Ani DiFranco

Only 5' 2" in height, Ani DiFranco has worked hard to prove that she's big in stature.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Ani was singing and playing guitar long before most of us break out of the doldrums of Kidz Bop and Bubblegum Pop to finally realize what good music actually is. As she grew older, she began touring, developing both her signature style of performance and her extremely loyal fan base. Rather than waiting for some A&R bigwig with an even bigger agenda to sign her, Ani simply created her own label, Righteous Babe Records, which has released 18 of her own studio albums as well as 8 of her wildly popular Official Bootleg Series, allowing people to experience Ani live from the comfort of their own homes.

But its not all about Ani over at Righteous Babe, as she hand-picked 12 exceptional artists to join the label and come along on the righteous ride. In addition to that, Ani has established the Righteous Babe Foundation, which has allowed her to be able to support grassroots cultural and political organizations throughout the country. Perhaps her most ambituous endeavor was taking on the task of restoring the historic Asbury Methodist Church in Buffalo which was in danger of being torn down. The church, built in 1876, has been fully restored and converted into a home for a stunning performance space, art gallery, and jazz club.

After over a decade of hard work, Ani DiFranco's career has blossomed into one that is successful in the rarest forms. Ani has proved that if you shed enough blood, sweat, and tears, you really can do what you want in your own way.