You Don’t Want to Miss It!
Lynn Miles, from Ottawa, Shari Ulrich, from Vancouver, and Susan Crowe from Nova Scotia, make up The Mavens, and on Sat. April 23, at 9:00 pm, they will be taking the stage at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 82 Kent Street, in Ottawa for the first time. Collectively, Lynn Miles jokes, they have 200 years of experience. Not only are they super talented singers, songwriters and musicians, but they are also quite funny, and their show is bound to bring a few laughs.
These three ladies “of a certain age” wanted to show the world that women over the age of 50, still have something to contribute. They were all together in Nova Scotia, doing different things, and had dinner together. That is when they came up with the idea for them to work together and form a trio. Voila, that is how The Mavens was formed. They have been practicing online, from one end of Canada, to the other.
Shari Ulrich, is a multi-instrumentalist, and has worked as a television host, actress, film composer and educator. Word has it she is bringing her mandolin and violin to the festival. She has been nominated for a Juno four times and won in 1982 for “Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year.” She also received a Genie Award Nomination with Graeme Coleman and David Graff, in 1994 for Best Original Song for Every Road, that appeared in the film, Max.
Susan Crowe, is a two time Juno nominated musician, for her album, This Far From Home in 1996, and Book of Day,s in 2004 and won Female Artist of the Year from, Music Nova Scotia, in 2004 as well as English Songwriter of the Year in 2009, from the Canadian Folk Music Awards. She has been nominated twice for the East Coast Music Award and once for the West Coast Music Award. She founded Corvus Records in 1996, to help independent artists. The Jaybirds, John Miller, Nick Hornbuckle and before she died, Raylene Rankin, are all artists, signed to Corvus, along with Susan of course.
And then there is Lynn Miles from Ottawa. She has won a Juno Award and three Canadian Folk Music Awards. She has such a great sense of humour, and won the Ottawa High-school Tennis Championship, in 1976, something most people don’t know about her. When I asked Shari the same question, she said, “most people might not know that I am very handy with power tools.” That is a great skill to have! Shari says that Lynn is one of the funniest and finest musicians. Susan says that Lynn makes songwriters listen and learn. She is both universal and personal.
All three women love being musicians and Shari says it is the best job on the planet although lugging equipment and travelling are what she dislikes about it. Lynn dislikes the business side. Artists have to promote themselves and be present and active on social media. She loves the freedom of the lifestyle and the opportunity to express herself. Lynn says about Susan, she is a “great songwriter who is precise and elegant”. She describes Shari as “a bright light, and one of the most positive people I know”. Susan describes Shari as a, “legend, and one of the most musical songwriters in the country and a very fine person.” Clearly, these three women hold each other in high esteem. They all have their own careers, but they are coming together as The Mavens. You don’t want to miss this concert.
Musicians were the first people to lose their jobs, and the last ones to get them back, during the last two years of the pandemic. They survived, through outdoor and online concerts. Lynn completed two albums, during the pandemic and, is being featured on an, Eric Anderson Tribute album, that Bob Dylan is also going to be featured on. How exciting is that, though, she doesn’t think she will be meeting Bob, she is in the same club as him. and that is very impressive.
You don’t want to miss this dynamic trio, playing together for the first time on a stage. They did an online concert in February, but this is their first public appearance, as The Mavens. So let’s give these amazing ladies a great Ottawa welcome. You can buy your weekend passes here
