The crowd loved him. He had a great response and sold a good amount or merch.
Dennis Knapp, SAC Concerts Chair, Missouri State University - Springfield, MO

Cary was a treat to work with and I told him that i anxiously await the day that he can headline the M-Shop and get someone to open for him. He is very entertaining and the crowd response was definitely good and he sold several CD's and that has got to be a great sign...
Steve Satterlee, M-Shop Manager, Iowa State University - Ames, IA

Cary Judd was great! We are trying to get our Wednesday's Live up and going. We had our biggest crowd of the semester that evening. The students really enjoyed his music.
Chelsea Sogard, SAC Late Night Chair, Northwest Missouri State University - Maryville, MO

Cary was great! We really had a good time with him and he couldn't have been easier to work with... I only wish we would have had better crowds for him. I don't know if it was competition with the Tigers playoff game or what, but our numbers were a lot smaller than we had hoped--through no fault of Cary's. On the plus side... everyone who was there really enjoyed the show and I heard some really positive things from students after the show.
Doug Kendrick, Coordinator of Student Life, Bay College - Escanaba, MI

Cary is an absolute delight, low maintenance and very easy to work with. His particular type of music sounds like the Counting Crows or Bob Dylan, people seemed to really enjoy him. Our audience was somewhat sparse—since it’s Ramadan, none of our Muslim students were in the cafeteria, and they are usually really attentive. He’s a wonderful, versatile musician who’s great to work with.
Marisa Johnson, Director of Student Life, Saint Paul College - Saint Paul, MN

Cary had a great response. I would say one of the best responses of anyone we have ever hosted. He sold a ton of CDs, which never happens. He has an incredible voice and show. His voice is close to the best I have ever heard... Perfect radio friendly....alternative "pop like" voice. He just might be the retirement plan Wally is looking for. Hang on to him.... I told him if he not famous in 5 years.......someone has missed the boat.
Chris Mikkelsen, Assistant Director of Student Life, Normandale Community College - Bloomington, MN

Cary Judd went really well. We really enjoyed having him! The turn out was good and people seemed to really enjoy his music. Many people stuck around after the show to visit with Cary and purchase CD's. Thanks for a great show!!
Stephanie Trautman, Coffeehouse Co-Chair, Valley City State University - Valley City, ND

Everything went great with the Cary Judd show Thursday night. We had roughly around 40 students show up which wasn’t bad for everything going on that night. Everyone I talked to loved him, not a single bad comment. There were a few that I had to talk into coming to at least 15 min of the show but wound up staying for the entire show.
Tristan Ross, Coffeehouse Co-Chair, Valley City State University - Valley City, ND

We had great feedback from students and staff! I had people come to my office and ask where we found him!!!! We will probably be looking to bring him back in the spring as the students could not get enough of Cary. Cary is by far the best coffeehouse artist I have heard in 4 years!
Kristy Modrow-Ulah, Director of Campus Activities, Century College - White Bear Lake, MN

Cary Was AWESOME! I enjoyed his profile on the website, which is why i brought him, but it really didn't do him much justice. I had no idea how much more he had to add to the coffee house series this year. Very talented musician. Cary Judd is a 'must see' performer, who really gives a lot to the aesthetics of the realm of music.
Corey Howe, Coffeehouse Chair, Lake Forest College - Lake Forest, IL

Everything was great. Cary was a lot of fun to work with. He was really great with working with us, on this first time event we had. We recieved nothing but positive feedback on his performances. Many people wanted to know more about him. We hope to in the future bring him back to Pitt State.
Anthony Moreno, Director of Campus Affairs, Pittsburg State University

The show was awesome! We had one of the biggest turnouts I have ever seen at our Wednesday night performances. Cary was a great performer and the crowd really got into the show. It's amazing what he can do. Usually only one or two CDs are sold but he sold a bunch which shows that the audience really enjoyed the show.
Blair O'Connor, Coffeehouse Chair for SAC, Coe College - Cedar Rapids, IA

Cary was great, as always. Very nice to work with and just has an easy-going attitude that makes the engagement quite enjoyable. He put on an excellent set in our Student Union. Those that were around thoroughly enjoyed it (or so it seemed, as they purchased some CD’s).
Brian Novak, Director of Campus Activities, Johnson & Wales University - Denver, CO

Cary was AWSOME this past Friday. Even in the inclement weather we had a good turn out and he helped us make it a fun night.
Gina Hatzinger, Asst. DSA, Midland Lutheran College - Fremont, NE

Cary was great. His music appeals to many different audiences, he was perfect for our "welcome back" event.
Alex Harris, Programs Assistant, North Idaho College - Coeur D Alene, ID

Interview (back to top)
Where did you grow up?
Thousand Oaks, CA and Moose, WY (gateway to Grand Teton National Park)

How did your childhood/upbringing influence your decision to be a musician?
I was surrounded by music by my older siblings (family of 5 children). I remember being about 5 years old, my oldest sister had just gotten her driver's license & we drove around all day listening to her new U2 - War tape (yes tape).

What other influences in your life encouraged you to pursue a career in music?
At about 19 I realized that there was nothing else I wanted to or could do that would make any difference in the world.

When did you start performing on the road?
Fall of 2003, I booked my own tour that consisted of colleges, clubs, coffee houses, and living rooms. I left town with $100 in my pocket and a resolve to never go back to normal life.

Is there a particular part of the music business you like the most (i.e. songwriting, touring, singing, etc.)?
I live to tour. A month on tour is worth about 2 years of 'regular life' experiences, there's new people and places everyday, the world tends to shrink exponentially when you've been a lot of places, especially in such a small amount of time. I also love writing. I do it as much as I possibly can. For me writing is a subconscious brain dump, half the time when I am writing I don't know what the song is about until it's finished and I've had a little time to examine my lyrics, it's bizarre because it will be about some issue or feeling that's been smoldering on the back burners of my subconscious, a light goes on and suddenly I know what my song is about.

How often do you write?
I write every day if I can. When I’m not on the road I’m constantly working on ideas, I write about four songs for every song that makes my set list, every song isn’t worth sharing as it goes. When I tour on the west coast, I usually stop in the L.A. area to write with other artists. I’m currently working with three other artists & when I’m in L.A. I’ll collaborate on 5-10 songs, many of which I’m doing the meat of the writing.

What do you like about touring on the college circuit?
When I was really young & discovering music I remember it being so enlightening, like my mind was opening up and I was discovering new parts of my brain. I think for me it may have been happening young (see answer to Q2.), because when I got to college it seemed more common for everyone to be exploring all different aspects of life, music being one of the huge ones. I like being in that atmosphere of discovery and openness. Because of that attitude that is usually prevalent on most campuses it’s very conducive to my discovery of new music. Who better to turn you onto new music than the college boards & programmers that you get to interact with when you’re out on the road?

What do you do to pass the time on the road when you're not performing?
I love anything outdoors, so I’ve spent some of my off time searching out national parks, or places to hike. I like to run. I love good food, so I’ll usually search out an areas good restaurants starting. Movies are always a good standby. I watch very few when I’m not on the road, but end up seeing just about every movie that’s out while I’m on the road.

How would you describe your music? Who do you consider to be your musical influences?
I have a hard time nailing the age-old question of defining my music, as I’m sure most artists do. I’ve given myself a few of my own genre names, “Acoustic New-wave”, sort of as a nod to my 80’s influences, but executed with acoustic guitar rather than moog. I’ve also thought of “Cemo”. It’s not uncommon for some of my music to be tagged as “emo” and I’ve heard that there’s also an “alt-country” country vibe, so country + emo= “Cemo”.
My influence list is a long, long list, but just to throw out a few: The Cure, Death Cab for Cutie/Postal Service, Wilco, Matt Nathanson, Jeff Buckley, U2, Iron Maiden (in a very round about way), The Smiths, and Joy Division.

Do you have any formal training?
My formal training amounts to about 9 months of guitar lessons when I was about 13, a few theory classes at a community college, and a short stint with the viola. I actually was going to school, took a semester to learn to play the viola, played the next semester in the orchestra, then was offered a scholarship at a state school to play the next year. I graciously declined when I realize it was a tangent from what I really wanted to do, rock.

What kind of music do you currently listen to?
This is even longer than my influences list, let me first start by saying I listen to all my influences pretty regularly (The Cure, Death Cab for Cutie/Postal Service, Wilco, Matt Nathanson, Jeff Buckley, U2, The Smiths, and Joy Division). I’m also listening to The Killers, Snow Patrol, Arcade Fire, Indigo Girls, Cat Stevens, Under the Influence of Giants, Modest Mouse, along with assorted local folk and western stuff. This list could go on and on and on forever.

What other passions do you have besides music?
I live in Grand Teton National Park when I’m not touring, and I love to explore the mountains here. Snowboarding is another thing I could probably do everyday if time allowed it, still everything else seems to take second to music.

What advice would you give someone who wants to become a full-time musician?
First and foremost, it’s so important to know that no one will EVER care about your music more than you do, not your manager, not your agent, and definitely not your record label should you find yourself in that situation. You should be able to be all of those things for yourself before you pass the work on to someone else. With that being said, you have to put in a crazy amount of work, imagine the time and effort a doctor puts in before he’s a full-fledged doctor, you’re probably going to have to put in that much and more. You also absolutely have to be obsessed with music, it’s very rare for someone to become successful by being casually involved, you have to do it because you love it, not because there’s a pot of gold at the end of the music rainbow, ask yourself would I play music even if there was no promise of fame & fortune? If you can live and die by it, then you have a place to start.