Song Writer Comparison.
Frazey Ford Frazey Ford Is a Canadian singer songwriter. Best known as a founding member of acclaimed Vancouver trio The Be Good Tanyas – Frazey Ford (guitar, lead vocals, harmony vocals) Trish Klein (banjo, guitar, harmony vocals) and Samantha Parton (mandolin, guitar, vocals.)
Her parents moved from America into the communes of Canada in the 70s. Her father was trying to escape being drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, and it was here in Canada that Frazey was born. She was raised in south eastern British Columbia, and in Toronto. In the 80s Frazey and her sister explored Asia with their mother, and she credits her free spirited parents for the adventurous nature of her youth.
The Be Good Tanyas story began in the 90s. Frazey and future band mate, Samantha Parton lived a vagabond lifestyle, earning a living as tree planters in the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia. As they worked together replenishing the rich Canadian forests, they would sing anything from traditional work songs to Joni Mitchell. They discovered a mutual love of music, but eventually parted ways.
Frazey met Trish Klein while the two were studying music in Nelson, British Columbia. Both were serious about their studies, but also immersed themselves in the local live music scene. Klein recalls in an interview that the first time she saw Frazey, she was singing an acapella version of Jimi Hendrix’ ‘Manic Depression.’ Eventually Frazey and Trish also went their separate ways. Frazey went to Montreal and then to Guatemala, Trish went to Vancouver and Samantha travelled South through America.
Chance brought the three together, and the trio was formed in Vancouver in the winter of 1999. The three first got together for jam sessions after meeting Texan songwriter Jolie Holland who introduced them to the song ‘Be Good Tanyas,’ written by Obo Martin. Now that the band was named, their sound developed from influences of Country, Blues and Gospel music.
Their debut album ‘Blue Horse’ was released in 2000, with its traditional Country sound, the album became popular across Canada and Frazey borrowed money from her mother to Finance their first tour. The group had further success after signing with Nettwerk, and soon became popular in Britain also.
The ‘Blue Horse’ album features collaborations and covers. Frazey wrote tracks two, eight and ten from the album. She also collaborated with band mate Samantha Parton on track five. On track two ‘Broken phone’ Frazey’s lyrics show compassion and love. She conveys a feeling of reassurance by saying ‘I’ll be the wind in your leaves, the warmth of the sun.’ An element of gratitude is indicated by her lyric ‘Higher and higher I am taken, by what you’ve given to me.’ I feel this demonstrates Frazey’s thoughtful, caring character. Themes of gratitude and reassurance continue in track eight, ‘Momsong’ – ‘Don’t you know it’s your laugh we laugh that carries us through. And the strength and the love that we carry we got it from you.’
The meaning behind Ford’s lyrics can be difficult to decipher, I admire how Frazey is able to convey strong emotion and imagery, while still incorporating obscurity and mystery into her songs. ‘Up against the wall’ is track ten on the album, it is possible that Frazey is exploring the pain of heartbreak in this song, or expressing a scepticism about love, indicated by the lyric ‘Some say love it only comes once in a lifetime, well once is enough for me.’ Frazey and Samantha collaborated on track five of the album ‘Only in the past.’ It seems to touch on feelings of loss – ‘I was trying to wave to you, but you wouldn’t wave back.’ The following line conjures a sense on acceptance, saying ‘now I understand, you’re with me only in the past.’
The second album ‘Chinatown’ was released in 2003. It features further collaborations and traditional covers. Frazey wrote tracks one, three, four and nine of the album. With track one ‘It’s Not Happening’ Frazey again conjures feelings of compassion and understanding. She seems to comment on stress and confusion by saying ‘cuz you’re talking to yourself, you don’t hear a thing’ but provides a feeling of comfort and hope with the line ‘Just shut your eyes, It’s not happening.’ Track three, ‘Junkie song’ is a stark reflection on how easily problems such as drug addiction and homelessness can be ignored. The line ‘we all hover between apathy and compassion, we fill up all our days with so much distraction’ is of particular significance to me, I feel that it comments on our capacity for avoidance, and captures a contradiction of human emotion with a heart-rending honesty. ‘Ship Out on the Sea’ is the fourth track on the ‘Chinatown’ album. The opening line ‘I’m a ship, I’m a ship, I’m a ship, out on the sea’ creates a feeling of fluidity. Frazey conveys a sense of healing and tranquillity with the lyrics ‘the earth is a warm thing under my feet’ and ‘Plant me in the garden, don’t you let me roam... love is a feeling like a warm dark stone.’ Frazey touches on themes of regret with track nine, ‘In Spite of All the Damage.’ An apologetic quality is conveyed by her use of the words ‘If I wanted to say to you, that I wanted to see your face again... In spite of all the damage I’ve done’ It seems that she is reflecting on a failed relationship, and the sense of remorse is strengthened by the lyric ‘I broke up our home, left you nowhere to run.’
Following the release of the ‘Blue Horse’ album, the trio took a well deserved rest from their hectic touring schedule to focus on other musical projects. It was during this time that Frazey’s first child was born. Becoming a mother had a huge influence on Frazey both as an artist and as a person.
‘Hello Love’ is the third album by the Be Good Tanyas. Released in 2006, it includes traditional songs and covers, as well as further collaborations. Frazey wrote tracks one and seven of the album. With track one, ‘Human thing’ Ford continues to write with the sincerity that makes her relatable as a songwriter. She invokes a feeling of confrontation by saying ‘You’re a human thing, who yah think you’re foolin’? You’re not foolin’, not foolin’ me.’ She continues to challenge the listener with the lyric, ‘you’re so busy frontin’ Confusing courage and acting.’ She goes on to say ‘you got roots cannot be torn from under, won’t you shake it like you never done before’ which seems to provide a feeling of encouragement, and enforces the down to earth attitude that is typical of Frazey’s song writing. ‘Hello Love’ is the seventh track on the album. Ford’s lyrics are poignant and poetic as she describes the possibility of rekindling an old love – ‘Hello love my old friend, sure is good to see you again... if you kiss me once, out here in the rain, we’ll go back and start all over again.’ This song creates a feeling of yearning while still conveying a sense of acceptance.
Frazey’s middle name was chosen by her brothers when she was born; ‘Obadiah’ was the name of a pet cat that had recently disappeared, and it was this name that Frazey chose for her solo album. ‘Obadiah’ was released in 2010 on Nettwerk records. With this album, Frazey comes into her own as a songwriter and as a story teller. All tracks were written by her, except from number twelve, a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘One More Cup of Coffee.’ She describes the inspiration for the album as being ‘moved by motherhood, earth and land’ and reflects that it was the result of a process of healing. Ford cites artists like Donny Hathaway, Ann Peebles and Roberta Flack as influences, and the ‘Obadiah’ album is a rich infusion of folk, country and soul. Track one is the beautiful ‘Firecracker.’ It alludes to the religious connotations of the album’s title. Track six, ‘Lost Together’ is written from the perspective of a mother looking back on her life, and features Frazey’s mother’s harmonies alongside her own – ‘Oh were we lost together, You know we were side by side losing everything.’
Frazey Ford’s distinctive voice is beyond comparison. Her diction is by no means perfect, with lyrics at times indiscernible, but if anything this only adds to the beauty and mystery of her music. The meanings of her songs are adaptable depending on the listener. Ford creates a general feeling which is open to interpretation. Her ability to immerse herself fully into the emotion conveyed by her songs makes her music very relatable. She is an inspiration to me as a musician and as a songwriter, and I look forward to her future releases.
Joni Mitchell Her parents moved from America into the communes of Canada in the 70s. Her father was trying to escape being drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, and it was here in Canada that Frazey was born. She was raised in south eastern British Columbia, and in Toronto. In the 80s Frazey and her sister explored Asia with their mother, and she credits her free spirited parents for the adventurous nature of her youth.
The Be Good Tanyas story began in the 90s. Frazey and future band mate, Samantha Parton lived a vagabond lifestyle, earning a living as tree planters in the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia. As they worked together replenishing the rich Canadian forests, they would sing anything from traditional work songs to Joni Mitchell. They discovered a mutual love of music, but eventually parted ways.
Frazey met Trish Klein while the two were studying music in Nelson, British Columbia. Both were serious about their studies, but also immersed themselves in the local live music scene. Klein recalls in an interview that the first time she saw Frazey, she was singing an acapella version of Jimi Hendrix’ ‘Manic Depression.’ Eventually Frazey and Trish also went their separate ways. Frazey went to Montreal and then to Guatemala, Trish went to Vancouver and Samantha travelled South through America.
Chance brought the three together, and the trio was formed in Vancouver in the winter of 1999. The three first got together for jam sessions after meeting Texan songwriter Jolie Holland who introduced them to the song ‘Be Good Tanyas,’ written by Obo Martin. Now that the band was named, their sound developed from influences of Country, Blues and Gospel music.
Their debut album ‘Blue Horse’ was released in 2000, with its traditional Country sound, the album became popular across Canada and Frazey borrowed money from her mother to Finance their first tour. The group had further success after signing with Nettwerk, and soon became popular in Britain also.
The ‘Blue Horse’ album features collaborations and covers. Frazey wrote tracks two, eight and ten from the album. She also collaborated with band mate Samantha Parton on track five. On track two ‘Broken phone’ Frazey’s lyrics show compassion and love. She conveys a feeling of reassurance by saying ‘I’ll be the wind in your leaves, the warmth of the sun.’ An element of gratitude is indicated by her lyric ‘Higher and higher I am taken, by what you’ve given to me.’ I feel this demonstrates Frazey’s thoughtful, caring character. Themes of gratitude and reassurance continue in track eight, ‘Momsong’ – ‘Don’t you know it’s your laugh we laugh that carries us through. And the strength and the love that we carry we got it from you.’
The meaning behind Ford’s lyrics can be difficult to decipher, I admire how Frazey is able to convey strong emotion and imagery, while still incorporating obscurity and mystery into her songs. ‘Up against the wall’ is track ten on the album, it is possible that Frazey is exploring the pain of heartbreak in this song, or expressing a scepticism about love, indicated by the lyric ‘Some say love it only comes once in a lifetime, well once is enough for me.’ Frazey and Samantha collaborated on track five of the album ‘Only in the past.’ It seems to touch on feelings of loss – ‘I was trying to wave to you, but you wouldn’t wave back.’ The following line conjures a sense on acceptance, saying ‘now I understand, you’re with me only in the past.’
The second album ‘Chinatown’ was released in 2003. It features further collaborations and traditional covers. Frazey wrote tracks one, three, four and nine of the album. With track one ‘It’s Not Happening’ Frazey again conjures feelings of compassion and understanding. She seems to comment on stress and confusion by saying ‘cuz you’re talking to yourself, you don’t hear a thing’ but provides a feeling of comfort and hope with the line ‘Just shut your eyes, It’s not happening.’ Track three, ‘Junkie song’ is a stark reflection on how easily problems such as drug addiction and homelessness can be ignored. The line ‘we all hover between apathy and compassion, we fill up all our days with so much distraction’ is of particular significance to me, I feel that it comments on our capacity for avoidance, and captures a contradiction of human emotion with a heart-rending honesty. ‘Ship Out on the Sea’ is the fourth track on the ‘Chinatown’ album. The opening line ‘I’m a ship, I’m a ship, I’m a ship, out on the sea’ creates a feeling of fluidity. Frazey conveys a sense of healing and tranquillity with the lyrics ‘the earth is a warm thing under my feet’ and ‘Plant me in the garden, don’t you let me roam... love is a feeling like a warm dark stone.’ Frazey touches on themes of regret with track nine, ‘In Spite of All the Damage.’ An apologetic quality is conveyed by her use of the words ‘If I wanted to say to you, that I wanted to see your face again... In spite of all the damage I’ve done’ It seems that she is reflecting on a failed relationship, and the sense of remorse is strengthened by the lyric ‘I broke up our home, left you nowhere to run.’
Following the release of the ‘Blue Horse’ album, the trio took a well deserved rest from their hectic touring schedule to focus on other musical projects. It was during this time that Frazey’s first child was born. Becoming a mother had a huge influence on Frazey both as an artist and as a person.
‘Hello Love’ is the third album by the Be Good Tanyas. Released in 2006, it includes traditional songs and covers, as well as further collaborations. Frazey wrote tracks one and seven of the album. With track one, ‘Human thing’ Ford continues to write with the sincerity that makes her relatable as a songwriter. She invokes a feeling of confrontation by saying ‘You’re a human thing, who yah think you’re foolin’? You’re not foolin’, not foolin’ me.’ She continues to challenge the listener with the lyric, ‘you’re so busy frontin’ Confusing courage and acting.’ She goes on to say ‘you got roots cannot be torn from under, won’t you shake it like you never done before’ which seems to provide a feeling of encouragement, and enforces the down to earth attitude that is typical of Frazey’s song writing. ‘Hello Love’ is the seventh track on the album. Ford’s lyrics are poignant and poetic as she describes the possibility of rekindling an old love – ‘Hello love my old friend, sure is good to see you again... if you kiss me once, out here in the rain, we’ll go back and start all over again.’ This song creates a feeling of yearning while still conveying a sense of acceptance.
Frazey’s middle name was chosen by her brothers when she was born; ‘Obadiah’ was the name of a pet cat that had recently disappeared, and it was this name that Frazey chose for her solo album. ‘Obadiah’ was released in 2010 on Nettwerk records. With this album, Frazey comes into her own as a songwriter and as a story teller. All tracks were written by her, except from number twelve, a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘One More Cup of Coffee.’ She describes the inspiration for the album as being ‘moved by motherhood, earth and land’ and reflects that it was the result of a process of healing. Ford cites artists like Donny Hathaway, Ann Peebles and Roberta Flack as influences, and the ‘Obadiah’ album is a rich infusion of folk, country and soul. Track one is the beautiful ‘Firecracker.’ It alludes to the religious connotations of the album’s title. Track six, ‘Lost Together’ is written from the perspective of a mother looking back on her life, and features Frazey’s mother’s harmonies alongside her own – ‘Oh were we lost together, You know we were side by side losing everything.’
Frazey Ford’s distinctive voice is beyond comparison. Her diction is by no means perfect, with lyrics at times indiscernible, but if anything this only adds to the beauty and mystery of her music. The meanings of her songs are adaptable depending on the listener. Ford creates a general feeling which is open to interpretation. Her ability to immerse herself fully into the emotion conveyed by her songs makes her music very relatable. She is an inspiration to me as a musician and as a songwriter, and I look forward to her future releases.
Joni Mitchell is known as a musician, a songwriter and a painter. She emerged as one of the most influential songwriters of the late 60’s and 70’s, and has had a career that few artists or performers could imagine.
She was born on November 7th 1943 in Fort Macleod, Canada, and her original name was Roberta Joan Anderson. Her mother Myrtle was a school teacher, with Scottish and Irish Ancestry. While her father Bill had Norwegian roots, and was a Royal Canadian Air Force flight lieutenant.
With her parents, Joan moved to various bases in western Canada until the end of WW2, when her father began working as a grocer. The family relocated to Saskatchewan, and also lived in the towns of North Battleford and Maidstone. Joan refers to her upbringing in Maidstone in ‘Song for Sharon.’
In a 2007 interview, she recalls being happiest outdoors as a child. And remarks that she has always been deeply saddened by mans disrespect for nature. She also said ‘My mother raised me on words... She was a romantic woman.’
At the age of seven Joan was inspired by an older friend to begin playing the piano, and after begging her parents’ permission she took lessons for roughly a year.
Sadly Joan’s Youth was also a time marked by illness. She contracted Polio in a 1951 epidemic, and also suffered from Scarlet fever and severe chickenpox. Joan was placed in a hospital away from home, bedridden for weeks. She began to sing as she battled her sickness, hoping that she would be well in time to spend Christmas at home with her family.
Her first passion in life (other than painting) had been athletics, and though she recovered fully from her illness, she could no longer run or swim competitively as she had in the past, and as a result of this she became increasingly interested in dance.
By the time she was eleven years old, her parents had settled in the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This is the place that Mitchell now regards as her home town. Growing up before arts were included in school curriculum, Joan was uninspired. Growing increasingly frustrated with the educational system, she was labelled a bad student.
She had an influential seventh grade teacher called Mr. Kratzman who inspired her in becoming a wordsmith, and encouraged her love of literature. His influence was so great that Mitchell later dedicated her debut album to him, stating ‘Mr Kratzman, who taught me to love words.’
Joan had a love of classical music from a young age. She was influenced by composers Debussy, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and Chopin, among others. As a teenager in the late 50’s, she also developed a love of rock ‘n’ roll, and would hang out in cafés that had Jukeboxes (despite being forbidden by her parents) so she could listen to Rock ‘n’ Roll records. Joan enjoyed dancing to Ray Charles, Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley.
Joan bought a baritone ukulele for $36 in 1957. Inspired by the emergence of folk music, she taught herself to play, and began to entertain at the parties and coffee houses of Saskatoon. She was 18 when she got her first paid gig at a club that featured local folk and jazz performers.
She finished High school, and went to study at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary. Music remained a way to make money, but Joan wanted to paint. And here at Art school, she excelled academically for the first time in her life. Joan achieved excellent grades, but her figurative painting style was out of keeping with the abstract trends of the time. Joan left Art School after a year, and took a $15 a week gig at a Calgary coffee house called The Depression. This caused friction within her family. Joan’s parents valued education, and strongly disapproved of her decision to leave college.
In the summer of 1964 Joan moved to Toronto. During the 60’s, a union card was required to play gigs in Toronto and Joan could not afford the $200 fee. Though she was able to get some non-union gigs, she found her-self busking in the streets, and working part time at Simpsons-Sears department store. Joan has a repertoire that consisted mostly of traditional folk covers, and soon realized that other performers had exclusive rights to these songs. Restricted in what she was able to play, Joan began to write her own material.
Autumn 1964, Joan found out the she was pregnant to an old college boyfriend from Calgary. At the time there was a strong social stigma against women having children out of wedlock. With emergency contraception and abortion unavailable by law, Joan sought to have her child without the knowledge of her family back home. In February 1965 Joan gave birth to a baby girl. Unable to provide, and facing the prospect of motherhood alone, she gave her child up for adoption. Having made this difficult decision, Joan immersed herself in song writing. She refers to the experience in several of her songs, but the existence of her daughter remained private until 1993.
Joan went back to gigging in the folk clubs of Toronto. She was begging to play more of her own material, and gained the attention audiences with her expressive, poetic lyrics, her melodious tunes, and her use of unique open tunings. Joan expressed wisdom that was typically beyond that of someone her age.
It was while playing in a club called the Penny Farthing that Joan first attracted the attention of fellow folk performer, Chuck Mitchell. That summer, with the promise of steady work in America, Joan left Canada for the first time. She and Chuck Relocated to Detroit, Michigan. And the two married in June 1965. Joan appeared at the Newport music festival in 1966 as Joni Mitchell, but her marriage to Chuck broke down by early 1967.
Following this, Joni moved to Chelsea, New York. Gigging relentlessly, she played in venues up and down the East coast. Joni was becoming more renowned, and gaining attention from the media.
She only began to recognize her own talent when some of her songs where covered by other notable performers. Shortly after she wrote ‘Both sides, now’ it effectively launched the career of Judy Collins, who had a substantial hit with the song after releasing her version in 1967. Various other performers covered Joni’s early work, but the most significant to Joni was possibly Buffy Saint-Marie, a Canadian-American folk performer, whose influence had been inspirational to Joni in previous years.
Joni met American songwriter and musician David Crosby while performing in Florida. Impressed by her talent, Crosby produced her first album. It was originally released as a self titled album, rather than with the title ‘Song to a Seagull’ as intended. It is a simplistic album that Mitchell later stated was influenced more by her love of classical music than of folk.
By the end of 1968 Joni was playing much larger venues. Constant touring created keen anticipation of her second album ‘Clouds.’ For this album, she received her first Grammy award for best folk performance, following its release in April, 1969. This album includes songs written by Joni that had previously been performed and recorded by other artists.
Between the years of 1968 and 2007, Joni released nineteen albums. She has an extraordinary and extensive body of work spanning over 40 years, and is hailed as a great painter as well as being treasured as a songwriter and a musician. Her songs have been covered by musicians around the world, and it is said that the significance of her influence on subsequent lyricists, composers and singers is unrivalled.
Shania Twain She was born on November 7th 1943 in Fort Macleod, Canada, and her original name was Roberta Joan Anderson. Her mother Myrtle was a school teacher, with Scottish and Irish Ancestry. While her father Bill had Norwegian roots, and was a Royal Canadian Air Force flight lieutenant.
With her parents, Joan moved to various bases in western Canada until the end of WW2, when her father began working as a grocer. The family relocated to Saskatchewan, and also lived in the towns of North Battleford and Maidstone. Joan refers to her upbringing in Maidstone in ‘Song for Sharon.’
In a 2007 interview, she recalls being happiest outdoors as a child. And remarks that she has always been deeply saddened by mans disrespect for nature. She also said ‘My mother raised me on words... She was a romantic woman.’
At the age of seven Joan was inspired by an older friend to begin playing the piano, and after begging her parents’ permission she took lessons for roughly a year.
Sadly Joan’s Youth was also a time marked by illness. She contracted Polio in a 1951 epidemic, and also suffered from Scarlet fever and severe chickenpox. Joan was placed in a hospital away from home, bedridden for weeks. She began to sing as she battled her sickness, hoping that she would be well in time to spend Christmas at home with her family.
Her first passion in life (other than painting) had been athletics, and though she recovered fully from her illness, she could no longer run or swim competitively as she had in the past, and as a result of this she became increasingly interested in dance.
By the time she was eleven years old, her parents had settled in the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This is the place that Mitchell now regards as her home town. Growing up before arts were included in school curriculum, Joan was uninspired. Growing increasingly frustrated with the educational system, she was labelled a bad student.
She had an influential seventh grade teacher called Mr. Kratzman who inspired her in becoming a wordsmith, and encouraged her love of literature. His influence was so great that Mitchell later dedicated her debut album to him, stating ‘Mr Kratzman, who taught me to love words.’
Joan had a love of classical music from a young age. She was influenced by composers Debussy, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and Chopin, among others. As a teenager in the late 50’s, she also developed a love of rock ‘n’ roll, and would hang out in cafés that had Jukeboxes (despite being forbidden by her parents) so she could listen to Rock ‘n’ Roll records. Joan enjoyed dancing to Ray Charles, Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley.
Joan bought a baritone ukulele for $36 in 1957. Inspired by the emergence of folk music, she taught herself to play, and began to entertain at the parties and coffee houses of Saskatoon. She was 18 when she got her first paid gig at a club that featured local folk and jazz performers.
She finished High school, and went to study at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary. Music remained a way to make money, but Joan wanted to paint. And here at Art school, she excelled academically for the first time in her life. Joan achieved excellent grades, but her figurative painting style was out of keeping with the abstract trends of the time. Joan left Art School after a year, and took a $15 a week gig at a Calgary coffee house called The Depression. This caused friction within her family. Joan’s parents valued education, and strongly disapproved of her decision to leave college.
In the summer of 1964 Joan moved to Toronto. During the 60’s, a union card was required to play gigs in Toronto and Joan could not afford the $200 fee. Though she was able to get some non-union gigs, she found her-self busking in the streets, and working part time at Simpsons-Sears department store. Joan has a repertoire that consisted mostly of traditional folk covers, and soon realized that other performers had exclusive rights to these songs. Restricted in what she was able to play, Joan began to write her own material.
Autumn 1964, Joan found out the she was pregnant to an old college boyfriend from Calgary. At the time there was a strong social stigma against women having children out of wedlock. With emergency contraception and abortion unavailable by law, Joan sought to have her child without the knowledge of her family back home. In February 1965 Joan gave birth to a baby girl. Unable to provide, and facing the prospect of motherhood alone, she gave her child up for adoption. Having made this difficult decision, Joan immersed herself in song writing. She refers to the experience in several of her songs, but the existence of her daughter remained private until 1993.
Joan went back to gigging in the folk clubs of Toronto. She was begging to play more of her own material, and gained the attention audiences with her expressive, poetic lyrics, her melodious tunes, and her use of unique open tunings. Joan expressed wisdom that was typically beyond that of someone her age.
It was while playing in a club called the Penny Farthing that Joan first attracted the attention of fellow folk performer, Chuck Mitchell. That summer, with the promise of steady work in America, Joan left Canada for the first time. She and Chuck Relocated to Detroit, Michigan. And the two married in June 1965. Joan appeared at the Newport music festival in 1966 as Joni Mitchell, but her marriage to Chuck broke down by early 1967.
Following this, Joni moved to Chelsea, New York. Gigging relentlessly, she played in venues up and down the East coast. Joni was becoming more renowned, and gaining attention from the media.
She only began to recognize her own talent when some of her songs where covered by other notable performers. Shortly after she wrote ‘Both sides, now’ it effectively launched the career of Judy Collins, who had a substantial hit with the song after releasing her version in 1967. Various other performers covered Joni’s early work, but the most significant to Joni was possibly Buffy Saint-Marie, a Canadian-American folk performer, whose influence had been inspirational to Joni in previous years.
Joni met American songwriter and musician David Crosby while performing in Florida. Impressed by her talent, Crosby produced her first album. It was originally released as a self titled album, rather than with the title ‘Song to a Seagull’ as intended. It is a simplistic album that Mitchell later stated was influenced more by her love of classical music than of folk.
By the end of 1968 Joni was playing much larger venues. Constant touring created keen anticipation of her second album ‘Clouds.’ For this album, she received her first Grammy award for best folk performance, following its release in April, 1969. This album includes songs written by Joni that had previously been performed and recorded by other artists.
Between the years of 1968 and 2007, Joni released nineteen albums. She has an extraordinary and extensive body of work spanning over 40 years, and is hailed as a great painter as well as being treasured as a songwriter and a musician. Her songs have been covered by musicians around the world, and it is said that the significance of her influence on subsequent lyricists, composers and singers is unrivalled.
Shania Twain was born on the 28th of August, 1965 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Her original name was Eilleen Regina Edwards. Following her parent’s divorce in 1967, two year old Eilleen moved to Timmins, Ontario with her mother and two sisters, Jill and Carrie Ann. Here in Timmins, Eilleen’s mother Sharon Re-married. Sharon and her new husband Jerry adopted Daryl (Jerry’s nephew) shortly after the birth of their son, Mark. Jerry adopted Eilleen and her sisters, legally changing their last name to Twain.
Eilleen’s childhood in the remote, rural community of Timmins was hard at times. Her parents struggled to support the family with what they earned, meaning there was often a lack of food in the household. As a child Eilleen witnessed fights between her mother and step father. Her mother Sharon suffered from bouts of depression, but despite this, Twain states that ‘there was always an abundance of love and music.’
She learned to play guitar at a young age, and spent much of her time writing and signing. Her ambitions as a performer were strongly encouraged by her parents. Eilleen began singing in the bars and clubs of Timmins at the age of eight. She disliked singing in these bars. As a young girl, entertaining drunks late at night was at times an ordeal, but she was grateful of the extra money, and reflects that this experience was integral to her development as a performer. She began to write her own songs at the age of ten, and appeared on local television and radio shows. While still at high school in Timmins, Eilleen was also the lead singer for local band ‘Longshot.’
In the early 1980’s, Eilleen began working for her father’s reforestation business in northern Ontario. Twain enjoyed the work despite the fact that it was physically demanding and didn’t pay especially well. She loved the rugged, isolated existence, and spent much of her free time alone writing songs.
Eilleen graduated from Timmins high school in June 1983. She spent time touring Ontario with new band, ‘Flirt,’ and also began taking singing lessons, often paying for her classes by cleaning her tutor’s house.
In autumn 1984 Eilleen gained the attention of Toronto DJ Stan Campbell who praised her for her powerful voice and impressive range. Continuing to write and perform, Eilleen proved that she had the necessary attitude and ambition to achieve her goals. Her song writing conveyed experience and wisdom that was typically beyond that of someone so young.
Eilleen became acquainted with country singer Mary Bailey, the friendship progressed and Eilleen later moved into Bailey’s home on Lake Kenogami, where she practiced her music for several hours every day. Eilleen and Mary continued living together, and with Mary’s help Eilleen was able to establish helpful connections within the music industry. In the summer of 1986, Mary introduced Eilleen to John Kim Bell. He had connections within the Canadian Country Music Association, and was struck by Twain’s talent as well as by her looks. Bell and Twain began dating, though endeavoured to keep their romance a secret. Eilleen maintained that she wanted to be a rock or pop singer, rather than a country singer. This caused tensions in her relationships with Mary Bailey and John Kim Bell, both of whom thought that she should focus on country music.
Eilleen was 21 years old when both of her parents were killed in a car accident In November, 1987. Following the loss of her parents she moved back to Timmins, taking sole responsibility for her four younger siblings. She later moved with them to Huntsville, Ontario where she supported them with the money that she earned performing.
Once her siblings were old enough to look after themselves, Eilleen turned her attentions once again to furthering her music career. With the help of her Huntsville manager, she assembled a demo and showcased her material to record executives. She was signed by Mercury Nashville Records within a few months. It was round about this time that Eilleen changed her name to Shania.
Shania Twain released her self-titled debut album in 1995. Though the album didn’t sell spectacularly well at the time, it did receive positive reviews from critics, and was a promising start for Shania in the recording business. The album features mostly covers, however Shania collaborated with Kent Robbins on the track ‘God Ain’t Gonna Getcha for That.’
Shortly after the release of her first album, Shania met and fell in love with Robert John Lange, a producer who is known for his work with bans such as Def Leppard and AC/DC. The two married and within a year had began working on Twain’s second record. Released in 1995, ‘The Woman in Me’ was Shania’s breakthrough album, by early 1996 it had sold over six million copies. This album also saw Shania excel as a song writer, all songs having been written or co-written by Shania and her husband Robert.
Shania’s success continued with her next album, ‘Come on Over.’ This album saw Shania incorporate rock elements into her country style, and she spent two years touring in support of the album following its release in November 1997. By the end of 1999 the album had sold 36 million copies, and it became the best-selling country album, and best-selling album by a female artist. All songs on the album were written by Shania and her husband.
She and her husband retreated to their home in Switzerland at the end of 1999, and Shania began work on her fourth album shortly after the birth of her son. (Twain and Lange divorced in 2008.)
‘Up!’ was released in 2002, all songs written by Shania and her husband. Twain promoted the album with an extensive tour, and it has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
Twain cites a variety of artists as being influential on her work, she recalls having listened to bands like The Carpenters, The Supremes, The Mamas and Papas and Stevie Wonder in her youth. With hard work, talent, and relentless touring, Shania has achieved the status of super stardom.
I chose Shania Twain for my comparison because i thought that her glamorous persona would provide a contrast to the two previously discussed artists, but i have gained a greater respect for her after learning about her life and her career. With talent and determination she has earned a place as an icon of Pop and Country music. Although though she has been criticized by some for using over sexualized videos to increase record sales, her music videos are fairly reserved in comparison to some of those released by more recent performers.
Through doing this assignment i have rediscovered Shania Twain's music. Her hits 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman!' and 'That Don't Impress Me Much' have become feel good anthems of mine.
Eilleen’s childhood in the remote, rural community of Timmins was hard at times. Her parents struggled to support the family with what they earned, meaning there was often a lack of food in the household. As a child Eilleen witnessed fights between her mother and step father. Her mother Sharon suffered from bouts of depression, but despite this, Twain states that ‘there was always an abundance of love and music.’
She learned to play guitar at a young age, and spent much of her time writing and signing. Her ambitions as a performer were strongly encouraged by her parents. Eilleen began singing in the bars and clubs of Timmins at the age of eight. She disliked singing in these bars. As a young girl, entertaining drunks late at night was at times an ordeal, but she was grateful of the extra money, and reflects that this experience was integral to her development as a performer. She began to write her own songs at the age of ten, and appeared on local television and radio shows. While still at high school in Timmins, Eilleen was also the lead singer for local band ‘Longshot.’
In the early 1980’s, Eilleen began working for her father’s reforestation business in northern Ontario. Twain enjoyed the work despite the fact that it was physically demanding and didn’t pay especially well. She loved the rugged, isolated existence, and spent much of her free time alone writing songs.
Eilleen graduated from Timmins high school in June 1983. She spent time touring Ontario with new band, ‘Flirt,’ and also began taking singing lessons, often paying for her classes by cleaning her tutor’s house.
In autumn 1984 Eilleen gained the attention of Toronto DJ Stan Campbell who praised her for her powerful voice and impressive range. Continuing to write and perform, Eilleen proved that she had the necessary attitude and ambition to achieve her goals. Her song writing conveyed experience and wisdom that was typically beyond that of someone so young.
Eilleen became acquainted with country singer Mary Bailey, the friendship progressed and Eilleen later moved into Bailey’s home on Lake Kenogami, where she practiced her music for several hours every day. Eilleen and Mary continued living together, and with Mary’s help Eilleen was able to establish helpful connections within the music industry. In the summer of 1986, Mary introduced Eilleen to John Kim Bell. He had connections within the Canadian Country Music Association, and was struck by Twain’s talent as well as by her looks. Bell and Twain began dating, though endeavoured to keep their romance a secret. Eilleen maintained that she wanted to be a rock or pop singer, rather than a country singer. This caused tensions in her relationships with Mary Bailey and John Kim Bell, both of whom thought that she should focus on country music.
Eilleen was 21 years old when both of her parents were killed in a car accident In November, 1987. Following the loss of her parents she moved back to Timmins, taking sole responsibility for her four younger siblings. She later moved with them to Huntsville, Ontario where she supported them with the money that she earned performing.
Once her siblings were old enough to look after themselves, Eilleen turned her attentions once again to furthering her music career. With the help of her Huntsville manager, she assembled a demo and showcased her material to record executives. She was signed by Mercury Nashville Records within a few months. It was round about this time that Eilleen changed her name to Shania.
Shania Twain released her self-titled debut album in 1995. Though the album didn’t sell spectacularly well at the time, it did receive positive reviews from critics, and was a promising start for Shania in the recording business. The album features mostly covers, however Shania collaborated with Kent Robbins on the track ‘God Ain’t Gonna Getcha for That.’
Shortly after the release of her first album, Shania met and fell in love with Robert John Lange, a producer who is known for his work with bans such as Def Leppard and AC/DC. The two married and within a year had began working on Twain’s second record. Released in 1995, ‘The Woman in Me’ was Shania’s breakthrough album, by early 1996 it had sold over six million copies. This album also saw Shania excel as a song writer, all songs having been written or co-written by Shania and her husband Robert.
Shania’s success continued with her next album, ‘Come on Over.’ This album saw Shania incorporate rock elements into her country style, and she spent two years touring in support of the album following its release in November 1997. By the end of 1999 the album had sold 36 million copies, and it became the best-selling country album, and best-selling album by a female artist. All songs on the album were written by Shania and her husband.
She and her husband retreated to their home in Switzerland at the end of 1999, and Shania began work on her fourth album shortly after the birth of her son. (Twain and Lange divorced in 2008.)
‘Up!’ was released in 2002, all songs written by Shania and her husband. Twain promoted the album with an extensive tour, and it has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
Twain cites a variety of artists as being influential on her work, she recalls having listened to bands like The Carpenters, The Supremes, The Mamas and Papas and Stevie Wonder in her youth. With hard work, talent, and relentless touring, Shania has achieved the status of super stardom.
I chose Shania Twain for my comparison because i thought that her glamorous persona would provide a contrast to the two previously discussed artists, but i have gained a greater respect for her after learning about her life and her career. With talent and determination she has earned a place as an icon of Pop and Country music. Although though she has been criticized by some for using over sexualized videos to increase record sales, her music videos are fairly reserved in comparison to some of those released by more recent performers.
Through doing this assignment i have rediscovered Shania Twain's music. Her hits 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman!' and 'That Don't Impress Me Much' have become feel good anthems of mine.
Summary.
All of the artists that i chose for my comparison are Canadian Born, Female singer song writers, like myself. I admire each of these women in different ways. Joni Mitchell and Frazey Ford are particular favorites of mine, and though i chose Twain for the contrast, i have come to have a greater appreciation for her music. Through doing this assignment, I have discovered some important traits that they all share. Twain, Mitchell and Ford have all demonstrated determination and fortitude throughout their lives and their careers, this combined with their talent and hard work has earned them success in the music industry. When looking at the story of these women’s lives, the importance of self belief is evident. And the heartfelt honesty conveyed in much of their music comes only from experience. These artists are inspirational to me in what they have achieved and in what they have overcome. Through doing this assignment, i have been able to relate to the lives of each of these artists, and the strength that they have shown gives me more confidence in myself as a musician.