Album Notes

“...one of the best songwriters to ever come out of the Maritimes…” CIUT Radio, Toronto

Since the release of her new album “WEAVE”, Mary Knickle is turning heads with her personal blend of traditional song writing. Her title song “Weave the Yarn” received honourable mention in the 2006 singer/songwriter awards out of London, UK through “We Are Listening” and recently WEAVE won Best Provincial Folk CD and Weave the Yarn won Best Provincial Folk Song at the Toronto Exclusive Music Awards, an online and print magazine that focuses on leading and emerging fashion designers, models, actors, film- and music-makers and artists of all walks. The TEMAs give recognition to nominated artists from across Canada.

In performances Mary has been called a high-energy performer and a great storyteller, the kind that draws you in when and keeps you there. Many of her songs have strong narratives where women figure prominently, others take you on journeys of the heart of hope and of loss. Her voice has been likened to a “power surge more akin to a cyclone”, “a voice of stunning clarity”, “compelling and “the kind of voice that makes you cry”. Her storytelling is honest, touching and humourous.

Growing up in a family of musicians and storytellers, Knickle was drawn to the art of both from an early age. Following a childhood of performing at parties, family functions and community stage concerts, she began to work to develop both of these skills into her own work. Through taking songwriting classes and studying music at Acadia University in Wolfville, NS, she started creating a unique sound that represented her. Knickle also studied theatre in New York and Toronto giving furthering her work as a performer and storyteller.

“I grew up listening to Celtic music,” says Knickle. “It was around my twenties that I started writing songs. It was like I instantly found a piece of me that was missing.”

This realization gave her the push she needed. Knickle soon began performing her new songs, quickly finding an audience through both her engaging performances and heartfelt writing. It was also at this time that she recorded her debut album, On the Wind and the Sea (1991). Following up on the positive reception to her initial work, she soon moved on to work on her sophomore effort, Who Will Take The Throne? (1992) at CBC’s Studio H in Halifax, NS.

Immediately apparent on Weave is Knickle’s strong connection to the sea. As narratives twist and bend, it’s the constant element that pulls everything together. After starting with the traditional sound of “Weave the Yarn,” the album delivers the combo of “Cross the Land (intro:)” and “Fire in My Heels,” casting the work’s mood and tone from the start. Songs such as “Brideship” and “The Grail” further develop Weave’s depth, offering unique topics delivered through a first person perspective that highlight Knickle’s gift for storytelling. With eight of the album’s songs recorded in just six hours, they have the unifying feeling of being created in one inspired session.

Mary continues to draw on her Celtic roots in much of her new music and combines this with modern influences creating her own unique sound and style, a "New Canadian Traditional Music". She now lives in Lunenburg, her hometown, and has performed extensively in Ontario and the East Coast. She has performed in numerous Folk Festivals throughout Canada and many clubs and concert venues. She has composed songs and music for several musicals and has stepped back from performing to work on a large project she hopes to have performed in spring/2008.

In the spring of 2006 Knickle received an NS Emerging Grant. The song “Weave the Yarn” received honourable mention in the 2006 Singer/Songwriter awards out of London, UK. Since Weave’s release it has received accolades from every magazine and periodical and is currently being played worldwide on Internet radio and Ipod.

Awarded 2 TEMA’s!! (Toronto Exclusive Music Award) including:
Best Provincial Folk CD and
Best Provincial folk song “Weave the Yarn”
Toronto Exclusive is an online and print magazine that focuses on leading and emerging fashion designers, models, actors, film- and music-makers and artists of all walks, and the TEMAs give recognition to nominated artists from across Canada.