Christie Simmons is a Calgary-based singer/songwriter whose music speaks to a life that’s been shaped by the Alberta landscape and dressed in the substance of motherhood, marriage and years working as a freelance writer.
Christie comes to the craft of songwriting having dabbled heartily in a variety of musical genres and instruments: classical training in flute and a brief but intense love-affair with recorder (including sac buts, crumhorns and other bizarre renaissance instruments); years on the highland games circuit competing with pipe bands and as a solo piper; choral, roots and bluegrass music; guitar, banjo… and always the voice. As a songwriter and musician she draws on influences as varied as Gillian Welch, Blue Rodeo and Danú. Her resulting original music is authentic, elegant, acoustic folk – prairie Canadiana that’s woven with strains of Celtic, brushes of bluegrass and old-time Western sensibility.
Winnie’s Song – Christie’s debut CD – reflects both her interest in literary arts and her deep respect for the power and colour of language. The title track captures a pivotal and visually evocative scene in her sister Catherine Simmons Niven’s award-winning novel A Fine Daughter. It and others on the album were written specifically to perform with Catherine at readings. A number of other tracks, including “Let’s Pour a Drink Vera”, “The Underpainter” and “It’s Not a Secret” were written either for or about works by notable Canadian authors. Christie’s lyrics are intelligent, reflective and vivid and she sings them with a hauntingly fine voice – one many consider to be her greatest gift.
For the past five years Christie has played whistles and sung lead and harmony vocals with the high-energy folk/roots/Celtic band Tir Na N’og. With the other members of the band she’s frequently seen about Alberta’s pub and folk-club scene filling the airwaves with upbeat East Coast, traditional Irish and original music. Christie, a native Calgarian, also works as a freelance writer, an occasional voiceover talent and teaches guitar to adult beginners. She is lovingly raising three children with her husband Rob Matheson, who currently spends half of his time in Albania!
Read Globe & Mail Article Nov 4, 2009 |
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