When you see Vivian Cook play live you'll hear a woman with a voice you won't forget, backed by a killer rock 'n' roll band. Her lyrics and melodies would have you believe she's twice her age of 25. That's because she's lived a lot of life in those short years. She grew up in Palo Alto, CA, and graduated from Georgetown University with degrees in Theatre and Theology. Vivian then moved to Los Angeles to record The Long Shot, named after the subject of the e-mail Vivian sent to gold record producer R. Walt Vincent asking if he would like to work with her. About those songs, Vivian says, "My songs are mainly about my friends. I fi gured out a long time ago that they're my most valuable asset, that I wouldn't be me without them. They're about navigating the stormy waters of adolescence and surviving, which isn't a given. They're about getting dealt a winning hand, only to get f***-all in the next round. And composting, because even shit can be turned into something beautiful."