Ruth Minnikin
Encyclopedia
Ruth Minnikin is a Canadian singer-songwriter
. She was formerly a member of Booming Airplanes, The Heavy Blinkers, The Guthries
and Reels, and now performs as Ruth Minnikin and her Bandwagon.
She received nominations for Best Female Album and Best Folk Album at the 2007 Nova Scotia Music Awards.
Minnikin has performed at the East Coast Music Awards, South by Southwest
, and North by Northeast
.
Minnikin has collaborated frequently with other artists, and has contributed to 45 recordings. The artists that Minnikin has performed with include Beth Orton
, David Byrne
, Kris Kristofferson
, Blue Rodeo
, Calexico, Joel Plaskett
, Buck 65
, The Super Friendz
, The Handsome Family
, Wax Mannequin
, and Mike O'Neill
. In 2005, she collaborated with Ryan Bishops
, Nathan Lawr
, Kate Maki
and Dale Murray
in two national concert tours, A Midautumn Night's Dream and A Midwinter Night's Dream, which were reportedly inspired by Bob Dylan
's Rolling Thunder Revue
. The five musicians also recorded limited edition albums for sale on each tour.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She was formerly a member of Booming Airplanes, The Heavy Blinkers, The Guthries
The Guthries
The Guthries were a Canadian country rock band, active in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Originally formed by Ruth Minnikin and Dale Murray, the band included their respective siblings Gabe Minnikin and Brian Murray, as well as high school friends Serge Samson and Matt Mays...
and Reels, and now performs as Ruth Minnikin and her Bandwagon.
She received nominations for Best Female Album and Best Folk Album at the 2007 Nova Scotia Music Awards.
Minnikin has performed at the East Coast Music Awards, South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
, and North by Northeast
North by Northeast
North by Northeast is an annual five-day live music and film festival and music conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, held each June....
.
Minnikin has collaborated frequently with other artists, and has contributed to 45 recordings. The artists that Minnikin has performed with include Beth Orton
Beth Orton
Beth Orton is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first...
, David Byrne
David Byrne
David Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...
, Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
, Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo is a Canadian pop and country rock band, which was formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have been signed with Warner Music Group since their debut album Outskirts in March 1987...
, Calexico, Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett is a Canadian rock musician originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and now resides across the harbour in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia...
, Buck 65
Buck 65
Richard Terfry , who uses the stage name Buck 65, is a Canadian experimental artist, MC and turntablist. Underpinned by an extensive background in abstract hip hop, his more recent music has extensively incorporated blues, country, rock, folk and avant garde influences.Terfry is also a radio host,...
, The Super Friendz
The Super Friendz
The Super Friendz are a band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, active between 1994 and 1997, reforming in 2003. Contemporaries of Sloan, their early work was on Sloan's Murderecords label.-Origins:...
, The Handsome Family
The Handsome Family
The Handsome Family is an alternative country band, formed in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The band was formed in 1993 by husband-and-wife duo Brett Sparks and Rennie Sparks and drummer Mike Werner, although the band would later revolve around Rennie, who writes the lyrics, and Brett, who writes...
, Wax Mannequin
Wax Mannequin
Wax Mannequin is the stage name of Chris Adeney, a Canadian indie rock singer-songwriter. His style has been described as "a hybrid of Bruce Cockburn and Frank Zappa", "Tom Waits and Type O Negative jamming on the early Beatles catalogue",...
, and Mike O'Neill
Mike O'Neill (musician)
Mike O'Neill is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He is originally from Oshawa, Ontario, but has been based in Halifax, Nova Scotia since 1996.-Bio:O'Neill was a founding member of Canadian indie-rock band The Inbreds along with drummer Dave Ullrich in the 1990s...
. In 2005, she collaborated with Ryan Bishops
Ryan Bishops
Ryan Bishops is a Canadian rock and country guitarist and songwriter from Sudbury, Ontario, who plays as a supporting musician in Ox and in singer-songwriter Kate Maki's backing band....
, Nathan Lawr
Nathan Lawr
Nathan Lawr is a Canadian singer-songwriter, currently fronting the band Minotaurs.The original drummer for Royal City, Lawr left the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career...
, Kate Maki
Kate Maki
-Biography:Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Maki studied neuroscience at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and education at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario...
and Dale Murray
Dale Murray (musician)
Dale Murray is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. He is a guitarist and vocalist for the indie rock band Cuff the Duke, and releases solo material under his own name.-Biography:...
in two national concert tours, A Midautumn Night's Dream and A Midwinter Night's Dream, which were reportedly inspired by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's Rolling Thunder Revue
Rolling Thunder Revue
The Rolling Thunder Revue was a famed U.S. concert tour consisting of a traveling caravan of musicians, headed by Bob Dylan, that took place in late 1975 and early 1976; the prevailing theory was that the tour was named after the Native American shaman Rolling Thunder. Others maintained that tour...
. The five musicians also recorded limited edition albums for sale on each tour.
The Heavy Blinkers
- 1998: Hooray for Everything
- 2000: The Heavy Blinkers
- 2001: Better Weather
- 2003: Papa Nez: A Loose Salute to the Work of Michael Nesmith (contributed one song)
- 2003: Intercontinental Pop Exchange, Vol. 3 (split EP with Orwell)
- 2004: The Night And I Are Still So Young
Reels
- 2004: Reels (guest singer)
- 2007: Autumn Country (bass, singer, keys, percussion)
Ruth Minnikin and her Bandwagon
- 2007: Wanna Be Your Friend – A Tribute to the Inbreds (contributed song)
- 2008: Songs for the Gang: Thrush Hermit Tribute (contributed song)
- 2008: R n' B (EP)
- 2009: Depend on This
Contributions
- 2001: Joel PlaskettJoel PlaskettJoel Plaskett is a Canadian rock musician originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and now resides across the harbour in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia...
– Down at the KhyberDown at the KhyberDown at the Khyber is the first album that Joel Plaskett recorded with his backing band The Emergency. The title was influenced by the many days and nights spent playing and recording at The Khyber...
(guest singer) - 2001: Hopeful Monster – Hopeful Monster (guest singer)
- 2002: The Havenots – EP (guest singer, accordion, mandolin)
- 2002: Paul BelliniPaul BelliniPaul Bellini is a Canadian comedy writer and television actor. Bellini is well-known figure in the Canadian television comedy industry due to his work on The Kids in the Hall and This Hour Has 22 Minutes. He has worked on several projects with Josh Levy and PJ DeBoy...
– We Love Disco (guest singer) - 2004: Gabriel Minnikin – Hard Feelings (guest singer, accordion, mandolin)
- 2004: Jason Haywood – Nothing Stays the Same (guest singer, accordion)
- 2004: The Hurtin' Unit (accordion)
- 2005: The Hylozoists (guest singer)
- 2005: Dale Murray – Brighter Lives, Darker Side (guest singer, songwriter)
- 2005: Kate MakiKate Maki-Biography:Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Maki studied neuroscience at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and education at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario...
– The Sun Will Find Us (guest singer, accordion) - 2005: Soundtrack to film – The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico (singer)
- 2005: KTB – Bluebird (guest singer)
- 2005: James Lyons Compilation (guest singer, songwriter)
- 2005: Jonathan Andrews – Halifax Indie Rock (guest singer)
- 2005: Norma Macdonald (guest singer, accordion)
- 2005: Old Man LuedeckeOld Man LuedeckeOld Man Luedecke is the recording name of Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and banjo player, Chris Luedecke, of Chester, Nova Scotia...
– Hinderland (guest singer) - 2006: The Divorcees (guest singer)
- 2006: The Hylozoists (guest singer)
- 2006: Johnny Stevens (guest singer, accordion)
- 2007: Orwell (guest singer)
- 2007: Gabriel Minnikin (guest singer, keys)
- 2007: Adam Puddington (organ, accordion, singer)
- 2008: The Russian FuturistsThe Russian FuturistsThe Russian Futurists are a Canadian indie pop band based in Toronto. Their music can be described as lo-fi, indie-electronica fused with a twee-pop temperament...
(guest singer)
External links
- Ruth Minnikin official website
- Ruth Minnikin profile at CBC Radio 3CBC Radio 3CBC Radio 3 is a radio station that consists of two parts devoted to Canadian arts and music: a radio service which is available on Sirius Satellite Radio and streaming audio, and several daily and weekly podcasts from the CBC Radio 3 website...
, with music streams - EPK profile