Terra Lightfoot (born August 1986) is a Canadian musician and singer-songwriter from Hamilton, Ontario[1] who has released four albums with the independent music label Sonic Unyon Recording Company[2] and is distributed by Universal Music Group in Canada and The Orchard outside of Canada. She performs in a folk and roots rock style known for bold vocals and electric guitar riffs.
Terra Lightfoot | |
|---|---|
 Lightfoot performing at Supercrawl in Hamilton, ON in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | August 1986 (age 38) Waterdown, Ontario |
| Occupation(s) | singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2010–present |
Early life
editLightfoot was raised in Waterdown, Ontario, a rural community in the northern part of Hamilton, and attended McMaster University.[3]
Early career
editIn the early 2010s Lightfoot was a member of the Dinner Belles, a group of country-folk performers from Hamilton.[4] She performed as a guitarist and vocalist for the group's 2014 studio album The River and the Willow, having previously appeared on their self-released 2011 debut West Simcoe County.
Through indie music label, Sonic Unyon, Lightfoot released her first solo album, self-titled and released in 2011,[5] was described as "subdued", with compositions characteristic of a modern folk singer-songwriter.
Her second solo album, 2014's Every Time My Mind Runs Wild, saw her collaborate with indie rockers Gus van Go, Werner F, and Liam O'Neil (known for his performances with the group The Stills). The album's producers, van Go and F, were credited with bringing a more catchy, hook-heavy, power pop style.[6]
In 2017, Terra Lightfoot released two new albums. In February she released orchestral collaboration Live in Concert.[7] In late summer, Lightfoot released "Paradise," the lead single from her third studio album, New Mistakes.[8][9] The record earned praise from critics at No Depression, Pop Matters, Guitar Player, Twangville, and The Boot.[10][11][12][13][14]
New Mistakes earned Lightfoot a nomination for a 2018 JUNO Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year. The album's single "Paradise" also earned producer van Go a 2018 JUNO nomination for Recording Engineer of the Year, as well as a long-list nomination for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize.[15][16]
In August 2020, Lightfoot released a new single, "Paper Thin Walls," from her fourth studio album, Consider the Speed. That album was released on October 16, 2020.[17]
Her 2023 album Healing Power was a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize.[18]
Musical style
editLightfoot has a multi-octave mezzo-soprano singing voice that has been compared to that of Joan Jett[19] and Dusty Springfield.[6] Her electric guitar style has been described as similar to John Fogerty and Van Morrison.[6] The songs for which Lightfoot is best known are described as bluesy-rock power ballads.
March 2018 Lightfoot was featured in Guitar Player Magazine along with her SG 'Veronica'.[20]
Touring
editLightfoot has toured extensively in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, performing at folk music festivals and intimate venues. In 2017 she was honoured by the Canadian Independent Music Association for being a touring musician selling at least 25,000 concert seats in a 12-month period.[21]
While touring her 2017 album New Mistakes, Lightfoot also created, curated, and co-headlined The Longest Road Show, an all-female touring revue.[22]
On tour, Lightfoot has collaborated with a famous Canadian singer forty years her senior, Gordon Lightfoot, though the two are not related.[23] She has also toured with The Posies,[24] Toad the Wet Sprocket, Bruce Cockburn[25] and Blue Rodeo.[26] She supported Willie Nelson on the lone Canadian date of the 2018 Outlaw Music Festival.[27]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit- Terra Lightfoot (2011)
- Every Time My Mind Runs Wild (2015)
- New Mistakes (2017)
- Consider the Speed (2020)
- Healing Power (2023)
Live albums
edit- Live in Concert (2017)
Awards and nominations
editJUNO Awards
edit- New Mistakes (Sonic Unyon) - Nominee, Adult Alternative Album of the Year, 2018
Polaris Music Prize
editReferences
edit
- ^ "It's Terra's time to go solo". The Hamilton Spectator. 8 September 2011. ISSN 1189-9417. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ^ "Sonic Unyon Records: Terra Lightfoot – Artist biography". Sonicunyon.com, Retrieved 28 June 2017
- ^ Terra Lightfoot shines at the Hamilton Music Awards. Hamilton Spectator 19 November 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2017
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot". Discogs.com.
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot Terra Lightfoot | Exclaim!".
- ^ a b c "Terra Lightfoot – Every Time My Mind Runs Wild (Album Review)", Red Guitar Music, 18 August 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2017
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot Reveals Orchestral 'Live in Concert' LP | Exclaim!".
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot Returns with 'New Mistakes' | Exclaim!".
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot New Mistakes | Exclaim!".
- ^ "It's Canadian Rock n Roll and I LOVE IT!".
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot – 'New Mistakes' (Album stream) (Premiere), PopMatters". 11 October 2017.
- ^ "Guitar Player - Players". 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Monday Morning Video – Terra Lightfoot".
- ^ "Story Behind the Song: Terra Lightfoot, 'Norma Gale'". The Boot. 8 November 2017.
- ^ "JUNO Award Nomination!". 10 February 2018.
- ^ "2018 Nominees". 18 February 2019.
- ^ "New Single, Video & Album!". 7 August 2020.
- ^ "2024 Polaris Music Prize long list: the Beaches, Tobi, Elisapie, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and more". CBC Music, June 11, 2024.
- ^ Mullin, Kyle. "Review: Terra Lightfoot Every Time My Mind Runs Wild", Exclaim!, Toronto, 10 April 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2017
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot on Communication Through "Veronica" (her Gibson SG) and Channeling Marc Bolan". GuitarPlayer.com. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ^ Press Release – Terra Lightfoot is Certified Road Gold, Reveals New Live Album, Killbeatmusic.com, 6 February 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot, Lindi Ortega and Begonia strike a blow for gender parity in music with the all-female Longest Road Show". Toronto Star. 6 February 2019.
- ^ Rayner, Ben "Your New Favorite Thing Terra Lightfoot" Toronto Star 8 July 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2017
- ^ http://www.sonicunyon.com/artists/1-terra-lightfoot/posts/30-terra-lightfoot-to-tour-with-the-posies [dead link]
- ^ "Sonic Unyon Records". Sonicunyon.com.
- ^ Saxberg, Lynn (15 February 2016). "Terra Lightfoot kicks off big year with confidence-building Blue Rodeo tour". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
- ^ "Terra Lightfoot thrilled by spot in Willie Nelson's fest". Toronto Star. 7 September 2018.
- ^ Brophy, Aaron (14 June 2018). "2018 Polaris Music Prize Long List Is Here". Polaris Music Prize. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Healing Power". Polaris Music Prize. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
External links
edit- Official website
- Terra Lightfoot discography at Discogs
- Terra Lightfoot at AllMusic
