Nancy White

Describing Nancy White and trying to put a label on her is a very difficult task. In a sentence, she is Canada's social conscience, and one with a wry sense of humor. She is a gifted singer/songwriter who performs satirical songs. But she can deliver a serious song that will force a listener to think. She challenges her listeners to consider other (often left-wing) perspectives within the context of a well-written folk/pop song. Born in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, White grew up in a musical family. In secondary school she began playing the guitar, while at the same time writing for the school newspaper. She went on to post-secondary education at Dalhousie University, earning a BA in English. During this time, she continued with her music and began performing, in her own words, "novelty type songs." By the late '60s, she was performing fairly regularly in Halifax, and was involved with local theater groups, which eventually led to her participation in the Young People Theatre Tour, specifically involved with the Under Milk Wood production. By the early '70s, White had also found her way to television, appearing in several popular Canadian shows, including Down Home Country. During this time, she continued perfecting her writing craft and maintained interest in world/political affairs, especially concerning Canada and Central America. In fact, she studied Spanish in Guatemala in 1978 and 1979. She also continued playing several folk clubs and festivals across Canada. In 1976, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation began soliciting tapes for their program Sunday Morning. White answered the call, and the rest is history. She became a regular on the show from 1976 until 1979 and again from 1981 to 1994. She also won an ACTRA award for her music on the show. Through the CBC, she was able to write and produce several other shows, and by 1977. she was also ready to commit her music to vinyl. Signing with the Attic label (distributed in Canada by CBS Records), she released her debut album, Civil Service Songwriter. The album earned rave reviews, but White did not seem happy working with a label, and in 1979, she formed her own, Mouton Records, to distribute her music. Perhaps her best-known album is 1990's Momnipotent: Songs for Weary Parents. Through the years, she has signed with other labels for distribution for a couple of her albums, but she has maintained control of her musical output since 1979. Returning to her journalist roots, White also began contributing a weekly article to The Toronto Sun from 1994 until 1998. She also published a book of her lyrics (Topical Punch) in 1986. Nancy White resides in Toronto with her two daughters, and draws from several sources for inspiration for her unique style of music and lyrics. ~ Aaron Badgley, Rovi