Marcia Howard (musician)

Marcia Louise Howard (born 5 January 1961) is an Australian multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, academic, and music educator. She was a long-term member of folk-rock group, Goanna (1980–85, 1986, 1998) on vocals and keyboards. The group was led by her older brother, Shane Howard, and included fellow vocalist, Rose Bygrave. Together with Goanna she performed live and recorded the albums, Spirit of Place, Oceania and Spirit Returns. Marcia sang lead vocals on Goanna's 'Dangerous Dancing' on the Oceania album, written by Shane Howard. She wrote the songs 'Angel Full of Grace' (Seachange, ABC TV) 'Song for East Timor' and 'Sorry' for the Goanna 'Spirit Returns' album released in 1998. She appeared on Shane's solo albums and tours for his various projects, Shane Howard and Friends, and Shane Howard Band.

This article is about the Australian musician. For the American judge, see Marcia Morales Howard.

Marcia Howard
Birth nameMarcia Louise Howard
Born (1961-01-05) 5 January 1961
Dennington, Victoria, Australia
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • teacher
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • keyboards
  • synthesisers
Years active1980–present
LabelsMGM Distribution
Associated acts

Marcia Howard has released solo albums, Butterfly (2000), Burning in the Rain (2004), Pearl (collaboration with Bygrave, 2011), Nashville Sessions 2015, and Everything Reminds Me (6 October 2017). Howard was a contestant for Season 5 of The Voice (Australia) from May to June 2016. That same year she was named Maton, Artist of the Year at the 40th Port Fairy Folk Festival. She has taught music and performing arts at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

Biography

Marcia Louise Howard,[1] was born in 1961 and raised in the rural town of Dennington (5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north west of Warrnambool) by Leo Francis Howard (April 1916–February 2010) and Honora "Teresa" nee Madden (c. 1924–2014), with five brothers, Eric, Stephen, Shane Shane Brendan and Damian, and her sister, Adele.[2][3][4] Leo worked at the Nestle's factory, which manufactured coffee and powdered milk; Teresa was a radio announcer, secretary, actress, pianist and singer.[2][3][4] Howard later recalled, "We were known as 'The Von Trapp Family of the Western District', because we played and sang at everyone's weddings, parties, kitchen teas, celebrations. Mum on piano and all of us singing, you know, Mary Poppins songs, Sound of Music."[3] She was educated at St John's Dennington Primary School, St Anne's (later incorporated into Emmanuel College), Warrnambool; she relocated first to Melbourne to Australian Catholic University, to complete a Diploma of Education (Music) in 1981.

Howard, on backing vocals and keyboards, joined her older brother, Shane's folk-rock band, Goanna, in Melbourne in 1980.[5][6][7] Goanna broke up in 1986 and Howard continued with her brother's projects, Shane Howard and Friends (1986) and then Shane Howard Band (1987–88, 1991).[5][7][8] She worked on Shane's early solo albums and toured in his backing bands.[5][7][8] Howard was a session musician on Joe Geia's (ex-Shane Howard and Friends, Shane Howard Band) debut album, Yil Lull (1988), which includes the title track.[7] She later worked on Kavisha Mazzella's album, Fisherman's Daughter (1998) and Dave Steel's The Edge of the World (May 1999) before working on former Goanna band-mate, Rose Bygrave's debut solo album, White Bird (mid-1999).[7]. Marcia traveled to Asia and Europe and sang and worked overseas for a year in 1990. When she returned in 1991 she took up her first music teaching position at John Pujajankgka Pirin school in Mulan, Western Australia in the Great Sandy Desert. She married in 1992 and moved to Port Fairy. She worked with her brother Damian Howard in the 1990s, performing live and recording with him on his solo albums while raising her two children and running a Bed and Breakfast, Hanley House with her (now ex-husband) James Gubbins in Port Fairy.

Howard's debut solo album, Butterfly, was issued in 2000.[7] For the recording she played Maton guitars, keyboards and provided lead vocals.[9] In the studio she was joined by Patricia Clarke and Shane Howard on backing vocals and Archie Cuthbertson on drums and percussion for the first recording of the Gunditjmara lullaby, Vulla Vunnah Nah.[9] She followed with her second album, Burning in the Rain, in March 2004.[10] It was recorded over two years, during four trips to her family's ancestral home of Ireland.[10] Produced by Steve Cooney the album featured Tim O'Brien, Mary Black, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Kevin Bourke and Laiose Kelly. Marcia had opened for Mary Black at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin for over five nights in 2002. While in that country she had recorded, "Poison Tree", as a duet with Irish folk singer, Mary Black.[10] Howard wrote it based on a poem, "A Poison Tree, by William Blake;[11] it appears on a various artists compilation album, A Woman's Heart – A Decade On (2002).[10] Mary Black Orchestrated (2020). In 2008 Marcia toured with her brother Damian Howard and his band the Ploughboys performing their co-written show, From Ireland to Island at theatres and venues in Denmark, Ireland, and the UK.

In 2009, Marcia was invited to complete her Master of Education Thesis at Monash University Gippsland as a part of the Koori Cohort. She completed her thesis, Holy Wells to Waterholes: belonging through song in 2014. During her study as a member of the cohort, she performed with Candian Indian elders, Kutcha Edwards, Robbie Bundle, Monica Weightman and Dr. Herb Patten at the WICPE Conference at Rod Laver Arena in 2009 and recorded the album Gulpa Ngawal, engineered by Anthony Norris at RMIT studios in Melbourne, produced by Dr. Laura Brearley, Monash University and RMIT.

Howard's third album, Pearl (2011), is a collaboration with Bygrave, which began in late 2009: each wrote five tracks.[12] By that time Howard had moved from Barwon Heads to Warrnambool, to look after her elderly parents.[12] Dave Dawson of Nu Country reviewed the album and observed, "[they] recorded [it] at home studios in Queenscliff and Warrnambool with [Jon] Emry's drums added by Lost in Suburbia bassist Peter Bird at his Yelp studio in Howard's hometown. Bassist Isaac Barter and previous producer Steve Cooney plays guitar on the disc... It's an organic reflection of the journey of two sisters in song from their rural roots to national fame and back to where it all started – country-folk music stripped down to bare essentials. Pure vocals, perfect enunciation, and impeccable harmonies ensure these homespun homilies and modern messages are massaged as they meet on high at the pass."[12]

During 2015 she travelled to Nashville and recorded four tracks for an extended play, Nashville Sessions (June 2016).[13] She was a contestant for Season 5 of The Voice (Australia) from May to June 2016.[14] According to Howard, "My nephew William encouraged me to go on the show when I came back from a year overseas in 2015 after recording my EP in Nashville. I was hesitant at first but it turned out to be a worthwhile musical experience. A fabulous band, musical and production team to work with. It was an interesting experience for me as a musician and songwriter being able to just focus on my singing and singing other peoples' songs in an interesting way was a professional challenge for me. It was lovely to meet the other singers on the show and sing with them backstage."[4]

In October 2017 she released her next album, Everything Reminds Me, and was joined in the studio by Issac Barter, Lee Morgan on guitar, Justin Olsson on drums, Matiss Schubert on mandolin and fiddle, and Richard Tankard on keyboards.[15] When not touring or recording, Howard is an academic and works as a music and performing arts teacher/lecturer; she has taught in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. In 2018 Marcia wrote the show, House of Song with Sherri McIver and Ian Roberts and toured Australia performing the theatre show at festivals and theatres with her musicians, Liam Gubbins (her son) and Matiss Schubert. Marcia is currently completing her Ph.D. in Creative Arts and Communication at Deakin University about her life as a musician in the Australian music industry over the past four decades. Her new album will be released later this year produced by Liam Gubbins (Gubmusic).

Discography

Albums
  • Butterfly (2000) – Marcia Howard Music/MGM Distribution (MH 001)
  • Burning in the Rain (March 2004)
  • Pearl (with Rose Bygrave) (2011) – (P001)
  • Everything Reminds Me (6 October 2017) – Marcia Howard Music (MH 004)

Extended plays

Holy Wells to Waterholes: belonging through song. Marcia Howard MEd thesis. Monash University. https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/Holy_wells_to_waterholes_belonging_through_song/4679674 https://www.marciahoward.com.au

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References
  1. "'An Old Record Playing' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 21 January 2019. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  2. Dawson, Dave (10 September 2004). "Dave's Diary: Shane Howard". Nu Country. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  3. Warhurst, Myf; O'Brien, Teresa; Howard, Marcia; Lovell, Ian; Buchanan, Cheryl; Black, Mary (26 June 2006). "'Rock and a Hard Place' – Transcript". Australian Story. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  4. "Marcia Howard". Forté. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  5. McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Goanna'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 24 June 2004.
  6. Nimmervoll, Ed. "Goanna". Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music. White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  7. Marcia Howard at Australian Rock Database:
    • Marcia Howard: Holmgren, Magnus; Pertout. "Marcia Howard". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
    • Shane Howard: Holmgren, Magnus; Pertout. "Shane Howard". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
    • Goanna(1980–85, 1998): Holmgren, Magnus; Pertout, Alex; Phillips, John; Baird, Paul; Howard, Shane. "Goanna". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  8. McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Shane Howard'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 23 August 2004.
  9. Howard, Marcia (2000), Butterfly, Marcia Howard, retrieved 21 January 2019
  10. "Bulletin: Artist of the Week" (PDF). City of Greater Geelong. 26 May 2005. p. 10. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  11. "'Poison Tree' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 22 January 2019. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  12. Dawson, Dave (2 April 2012). "Dave's Diary: Marce Howard & Rose Bygrave CD Review". Nu Country. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  13. "Nashville Sessions by Marcia Howard". Amazon.com. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  14. "Marcia Howard announces CD launch shows in Melbourne and Geelong". Rhythms. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  15. Howard, Marcia (2017), Everything Reminds Me, Marcia Howard Music, retrieved 23 January 2019
  16. Gipps, Jason (24 November 2016). "Singer-Songwriter Marcia Howard". Sunday Sleep-in. Joy 94.9. Retrieved 21 January 2019.

https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/Holy_wells_to_waterholes_belonging_through_song/4679674 Marcia Howard MEd thesis Monash University.

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