Erica Gimpel

Erica Gimpel is best known from the roles on television such as Fame, Profiler, Roswell, ER, JAG, Babylon 5 and Veronica Mars.

Erica Gimpel Biography

Early life and career

Erica was surrounded by the sounds of music very early in life. Her mother, concert singer Phyllis Bash was 8 months pregnant with Erica while performing the aria “My Man’s Gone Now” in the opera “Porgy and Bess.” Ms. Bash recalls that Erica would move away from her diaphragm as if she knew when the high notes were coming, making room for enough breath to sustain them. Ms. Bash recalls fondly, “That was some of the best singing I had ever done in my life”.

As a child music would waft through her parent’s apartment ranging from Brahms and Schubert (her mother’s favorites) through her father’s collection of such jazz, blues and contemporary greats as Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Ray Charles, and the Beatles.

Erica was accepted into New York City’s famous High School for Performing Arts where she met and became dear friends with the very talented singer/songwriter Helen Slater. Says Erica of her work with Slater: “We would sit at the piano and Helen would write songs and ask me to sing them with her. I marveled at her ability and the beautiful chords she chose. It was in those cherished moments my deep love of the piano was born”.

During her junior in high school, year Erica landed the role of “Coco” in the TV hit NBC-TV series adaptation of hit 1980 film Fame. Her role would go on to become an international success. Soon thereafter, she found herself relocating to Los Angeles, becoming an international star with platinum soundtracks, and doing concerts in sold out stadiums around the world. However, one of her favorite pastimes simply remains sitting at the piano, playing for hours and simply allowing whatever comes through her.

Present career

While balancing a full acting career, today Erica is also a singer/songwriter blending the styles of Jazz/Pop/Alternative. She is currently performing in the Los Angeles area with her band, and is excited about the release of her debut CD Spread Your Wings And Fly ~ Erica Gimpel LIVE, available on iTunes, which has become one the top albums in the Jazz/Pop genre on CDbaby.com. She is also an active member of the world peace organization, the SGI-USA, dedicated to pursuing the values of peace, culture and education by committing to fostering within individuals a sense of responsibility for our shared global community.