Tori Amos’s fan base is considered devoted because of the deeply emotional, often healing, connection they have to her music, an aspect that has been overlooked, particularly in sociological and cultural research on gender, emotions and music. Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman: Female Fans and the Music of Tori Amos explores the “female singer-songwriter” troupe seen most recently with fans of artists like Taylor Swift. Using original interview research with more than forty fans of Tori Amos, observations at Amos’s concerts, and analysis of Amos’s lyrics and larger body of work, this work asserts that women in music have the power to create a fan community based on camaraderie, activism, and empowerment. The text aggressively challenges the popular culture stereotypes that have painted all female fans as overly emotional, irrational, and immature.

In stunning contrast, admirers of Tori Amos comprise a more introspective category of fan. Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman examines the wide range of stories from these listeners, exploring how Amos’s female fans are unique because Amos places the experiences of women at the center of her music. This fan base are vital for understanding the multi-layered relationships women can have with female singer/songwriters and serves as a foundation for future studies of women in music.

Praise for Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman

“This study paves the way for future research on female singer-songwriters and their multifaceted relationships to fan culture. The text serves as a strong resource for fans of Amos, sociologists, feminists, and people investigating the role of women in music.” (Journal of American Culture)

“Any music history or women's studies library will be interested in acquiring Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman… The focus on women's emotions and a more mature musical style makes for a powerful survey recommended for any college-level collection looking for more than light biography.” (Midwest Book Review)

“Trier-Bieniek’s masterful blend of qualitative information with sociological theory and her focus exclusively on the fans of Tori Amos makes this contribution to female music fan research unique and valuable. She makes astute observations about the labels that female performers and fans often encounter, and she uses transparent methodology, insightful questions, and thorough observations, including notes about vocal inflection, body language, and emotional responses, to draw reasonable conclusions about the impact that Tori Amos has had on the women that she interviewed.” (ARSC Journal)