Biography
PAMELA RUBY RUSSELL & THE HIGHWAY OF DREAMS BAND
Her Songs and Photographs Along The Way
www.nextcat.com/rubytunes www.cdbaby.com/rubytunes Rubytunes@aol.com
“Life’s an adventure that goes by fast.
Life's very short but your dreams will last...
How we’ll fly!
This wild woman artist generously shares her stories, photography and her “Americana Pop” songs with you!
BOSTON, MA Mark Baxter, vocal coach to Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Goo Goo Doll’s John Rzeznik, Amiee Mann, plus many other respected contemporary artists, says, “HIGHWAY OF DREAMS is a journey into Pamela Ruby Russell's technicolor dreams. Exotic, lush, intimate, passionate & fun! A joy to listen to from beginning to end."
Mark echoes feelings voiced by her appreciative audiences. An Indie songwriter-recording artist born in New York City, Pamela settled in Boston, studied music with Dante Pavone, Mark Baxter, pianist Mike Dooner and participated in master classes including the amazing “On Spontaneity” seminar by famed pianist, Keith Jarrett. Performance venues include: NYC's revered LaMama Galleria; Boston’s infamous Rat; Kendall Cafe, Borders’ Downtown Books & Music Store, the Milky Way, Boston City Hall’s ‘Plaza Performing Artist Series’ and ‘Plantings In the Parks; Newburyport’s ‘Yankee Homecoming’ Festival; Martha’s Vineyard’s Wintertide Cafe; Passim's, the Middle East, Jack's and Ryle's in Cambridge, MA; Trenton NJ’s Avant Garde Festival; Rob Roy’s in LA, CA; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Martinique, FWI, and France. WCVB-5 TV's Peter Mehegan interviewed Ms. Ruby on the popular newszine, Chronicle. A community and political activist for most of her adult life, Pamela has performed at MoveOn.org’s Boston concert and the 2004 People’s Party during the National Democratic Convention. She has also served as an elected Neighborhood Council member in Boston, and a delegate to several state Democratic conventions. Besides marketing and performing her songs, Pamela is delving into the mediums of photography and film-making as there are a few other wild women in her family whose stories need telling.
Complementing her many achievements, including two time Billboard Song Contest award winner and Featured Local Artist on Boston’s WBCN, Ms. Ruby can also be seen on the weekly New England Cable TV program, “About The Arts.” Created to provide visibility of New England artists, “About The Arts” goes behind the scenes with this engaging and passionate woman, from a rehearsal with her HIGHWAY OF DREAMS band, a session with her long time vocal coach, Mark Baxter, to an interview in which she shares poignant personal memories and performs solo on her hundred and twenty year old piano.
Her CD, HIGHWAY OF DREAMS, self-produced, along with guitarist Peter Calo (records/performs with Carly Simon, Linda Eder & Broadway’s “Hairspray”) with backing vocals by Robert Holmes (guitarist/writer/vocalist - Ultra Blue & Aimee Mann’s 'til Tuesday), includes musicians from nine different countries. Pamela’s lyrics and melodies are a welcome gift, flowing from her many incarnations as: performer/producer/band manager, vocal coach; political/community activist; writer, photographer and budding film maker; Mexican circus elephant rider; cantina Tarot card reader; jewelry designer and poet in the French West Indies; Cape Cod restaurateur; and, last but not least, singing alone at midnight atop a sacred Mexican temple on Aug. 15, 1987, eve of the Harmonic Convergence! Her song, “Avenue of Tears” is about that amazingly magical night. Ask her about it sometime!
"There are common truths. You and I are not strangers. It is through the creation, teaching and sharing of honest thoughts and art that long lasting, meaningful connections are made and communication between people is possible. Making music and photographs that uplift, empassion and heal is what I strive for. Life is short and sometimes deals us not so easy cards. It is the playing of those challenging hands, wisely and with kindness, that helps us overcome and move through our time on this planet with grace, in a more profound and useful way. It is about joy! With all I’ve seen in this bizarre, wonderful life, what I’ve learned must be worth sharing! That’s why I sing, why I live!" she adds. Pamela has dedicated her life, time and energy to these principles.
HIGHWAY OF DREAMS is available at: www.cdbaby.com/Rubytunes, iTunes and most other online digital music stores. Ms. Ruby may be contacted at: Rubytunes@aol.com and at: www.nextcat.com/rubytunes as well as at Sonic Bids. An updated website is in the works.
NOTE: Radio testing research of the Highway of Dreams CD was done within Commercial Mainstream and Modern Radio markets by Loggins Public Relations, Inc., LA, CA. Participating stations: NMW, Billboard, FM Quarterback, R & R and Gavin commercially reporting stations. Five songs on the CD have received “very strong recommendations as potential standards for target audiences.”
Instrumentation
It all depends on the gig. I've been known to perform and record with violinists, classical and rock guitarists, bagpipe players and very funky bassists as well as a didgeridoo player. Lately I have been performing as a duo as well as with my HIGHWAY OF DREAMS band in a simple rock set up in order to support "HIGHWAY OF DREAMS" and my musicians! I am about to record new material.
My guitarist, at present, is the award winning Japanese musician, Masashi Nakamura. On drum kit and ethnic percussion instruments, the incredible Lyrichord recording artist, Robert A. Fish does the trick!
Discography
"LIVE BABY" - Goddess Within (Artists For Change Compilation) (Single) 2004
"BOXCAR" - MoveOn.org Benefit Concert Compilation at the Milky Way - Boston MA (Single) 2004
"HIGHWAY OF DREAMS" - 10 Song Indie Release. Co-produced with Peter Calo (LP) 2001
"MOONLIGHT LOVERS" - (Pamela's Touch Memory Band) Co-written & Co-produced with Richard Viard (LP) 1995
(Single)
Links
| http://www.nextcat.com/rubytunes |
| www.cdbaby.com/rubytunes |
| www.nextcat.com/rubytunes |