Ruth Moody
Encyclopedia
Ruth Moody is an Australia
n-born soprano singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys
.
, Manitoba
with her parents, Charles and Marcelline, and three siblings, older brother Richard (The Bills), older sister Jane and younger sister Rachel. 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 a Juno award for their album 40 Days
. They have toured in North America, Europe and Australia.
Since 2002 Moody has released two full-length albums and an EP with The Wailin' Jennys, a solo EP called Blue Muse and an album with two ex-members of Scruj MacDuhk, Jeremy Penner and Oliver Swain, called South Bound. In April 2010 she released her first full-length solo album, The Garden.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n-born soprano singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys
The Wailin' Jennys
The Wailin' Jennys are a Juno Award-winning Canadian folk trio from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and New York, and they consist of soprano Ruth Moody, mezzo Nicky Mehta and alto Heather Masse. In previous years, the Jennys have also toured with fiddler and mandolinist Jeremy Penner, who is from Ruth's...
.
Biography
Moody grew up in WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
with her parents, Charles and Marcelline, and three siblings, older brother Richard (The Bills), older sister Jane and younger sister Rachel. 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
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
instead.
Moody's first band was the Juno-nominated
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
roots band Scruj MacDuhk
Scruj macduhk
Scruj MacDuhk was a Juno-nominated folk band that included singer-songwriter Ruth Moody, a current member of the Wailin' Jennys, as lead singer. The band released two albums, Live at the Westend Cultural Centre in 1997 and The Road to Canso, in 1999, and broke up in 2001....
, 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
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, adding it to her repertoire of piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, bodhran
Bodhrán
The bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
and banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
. It was also at this time that she started a musical collaboration with Nicky Mehta
Nicky Mehta
Nicky Mehta is a mezzo singer-songwriter, and member of Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys.-Biography:Before fully entering into a life of music, Mehta attended Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario where she attained an honours degree in Media Studies. She also has a certificate in...
and Cara Luft
Cara Luft
Cara Luft is a singer-songwriter and founding member of the Canadian folk trio, The Wailin' Jennys. She returned to her solo career in 2004.2009 October Cara Luft play a tour in Europe...
. In 2002 the three took to the stage as The Wailin' Jennys
The Wailin' Jennys
The Wailin' Jennys are a Juno Award-winning Canadian folk trio from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and New York, and they consist of soprano Ruth Moody, mezzo Nicky Mehta and alto Heather Masse. In previous years, the Jennys have also toured with fiddler and mandolinist Jeremy Penner, who is from Ruth's...
. The Jennys (now Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta and New York-based Heather Masse
Heather Masse
Heather Masse is an American alto singer and member of the Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys. She was born and grew up in Maine, and studied at the New England Conservatory of Music. She is currently based in New York City....
) have won international critical acclaim and numerous awards including a Juno award for their album 40 Days
40 Days
40 Days is the debut full-length album from Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys. The lineup of the group at the time was Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta, and Cara Luft...
. They have toured in North America, Europe and Australia.
Since 2002 Moody has released two full-length albums and an EP with The Wailin' Jennys, a solo EP called Blue Muse and an album with two ex-members of Scruj MacDuhk, Jeremy Penner and Oliver Swain, called South Bound. In April 2010 she released her first full-length solo album, The Garden.
Discography
- Live at the West End Cultural Centre (1997) - with Scruj MacDuhk
- The Road to Canso (1999) - with Scruj MacDuhk
- The Wailin' Jennys EPThe Wailin' Jennys EPThe Wailin' Jennys EP was the debut release from the eponymous Canadian folk trio. The lineup of the group at the time was Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta, and Cara Luft; Luft has since left the group, being replaced first by Annabelle Chvostek and later by Heather Masse.-Track listing:#"Come All You...
(2002) - with The Wailin' Jennys - Blue Muse (2002) - Solo EP
- South Bound (2003) - with Moody Penner and Swain
- 40 Days40 Days40 Days is the debut full-length album from Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys. The lineup of the group at the time was Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta, and Cara Luft...
(2004) - with The Wailin' Jennys - FirecrackerFirecracker (The Wailin' Jennys)Firecracker is the third album by The Wailin' Jennys.The album was rated the #2 folk album of 2006 in North America by total airplay, and the #1 Canadian album...
(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
- The Garden (2010) - Solo album
External links
- Ruth Moody official website
- The Wailin' Jennys official website