Gothic Theatre

Serena Ryder

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Artists like Serena don’t come along very often. Blessed with a three octave range, she has the ability to tackle any musical style and win over crowds wherever she plays. She recently opened for Bachman-Cummings performing an acoustic set. Reviewers compared her folk-rock style to artists as diverse as Janis Joplin, Patsy Cline, Aretha Franklin and kd lang.

Her first album with EMI, scheduled for a November release, is a tribute to Canadian songwriters entitled “If Your Memory Serves You Well”. 500 songs were considered from 100 years of Canadian songs and songwriting during the period 1867-1967. Songs chosen for the album are some of the best our country has offered and were huge hits by such artists as Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie to name a few. 6 of the songs have been inducted into the Hall of Fame with another to be inducted in 2007.

Accompanying Serena on this album are some of Toronto’s finest studio players including Kevin Breit, Kurt Swinghammer, Doug Riley and Steve Mackinnon.

“The truth of these songs will never grow old” says Serena. “I chose these songs to record because I found my voice in these songs.” Her first public performance was at the age of 8. She sang songs 5 times her age to an audience 6 times her age and was paid for the show with a Barbie doll. “I related to these timeless songs even at the age of 8.”

This is one side of Serena. This album will also include a preview of songs recorded for her upcoming album of original material. A prolific songwriter in her own right, Serena has recorded 3 new songs with producer Rhys Fulber (Josh Groban, Delerium). The thread between “If Your Memory Serves You Well” and her own material is her unique and captivating voice as well as her personality which is as big as her voice.