Allison Crowe
Corner Brook & Nanaimo
"I love singing for people," says Allison Crowe. "It's a way to connect and share with others. Communication is crucial. Just being able to do what I do, to write and sing and perform, makes me feel not only alive, but incredibly lucky. Knowing at any moment everything could change, I don't take one second for granted."
“Allison sings with such an intensity of emotion, it's easy to see why she's often quoted as saying 'Why music? Why breathing?',” notes culture blog Muruch. “That kind of artistic passion seems extremely rare these days."
Crowe's home is Corner Brook, NL. Her birthplace is Nanaimo, BC (November 16, 1981). From Canada's coasts she's taken the road less-traveled to harmonizing life as musician (voice, piano, guitar, fiddle, bodhran), composer, arranger, audio engineer & producer. From the lovely isle of Newfoundland her reach is global.
Ani DiFranco and Loreena McKennitt inspired the strong-willed Scorpio to create Rubenesque Records, her own label. Since 2001, via 26 albums, singles, EPs and compilations, Crowe's oeuvre nears 200 unique tracks embracing roots, rock, Celtic, folk, jazz, soul, Canadiana and Broadway.
Rubenesque's series of artistically and commercially successful releases includes: Lisa's Song+ 6 Songs (2001-3); Tidings (2003/4); Secrets (2004); Live at Wood Hall (2005); This Little Bird (2006); Little Light (2008); Spiral (2010); Arthur / Up to the Mountain (2011); Tidings Concert (2012); Newfoundland Vinyl (2013); Heavy Graces (2013); Songbook (2013/14); Souling (2014); Newfoundland Vinyl II (2014); Sylvan Hour (2015); Newfoundland Vinyl 3 (2015); Souling (Bonus Tracks Edition) (2015); Introducing / Heirs + Grievances (2016); .Great Island Wonder (2017); Welcome to Us: 1 & 2 (2018); Newfoundland Vinyl IV (2018); plus Pillars and Six More Songs (2020 releases).
Broadcast highlights include a pair of one-hour television specials: “Allison Crowe: Inside Pandora’s Box” and “Tidings” (airing, for years, nationally across Canada).
Crowe performs solo and with band – LIN (cello, vocals), Sarah White (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Dave Baird (bass, vocals) – headlining concerts on hundreds of occasions in over a dozen countries.
Billed before Carol Ann Duffy, Britain’s Poet Laureate, and (the late) Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Master of the Queen's Music, "Canadian angel Allison Crowe gave one of the weekend's most magical moments," relates The Scotsman.
In 2012, Allison Crowe thrilled with Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet singing and playing live-on-stage with dancers for "The Doorway – Scenes from Leonard Cohen".
Hollywood director Zack Snyder flew Crowe cross-continent to cameo in "Man of Steel" – covering "Ring of Fire" on-screen in 2013's Superman blockbuster. “I’m a big Johnny Cash fan. And I’m a big Allison Crowe fan," reveals Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, 300, Watchmen, Sucker Punch). "So the combination to me seemed like an awesome opportunity if we could make it happen.”
Crowe is Musical Director of "Newfoundland Vinyl" – a rollicking hit at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival each Summer (since 2012). Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador Artistic Director Jeff Pitcher, (who conceived the show), remarks: "No matter where she is in this world, that voice, that conviction, it crosses all borders."
"The first thing you notice about Allison Crowe is her voice. Rich and dark, it seems to come from a place most singers can only dream of accessing. Then there are the songs. Filled with raw passion and accompanied by Crowe's eloquent piano playing." Clodagh O'Connell (The Courier, Rolling Stone+) posits: "Elton John meets Edith Piaf".
"Soulful. Alive. Joyous. Grievous. Real, true, music is what I want to make," says Allison Crowe.
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