Tannis Slimmon

Artist Information

Biography

Tannis Slimmon is a critically acclaimed Canadian musician who has been singing, songwriting, recording, and touring locally, nationally and internationally for over 30 years. In 2008 she was honoured with the Contemporary Vocalist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards for her album 'Lucky Blue'.

Tannis grew up in a musical family on a farm in the prairies of western Canada. In 1980 she moved to Guelph, Ontario, where she began a serious professional music career. During the 80s and 90s she was a founding member of various regional roots bands (the Reverbs; Benji, etc.), and appeared as a special guest on recordings and performances with key players in the CanRock Revolution (Rheostatics, barenaked ladies, grievous angels).

After eleven years with the legendary trio The Bird Sisters she struck off on her own in 2001 with her solo debut 'Oak Lake', and followed it up with 2007's award winning 'Lucky Blue'. Both albums are highly regarded by critics and audiences alike.

Broadening her horizons even further, Tannis also traveled to Mali, West Africa in 2004 with a quartet of musicians exploring the role of music in development and appears in the documentary of the trip 'Road To Baleya', by Bay Waymen (Close Up Films). She subsequently visited Matanzas, Cuba where she studied afro-cuban rhythms with master bata drummer Gilberto Morales-Chong. She has hosted Malian musicians in her home for two summers as part of an ongoing cultural exchange. Her experiences in Mali and Cuba have had a significant influence on the musical texture of her recent album “Lucky Blue”.

Recognition:
In addition to the Folk Music Award, 'Lucky Blue' garnered the Independent Music Award for Best Folk/Roots Song for "Ernest, Charlie & Allan", a nomination for Best Folk/Roots Album from the same, a spot in the Top 10 Critics Albums of the Year by Penguin Eggs; Canada's Premier Folk/Roots Music Magazine, a Porcupine 'Golden Quill Award' for songwriting, and was 16th on the Galaxie Folk/Roots Channel's Top Spins of 2008. Lewis Melville was nominated for Producer of the Year for 'Lucky Blue' as well at the 2007 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Tannis' 2001 album 'Oak Lake' won the Porcupine award for Favourite Album of 2001 and the Orillia Folk Society's 'Songs for Living Rooms' for "There's A Lift".

Tannis Slimmon's beautiful voice has been featured on more than 75 albums, contributing harmony vocals for fellow musicians like Willie P. Bennett, Valdy and Rheostatics, and added her voice to the chorus on the Barenaked Ladies hit 'If I Had A Million Dollars'.

In performance:
Tannis has a gift for engaging an audience with her voice and original songs, loves collaboration, and particularly adding voices to her many singalongable songs.

Instrumentation

Lewis Melville - Banjo, Vocals, Bass, Percussion, mandolin, Pedal Steel, Acoustic & Electric Guitar

Discography

Tannis Slimmon - "Lucky Blue" (2007) (Outside Music Distribution)
Tannis Slimmon - "Oak Lake" (2001)

In addition, Tannis appears on 78 other albums, including:
Robert Atyeo's "Angels on a Cliff" and "Heart Like A Rubber Ball"
Danny Bakan's "...And Truth Is Spectacular"
Bare Naked Ladies' "Gordon"
Willie P. Bennett's "Heartstrings"
The Bird Sisters "She & She & She" (1995), "Different Stories" (1992) and "FLO" (1990)
Laura Bird's "The Water In Between"
Black Cabbage's "A Recording by Black Cabbage"
Don Bray's "Chosen" and "Taxi Moon & I"
Nick Craine's "November Moon"
Douglas John's "Rainbows"
Vicki Fraser's "Dynamite Opening"
Eve Goldberg's "Crossing The Water" and "A Kinder Season"
James Gordon's "Mining For Gold: Twenty Years of Songwriting", "Looking For Livingston" (on vinyl) and "Farther Along"
the kramdens' "Radio For Now"
Grit Laskin's "A Few Simple Words"
Beth Martens' "Where There's Beauty"
Lewis Melville's "Niagara", "Not Really A Bluegrass Album" and "Noah's Work"
Muddy River Stringer's "Life's Too Short"
Rosemary Phelan's "Wake The Nightingale"
Rheostatics' "Whale Music" and "The Whale Music Concert - Sets #1 and #2"
Charlie Sohmer's "Dying To Have A Good Time"
Gwen Swick's CBC compilation series recording
Dave Teichroeb's "Dog Tales" and "Yesterday Motel"
Pat Temple & The High Lonesome Player's "Stone Boat"
Jude Vadala's "Do You Ever"
Valdy's "Viva Valdy - Live At Last"
Katherine Wheatley's "Landed"
"The Woodchoppers Association & Abdoulaye Kone"
"The Woodchoppers Association & Jah Youssouf"
Luther Wright and the Wrong's "Roger's Waltz"

(For complete list: http://www.tannis.ca/recordings2.htm)

Movies:
'The Road To Baleya' - a documentary DVD: Canadian and Malian musicians come together in an extraordinary journey of musical collaboration in West Africa. Emphasizing music as a cross-cultural communication form, Road to Baleya travels into the rich traditions of one of the world’s poorest countries. (http://closeupfilms.ca/Films/Road_to_Baleya.php)

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace

Audio

• Ernest, Charlie & Allan
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• Edmonton
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• One More Year
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• Song of Sadness
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• Do What You Do
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Lyrics

• One More Year
• Do What You Do
• Song of Sadness
• Ernest, Charlie & Allan
• Edmonton

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Quotes from Lucky Blue album reviews: [+ Show ]
  

  "...one of the most beautiful voices I have had the pleasure to listen to." - David Francey “A b..."...one of the most beautiful voices I have had the pleasure to listen to." - David Francey
  
  “A breathtaking vocalist with a bright, angelic disposition, Slimmon is a favourite folk attraction whose harmonies are as warm as her smile.” – Exclaim (Oct/07)
  
  “… if one enjoys the finest in women's voice and song with the distinctly "Canadian" edge, this record deserves a serious listen and a place among the rest of the best on your shelf.” - Peterborough Examiner (Nov/07)
  
  “Holding it all together, of course, is that gorgeous voice, still full of gentle grace and unobtrusive dignity. A bit of a triumph this, then, for the blessed Ms. Slimmon. And dare I mention: a significant comeback.” - Penguin Eggs (Winter/07)
  
  "There was a brightness and peacefulness emanating from her and our subsequent conversation confirmed this. These qualities are evident in her beguiling voice and with “Lucky Blue,” a new collection of enchanting melodies, she has struck gold." - Brandon Sun (Dec/07)
  
  "Lucky Blue is a work by a mature artist at the peak of her powers." - Robert Reid of The Record (Jan/08)
  
  "Tannis sings of hope, of change, of making a difference while we are on this planet. Her vocals float effortlessly through the air like a feather falling in the sky. She is a confident, strong singer who captivates audiences with her melodious harmonies, thought provoking lyrics and her stunning beauty." - Brent Jeffries for Sound Waves

• Quotes from concert reviews: [+ Show ]
  

  "Listening to Tannis Slimmon sing last night at a Georgetown, Ontario house concert, I felt like I w..."Listening to Tannis Slimmon sing last night at a Georgetown, Ontario house concert, I felt like I was attending the one and only public performance of her life. She is so fully present and mindful of her audience that each of the people in attendance felt she was singing only for them..." - The Living Room Concerts Blog Mar/09
  
  "Exuding such warmth and freshness on stage, Slimmon allows space for each musician to enjoy the limelight..." - The Live Music Report Mar/08

Setlist

Basic Requirements

Calendar