Jennifer Corday

Early life

Corday was born and raised in Long Beach, California. She graduated with honors from Wilson High School, where she enjoyed sports, music and drama and was the school mascot. After graduating, Corday started college at Long Beach City, where she performed as a cellist in the chamber orchestra, and participated as an actress in several productions. She transferred to Chapman University in Orange, California, where she continued studying theater and music. She toured Alaska and Hawaii, performing as a cellist in the chamber and symphony orchestras and electric bassist in the jazz ensemble. She became interested in directing her senior year where she had the opportunity to produce and direct one-act plays for the public. She graduated with a B.A. in Communications, with minors in Music and English.

Corday later returned to Chapman to study Education. She worked as a substitute teacher in the Orange Unified School District while she completed the program. After securing her Single Subject Clear Teaching Credential, Corday was hired to teach high school drama and English at Paramount High School, where she acted as Head of Department and the Cheerleading Advisor.

Career

Around this time, Corday began performing as a singer/songwriter/guitarist in the coffee house circuit. She formed a duo with Renea McKee, which led to the all-girl band, Her Majesty. The group disbanded after releasing their first demo. Corday continued as a solo act, eventually forming another band, Corday and the Curious. She resigned from teaching, shortened the band name to Corday and founded Envy Records with Debbie Elmer, to produce and release her own records. Elmer and Corday parted ways and Corday now runs Envy Records on her own.

She has released three records. Her latest album is Superhero, which Corday co-wrote, recorded, and produced in her home studio. It is packaged in a double disc Digipack with a CD and DVD music video of the title track, and includes behind-the-scenes footage. Artwork on the album is by Jamie Kivisto. The Los Angeles Times called her first album, Naked, lacking in musicianship, but that Corday was a "wonderful storyteller." Her album, Driven, was described by Lesbian News as having a "scrumptious, textured variety of sounds," and compared her with Sheryl Crow.

Corday's previous albums, Driven and Welcome to My Past, sold thousands of copies. Her song “Pie” was included on the MTV Undressed soundtrack and in numerous independent films. Corday wrote the soundtrack to Elena Undone.

Corday founded Venus Envy, an organization that donates profits from compilation CDs towards the fight against breast cancer, in memory of her mother Judy. The band Cordray also performs at schools, presenting anti-drug and anti-tobacco concerts. In addition, she has toured overseas to perform for the troops.

She is openly gay with a large following in the community. In 1997, she was featured on the cover of Curve. Corday also blogs for SheWired.

Discography

Albums

Soundtracks

Band members

Previous members

Awards