Maria Dunn (musician)

Maria Dunn is a twice Juno-nominated Canadian songwriter and musician. She has been described as "an arrestingly powerful singer-songwriter who writes great historical and social commentary."[1] Her music blends Celtic folk with North American bluegrass and country influences.

Maria Dunn
BornScotland
GenresCeltic folk with North American bluegrass and country influences
Occupation(s)Musician
singer-songwriter
Years activeSince 1998
LabelsIndependent

Early life

Born in Scotland, she moved as a child with her family to Ontario. She has made Edmonton, Alberta her base since the 1990s.[2]

As a child she studied classical piano and she later studied psychology at the University of Alberta. From 1987 to 2000, she hosted a weekly folk music program on the U of A's campus/community radio, CJSR. Immersing herself in folk music in this way, she gravitated towards writing her own songs.[3]

She has released six albums including two Juno nominated recordings Gathering (2017), which features a song she wrote ("Malala") inspired by Malala Yousafzai, and For a Song (2002). Maria performs (solo, duo, trio) at theatres, folk clubs, conferences and festivals across Canada, the USA and Europe. She has been featured on Canadian TV, CBC National Radio, CKUA Alberta Radio, BBC Radio Scotland, and her songs published in Sing Out! and Penguin Eggs magazine and the Rise Again (songbook) (2015). Other artists, including Niamh Parsons (The Peddler), The Outside Track (Poor Lonesome Hen), Aengus Finnan (Orphan Hand) and Bob Bossin (We Were Good People), have recorded her original songs.

She appeared in the 2002 documentary CKUA: Radio Worth Fighting For.[4]

Her 2012 album Piece by Piece narrates the story of immigrant textile workers in western Canada, notably at the GWG factory in Edmonton. The songs were written for a multimedia show entitled GWG: Piece By Piece developed in collaboration with videographer Don Bouzek and historian Catherine C. Cole. An early performance of the show was held at the Royal Alberta Museum in 2009.[5]

Discography
  • From Where I Stand (1998)
  • For A Song (2001) (Juno nomination in the Roots/Traditional Solo category)
  • We Were Good People (2004) ("struggles of working class people in Western Canada during the 20th Century"[6])
  • The Peddler (2008) (Nominated in 2009 for the Canadian Folk Music Award Solo artist of the Year).
  • Piece By Piece (2012) (Nominated in 2013 for a Canadian Folk Music Award - Solo artist of the Year) [7]
  • Gathering (2016) (Nominated in 2017 for a Juno; Traditional Roots Album)
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References
  1. "Biography". sonicbids. 2009. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  2. "Maria Dunn". Ballads of a blind man. 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  3. Kerry, Dexter (October 2009). "Maria Dunn – Singer/Storyteller". Dirty Linen (143). Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  4. "CKUA: Radio Worth Fighting For". Lorna Thomas Productions. 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  5. Royal Alberta Museum Archived 15 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Maria Dunn: We Were Good People.(Brief Article)(Sound Recording Review)". pub. 22 March 2005. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  7. CBC: Artist Profile Archived 1 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, November 2012
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