Ruth Moody
| Ruth Moody | |
|---|---|
 Ruth Moody performing in Ireby, England, on May 24, 2008. Photo by Nick Robinson | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Australia |
| Origin | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Genres | Folk music |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano, bodhran, accordion, banjo |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Associated acts | The Wailin' Jennys. |
| Website | www.ruthmoody.com |
Ruth Moody is an Australian-born soprano singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys.
Biography
Moody grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba with her parents, Charles and Marcelline, and three siblings, older brother Richard (The Bills), older sister Jane and younger sister Rachel.[1] She was trained classically from the age of four but unlike her two sisters and brother she did not take to a stringed instrument, and from her mid-teens began to train vocally instead. In 1993 she began to study English and French literature at university with the intent of becoming a teacher like both her parents. She changed her course in 1996 and decided to forge a life out of folk music instead.
Moody's first band was the Juno-nominated roots band Scruj MacDuhk, for whom she was lead singer from 1997 until the group's break up in 2001. After this split Ruth began to focus on her songwriting and picked up the guitar, adding it to her repertoire of piano, bodhran, accordion and banjo. It was also at this time that she started a musical collaboration with Nicky Mehta and Cara Luft. In 2002 the three took to the stage as The Wailin' Jennys. The Jennys (now Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta and New York-based Heather Masse) have won international critical acclaim and numerous awards including Juno awards for their albums 40 Days and Bright Morning Stars. They have toured in North America, Europe and Australia.
Since 2002 Moody has released four full-length albums and an EP with The Wailin' Jennys, and an album with two ex-members of Scruj MacDuhk, Jeremy Penner and Oliver Swain, called South Bound. In July 2002 she released a solo EP called Blue Muse and in April 2010 she released her first full-length solo album, The Garden, produced by David Travers-Smith. The Garden was critically acclaimed and nominated for a Juno award, a Western Canadian Music Award, and three Canadian Folk Music Awards. In 2013 Moody released a new full length solo album entitled These wilder things which included guitar and vocal support from Mark Knopfler among others. [2]
Moody has received recognition for several of her compositions in the USA Songwriting Competition and the International Songwriting Competition. In April 2012 she won first prize in the International Songwriting Competition (Gospel Category) for her song 'Storm Comin'.
Discography
- Live at the West End Cultural Centre (1997) - with Scruj MacDuhk
- The Road to Canso (1999) - with Scruj MacDuhk
- The Wailin' Jennys EP (2002) - with The Wailin' Jennys
- Blue Muse (2002) - Solo EP
- South Bound (2003) - with Moody Penner and Swain
- 40 Days (2004) - with The Wailin' Jennys
- Firecracker (2006) - with The Wailin' Jennys
- Putumayo - Women of the World Acoustic (2007) - with the Wailin' Jennys - compilation featuring Moody's One Voice
- Down at the Sea Hotel (2007) - with the Wailin' Jennys - compilation of lullabies featuring Red House Records artists
- Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House (2009) - with The Wailin' Jennys
- The Garden (2010) - Solo album
- Bright Morning Stars (2011) - with The Wailin' Jennys
- Privateering (2012) - guest vocals with Mark Knopfler
- These Wilder Things (2013) - Solo Album
References
A Career in Full Bloom: Ruth Moody Lovingly Tends to The GardenExternal links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ruth Moody. |
- Ruth Moody official website
- The Wailin' Jennys official website
- Ruth Moody on Myspace
|