Singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-'90s and soon signed to his Real World label. His debut, Big City Streets, was released in 1997 and practically went unnoticed. Not discouraged by industry politics, this native of Akron, OH, continued to make music and dove into his Earth-inspired abstract art. br /br /His eclectic brooding is similar to the likes of Leonard Cohen, Joe Henry, and the late Jeff Buckley. He doesn't stick to one sound, for his time spent with Gabriel has exposed his musical styles to more global outlets. Arthur participated in Gabriel's annual WOMAD shows, and spent the latter part of the '90s on the road with residency tours in the northeast and northwest, which included opening dates for labelmates Ben Harper and Gomez.br /br /In 1999, Arthur released the seven-song EP Vacancy, in which he received a Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package thanks to his design with co-art director Zachary Larner. Following brief critical acclaim, Arthur released his sophomore effort Come to Where I'm From on Virgin a year later. This album showed Arthur's musical fondness for basic country-rock and Americana. He spent summer 2000 headlining club dates across North America. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide