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| A
storyteller through song, Maria Dunn combines North American folk and country music with
the influences of her Celtic heritage. Born in Scotland and raised in Ontario and Alberta,
she writes songs inspired by historical and contemporary characters,
capturing their struggles and triumphs in her lyrics. In 2002, Maria received a Juno nomination
in the Roots/Traditional Solo category for her second recording, For a Song. Maria's 2008 CD The Peddler (distributed by Outside Music), was nominated for a 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award - Solo Artist of the Year and consists of songs that have a distinct Celtic influence. The songs range from The Elder Sister, Maria's ominous take on the timeless Two Sisters tale of jealousy, to You Can't Take That Away, a modern offering for those who have lost a loved one. The title track, The Peddler, is a haunting melody commenting on the marketing of modern wars, while Sailor Song is the rollicking adventure of an 18th century pirate. Katie Comes a-Callin' celebrates the simple joys of friendship while William McIlroy's commemorates a beloved Scottish uncle. To do justice to the songs on The Peddler and give them the appropriate Celtic music arrangements, Maria once again involved Shannon Johnson as producer and Shannon's excellent band The McDades (2007 Juno winners for their CD Bloom; www.themcdades.com) as musicians and collaborators on the song arrangements.
Maria's 2004 project, We Were Good People, explores the stories of working people in Western
Canada--tales of resilience and hope through experiences of immigration, internment,
exploitation and The Depression. Producer: Shannon Johnson
with musical contributions by
The McDades, Craig Korth (banjo, guitar, dobro), Byron Myhre
(mandolin), Michael Jerome Browne (gourd banjo) and others.
Suggested tracks: How Do You Do, 1935?, a banjo-driven Depression-era train song;
Can You Blame the Poor Miner?, a gentle accordion ode to miners in the Crow's Nest Pass
during Prohibition; We Were Good People, a poignant solo ballad describing a 1932 Hunger March;
Mrs. McClung's Address at Walker Theatre, a cheeky Celtic wordplay on women's suffrage;
Troublemaker, a rabble-rousing current day protest song. |
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For a Song (2001) was also produced by Shannon Johnson and
features Maria's songs with musical support from: The McDades,
Shannon Johnson (violin), Craig
Korth (banjo, guitar, dobro), and with guest appearances by bluegrass
band Jerusalem Ridge, Con O'Brien from The Irish Descendants
(backing vocals), and Lester Quitzau (dobro). The stories range
from The Lingan Strike, a rousing tale from Cape Breton's labour
history, to Take it Easy on Me, a gentle anthem for contemporary
society. Maria's critically acclaimed debut release, From Where I Stand (1998), also finds a beautiful balance between the past and present. Its musical settings range from the Scottish inspired melody of Shoes of A Man, a song about her grandfather's life in Glasgow, to the upbeat bluegrass feel of Distant Whisper, a travelling love ballad. |
 ...compelling and meaningful music. Dirty Linen Magazine
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Highlights
2000
2001
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Other Information
The Carol Project (Bravo TV, Canada); Voice of America (Washington, DC); CBC Sunday Edition w/ Michael Enright (Canada); CBC This Morning w/Shelagh Rogers (Canada); BBC Scotland Travelling Folk w/Archie Fisher (Scotland); Folkscene w/ Roz Larman (Los Angeles, CA); Bound For Glory w/ Phil Shapiro (Ithaca, NY); KVMR w/ Larry Hillberg (Nevada City, CA); CBC RadioActive w/ Peter Brown (Edmonton); CBC Key of A (AB); CBC Daybreak Alberta w/ Carolyn Smith (AB); CKUA The Celtic Show w/ Andy Donnelly (AB); CJRT Absolutely Folk w/ Cate Friesen (Toronto); CiTR The Saturday Edge w/ Steve Edge (Vancouver); CKCU Canadian Spaces w/ Chopper MacKinnon (Ottawa); CKUT Folk Roots and Branches w/ Mike Regenstreif (Montreal); CBC Basic Black (Canada); CBC Definitely Not the Opera (Canada) |
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| She's
moving from strength to strength...She's almost like a Nanci Griffith, but
also does Celtic Terry Wickham, Edmonton Folk Music Festival
...exquisite album exploring North America's colorful and often troubled heritage.
...An arrestingly powerful singer-songwriter from Canada who writes great historical
and social commentary.
She combines the storytelling of James Keelaghan with
David Francey's ear for melodies that fit seamlessly into the tradition.
The results are songs that already sound like people have been singing them for years.
...remarkable singer-songwriter, think of her as a distaff Woody Guthrie.
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