Happy new year!
The Wailin' Jennys' CMT Studio 330 performance is set to air online Tuesday, January 9, 2007. A sneak peek is now available HERE.
Home for the Holidays
Happy Solstice everyone! It seems we are surfacing...After three months of touring we are home for the holidays. Thanks so much to everyone who came out to the Canadian and U.S. dates - we feel so incredibly lucky to be able to do what we do and to have the support of fans like you.I have to admit it's been nice to sleep in my own bed again and rediscover some of the simple pleasures of life at home. Things you just can't find on the road. Spaghetti with butter, for example. My Mum's pavlova. OK, I guess I should try and think of something that is not food-related. Bonding with Lyle, my sister's cat - there is something I definitely have not been able to do in the last 3 months. He is sitting beside me now as I write this, and I am filled with joy.I've also been able to catch up on a few movies since I got home, and while I think of it, I highly recommend 'An Inconvenient Truth'. It's a very important documentary about global warming and the state of our planet. It is alarming, for sure, but it is also very insightful and provides suggestions for ways in which we can make a difference at home and in our daily lives. You can also check out www.climatecrisis.org.That's it for now. There will be new pictures up on the Jennys website very soon, so stay tuned!Happy Holidays,Ruth
Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays everyone - we Jennys are in our respective homes getting ready for some R&R and serious food consumption (I know, hard to believe). It's been a very busy and fast-moving autumn but we enjoyed travelling through so much of the States. My knowledge of certain American geography was proven false when I surveyed the rugged terrain and stunning vistas of Idaho. Montana was gorgeous as well and our time on both the east and west coasts was wonderful as always. Thanks to everyone who attended the shows and talked with us after the performances. Thanks to all of our good friends and faithful fans who supported us all the way and here's to a brand new year full of music, good health and humour.~ Nicky
The Wailin' Jennys netted two nods, for Contemporary Artist of the Year and Contemporary Release of the Year for Firecracker at the second annual Folk Alliance Awards. The Folk Alliance Awards honour the best in global folk and roots music scenes. The awards will be given out at this years North American Folk Alliance conference on February 21, 2007 in Memphis, Tennessee. Congratulations to all the nominees, including hometown friends Madrigaia, James Keelaghan, and the Winnipeg Folk Festival.
Firecracker is sitting in the #1 spot on NPRs Folk Alley Top 10 CDs of 2006. Fellow Manitoba band The Duhks's newest release, Migrations, is also on the list at #6.
Firecracker is also in its 25th week on Billboard's Top Bluegrass Albums chart, continuing in the top five. Thanks to everyone for your continued support!
The Arts Centre gig in London originally scheduled for January 23 has moved to The Borderline on January 29. Please see the Tour page for details on how to get tickets.
Hello from Whitefish, MT
Not much to report except that we are in Whitefish, Montana, and we have a day off! It's rare that we find ourselves with a day where we are not traveling or playing, and it's always a good opportunity to recharge our batteries. Things like exercise and laundry and phoning our parents all get put on the back burner when we are on the road, but we get a chance to do all these things on days like this.It is so beautiful here in the mountains. I just went for a blissful walk, and I'm trying to remember which trees are spruce and which are pines, wondering if it's too late to learn to ski, and thinking I should watch Brokeback Mountain again. There is a fireplace here at the lodge where we are staying. And movies. Free ones. Oh I'm in heaven.It's been a good tour so far. Bellingham was a treat, if a little frantic due to the traffic on the way from the airport and the delays that ensued. But it made for good energy, I think, because the show turned out really well. We finished the night by sampling (if having two full bowls and drinking from the carton can be called sampling) our friend Jamie Weber's homemade ice cream!! It was magical - he makes it with only four ingredients: milk, cream, eggs, and maple syrup. He is a genius. Thanks Jamie. (Jamie helped organize the Bellingham show.) Grant joined us the next day for the Renton, Forest Grove, and Spokane shows, and it's been great to have him back at the soundboard again. I got to see my old friends from Louisiana, Jane and Steve, in Forest Grove. I haven't seen them since the Scruj days. Unbeknownst to me they recently moved to Portland, and Steve happened to be playing in Forest Grove, four blocks away from where we were playing, on the very same night. What a tiny world this is. Good times. It was also nice to hook up with Jess Byers that night, and other sweet folks that we hung out with at the fabulous Pickathon festival last summer (thanks for the wine Zoe!). And last but not least, we've been very lucky to have our sweet friend Mike Morgan with us, all the way from Alaska. He met us at the Seattle airport on and accompanied us all the way to Whitefish. He left us early this morning while we were sleeping, and is now on his way back to Seattle to catch his flight home. He helped us tremendously and is always such a positive presence. Safe travels Mike. We're on our way to Salmon next...here on the fish tour. Only a few days left until we fly over to the East side of the country again.~ RuthThat's it for now,
Firecracker - The Wailin' Jennys
The Wailin' Jennys are Canada's latest export to the rest of the music world. The group first performed in a Winnipeg guitar shop in 2002. This year's release of their newest CD, Firecracker, is introducing them to a wider audience south of the 49th parallel. The Wailin' Jennys are Canada's latest export to the rest of the music world. The group first performed in a Winnipeg guitar shop in 2002. This year's release of their newest CD, Firecracker, is introducing them to a wider audience south of the 49th parallel.
The Wailin' Jennys combine traditional bluegrass instruments with contemporary lyrics and memorable three-part harmonies. The result is immensely pleasing. Vocal harmonies are a tradition in country music dating back to the Carter Family. However, I'm convinced that nobody does harmonies like the Wailin' Jennys.
Each of the three women in the band--Annabelle Chvostek, Nicky Mehta and Ruth Moody--take turns writing the songs on this CD. They also take turns singing lead. Every song unveils some new evidence of their harmonic vocal gymnastics. Their sweet vocals are expertly blended with some strong instrumental backing. The result is a hot CD with 13 songs that will make you sit up and pay attention.
The only song they didn't write on Firecracker is an a cappella arrangement of the traditional favorite, "Long Time Traveler." However, I prefer the more contemporary tunes such as "Avila," which plays their harmonies off against a couple electric guitars. "Glory Bound," "Sparrow," and "Prairie Town" are all favorites.
On the CD's title track, they sing, "You can get used to anything." Garrison Keillor has gotten used to having the Wailin' Jennys as guests on his Prairie Home Companion radio show. Maybe you've heard them there. If so, Firecracker is something you can get used to.
The Jennys are up for three trophies at the second annual Canadian Folk Music Awards with nominations for Best Album - Contemporary and Best Vocal Group. Producer David Travers-Smith is nominated for Producer of the Year for his work on Firecracker. Winners will be announced on December 10 at a gala in Edmonton, Albert. Congratulations to all the nominees!