Mx. Justin Vivian Bond considers Judy Collins to be their spiritual baby sitter and music teacher. Their musical education was informed significantly by the songs and songwriters who Collins covered: Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Sandy Denny, Jacques Brel, Duke Ellington. Stephen Sondheim, Anna McGarrigle, and so many more. Under the Influence is an evening of songs from these artists (and the woman who led them to JVB).

JVB is a trans-genre artist living in New York City. As a performer both on and Off-Broadway, Mx Bond has received numerous accolades winning an Obie (2001), a Bessie (2004), a Tony nomination (2007), the Ethyl Eichelberger Award (2007), The Peter Reed Foundaton Grant, and a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award.

V authored the Lambda Literary Award winning memoir TANGO: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels (The Feminist Press, 2011). Films include John Cameron Mitchell's Shortbus (2006), Sunset Stories (2012), Imaginary Heroes (2004), Fanci's Persuasion (1995), After Louie (2016). Television credits include “Difficult People” (2017), “High Maintenance” (2016), and “The Get Down” (2016).

Solo exhibitions of JVB's watercolors, sculptural installations and live art have been presented by The New Museum as part of the exhibition titled Trigger: Gender as a Tool and a Weapon (NYC, 2017), Participant, Inc. (NYC, 2011, 2016), Art Market Provincetown (2014), and Vitrine (London, 2015).

Albums include Kiki and Herb: Do You Hear What We Hear?, Kiki and Herb Will Die For You at Carnegie Hall, Dendrophile, and Silver Wells.

These performances are presented as part of Judy Collins' 2019 Vanguard Award and Residency at Joe's Pub.