RUTH Moody is a two-time Juno Award winning singer-songwriter from Canada whose music has struck a chord with many key music industry figures, including former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler.
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She will be showing the musical style and songwriting skills that won Knopfler and many others as fans when she performs at the Milton Theatre on February 20.
A founding member of the internationally renowned, Billboard-charting trio The Wailin’ Jennys, Ruth has performed in sold-out venues around the world, made numerous critically-acclaimed albums, and has appeared countless times on the popular American radio show A Prairie Home Companion.
Although best known for her work with The Wailin’ Jennys, Ruth is an artist of exceptional depth and grace in her own right.
Critics have lauded her ethereal vocals, impressive multi-instrumentalism, and insightful songwriting.
Written with a maturity and wisdom that belies her age, her songs are timeless, universal and exquisitely crafted, all sung with an intimacy and honesty that is unmistakably hers.
In 2010, Ruth released her first solo album, The Garden.
Produced by David Travers-Smith, it was nominated for two Juno Awards, a Western Canadian Music Award and three Canadian Folk Music Awards. Its title track was the fourth most played song of 2010 on North American Folk Radio.
These Wilder Things, the highly anticipated follow-up to the Garden, was released in 2013 to rave reviews.
Once again produced by Travers-Smith, it features guest appearances by Mark Knopfler, Jerry Douglas, Aoife O’Donovan, Mike McGoldrick, John McCusker, and The Wailin’ Jennys.
The release tour included a string of dates opening for Mark Knopfler in Europe, six of which were at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London.
Ruth continues to tour worldwide with her all-star band in support of the new record.
Ruth has been recognised by the USA Songwriting Competition and the International Songwriting Competition for several of her compositions, including One Voice, which has gone on to be a signature song for The Wailin’ Jennys.
It has been covered by countless artists and sung in concert halls, churches and schools around the world.
Her song Storm Comin’, from the Jennys’ latest album Bright Morning Stars, recently won first place in the gospel category at the International Songwriting Competition.
Ruth’s connection to Australia remains strong. Her Australian parents (father from Melbourne, mother from Perth) moved to Canada in the early 1970s for teaching jobs.
Her brother and two sisters were all born in Canada; however, Ruth was born in Queensland after her family returned to Australia.
The homecoming for Ruth’s parents was short: a change of heart saw them return the family to Canada when Ruth was six months old.
Ruth has been back to Australia on many occasions.
In fact, it was while travelling around the country for a year, working, backpacking, and visiting relatives, that she realised music would be her chosen path in life.
She’s not the only family member to make that choice, as her younger sister recently started to play violin for the Auckland Symphony Orchestra.
The last time Ruth visited Australia was back in 2006, when she toured here with The Wailin’ Jennys for seven weeks.