Julie Budd, a young singing prodigy from Brooklyn, took the stage on "The Merv Griffin Show" as a teenager and received a standing ovation. Since then, she has continued to command attention with her powerful voice, performing in cabarets, showrooms, and symphonic halls, as well as releasing numerous recordings of pop songs, show music, and standards.
Born Edie Erdman on May 4, 1954, Julie's vocal talents were discovered early, and she was dubbed "The Mini-Girl with the Maxi-Voice" and "The Young Barbra Streisand." She released her first album, "Child of Plenty," at the age of 13 and went on to perform on various TV shows, including "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Tonight Show," and "Entertainment Tonight."
As a teen phenomenon, Julie opened for top entertainers like Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, and Liberace. She also sang the title song for the film "Living Free" in 1972. After the transition from child to adult star, Julie continued to tour and perform, remaining a showstopper and building an extremely devoted following.
Julie has branched out into acting, appearing in stage productions and films, including "They're Playing Our Song" and "The Devil and Max Devlin." She has also performed with orchestras like the Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
Julie's working relationship with conductor/composer/musical director Marvin Hamlisch lasted until his death in 2012. She has also collaborated with Carole Bayer Sager, writing movie theme songs like "Roses and Rainbows." Julie continues to perform and record, known for her grandly theatrical and emotionally vibrant performances.