Whoever said that experience is the best teacher must have had Mindy Jostyn in mind. The multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter seems to have done everything except play by the rules during her career, opting instead to follow her own unique path. And what a path it has been so far. Jostyn went from years of performing at weddings and barrooms to playing in arenas with Billy Joel, Joe Jackson and John Mellencamp to recording her own album, Five Miles From Hope, with help from friends like Carly Simon, Donald Fagen and Garth Hudson on the PRIMECD label.

When you combine an accordionist, a violinist, a guitarist, a mandolin player, a harmonica player and a dynamic singer and performer into one single package, you get a true musical gem. Jostyn's talents shone through as a backup musician, and have now earned her a place in the spotlight as a solo artist.

Jostyn's childhood was split between San Jose, CA and Wellesley, MA. Her interest in music began at two when she started the piano and was sparked at age three when she heard Judy Garland sing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" in The Wizard of Oz. She wrote her first song at age four, and was encouraged by a very musically inclined family to pursue her talents. By the time she was 11, Mindy had learned accordion, violin, guitar and harmonica, and organized her own band, The Tigers. During her teen years, she developed a taste for artists such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Billie Holiday, Fairport Convention and Jefferson Airplane-influences which she still stands by today.

Mindy attended college, but in the atypical "Jostyn fashion," she turned the four years into four adventures at different schools. She spent a year at each school studying, practicing and playing music, never receiving a degree but gaining a treasure chest of experiences and knowledge that transcended the standard diploma.

After her final year in school, Jostyn moved to New York City to form her own band, The Cyclone Rangers. The band's eclectic, countrified sound drew a following, which led to her introduction to various movers and shakers in the New York music community. But her first break came in 1989, when"Saturday Night Live" band leader G.E. Smith called her up because she was the only female harmonica player listed in the New York City musician's union book. He wanted a female player to appear in a skit on the show when Dolly Parton hosted. Smith later referred Mindy to one of her heroes, Bob Dylan, when Dylan needed musicians to rehearse with. Smith invited her back on"SNL" for a performance with Billy Joel and before she could blink, Jostyn was a member of Joel's band on his 1990 Storm Front world tour, singing back up and playing a variety of instruments.

She spent the next summer adding her voice and instrumental prowess to Joe Jackson's European and Australian tours. Jackson calls Mindy "a soulful, distinctive singer, as well as a great violinist and harmonica player. In other words, she has at least enough talent for three normal people!"

1992 saw Jostyn bounce all over the United States as a member of the New York Rock and Soul Review, led by Steely Dan's Donald Fagen, followed by another trip around the world with The Hooters. When long-time John Mellencamp violinist Lisa Germano left his band to pursue a solo career, it was Jostyn who got the call for yet another high-profile global trek.

In addition to live performances, Mindy has lent her talent to recordings by Donald Fagen, Laura Nyro, The Story, The Hooters and harpist Andreas Vollenweider. In 1994 Mindy was featured in Carly Simon's Live At Grand Central Station cable special, live album and home video. Most recently, Jostyn has been on tour with Vollenweider and recorded her debut album of twelve original songs at The Clubhouse in Germantown, NY, with producer Gary Burke.

Five Miles From Hope showcases Mindy Jostyn's extraordinary talents as a songwriter, vocalist and musician. With inspiring songs like "Time Be On My Side", a duet with Carly Simon, and "All Roads", the gripping *#34;Common Ground" and the delicate, touching ballad "Different Light", Mindy Jostyn is sure to add many fans to her long list of admirers. Carly Simon, who catches Mindy's shows whenever she can, describes Mindy: "Her personal beauty shines through in all her many skills, whether as a songwriter, a fiddle player, a guitarist, a pianist, a mandolin player, harmonica player, percussionist...and the list continues. When she becomes a household name, we will all say, 'We knew it all along.'"

Mindy's Website: mindyjostyn.com