"When you think of the folk singers of the 60s and 70s, it's amazing to recall how casually their natural, comfortable songs so easily told the tales of so many lives. Tom Rush’s "Driving Wheel," Joan Baez’s "Diamonds & Rust," and Sandy Denny’s "It Suits Me Well," come immediately to mind as deceptively simple songs that are musically brilliant. Melissa Ruth’s latest album Underwater & Other Places, shows that this classically trained musician has the skills and creativity to join the ranks of superb folk artists...." (Check out the rest of this article here )
-Nancy Dunham, Indie-Music
"Ruth’s sensitive guitar playing shines through in each song, and though her tunes are lyrically driven stories, they’re not history lessons like those of Laura Viers. Neither are they as languorous as those of Devon Sproule, and certainly not as fragile as the Be Good Tanyas, but fans of any of these women would find good company in Melissa Ruth." (Please read the rest of the article here )
-Vanessa Salvia, Eugene Weekly
"While she’s no Joan Baez vocally, Ruth’s voice is pretty. She has a good range and shows tremendous potential. Her college teacher already might need to eat her words about whether Ruth has “it†if she ever hears her former student’s CD or sees her play live. Ruth’s “it†is love, compassion, humor, good guitar skills, a pretty voice, a capable band and a desire equal to her audience’s to connect with people." (Read the rest of this article here )
-Serena Markstrom, Register-Guard
“A sensitive blend of prose and melody; her music warms you with magical imagery and well crafted songwriting.â€
-Johann Wagner, singer/songwriter
"Melissa Ruth brings easy-to-feel lyrics and an earthy melody to listeners.... Her hometown-folk picks at the memories of warm autumn nights and good company."
Q&A with Melissa Ruth
Derek Lactaoen, The Lumberjack
Homegrown Folk Sass: Melissa Ruth is a classically trained musician with front-porch sensibility. Growing up in rural British Columbia, she was raised on a balanced diet of borsht and Bob Dylan and was exposed to art and culture from an early age. As a child and teenager she studied classical flute and gigged locally. By age 15, she added guitar to her musical practice and began writing her own songs.
In 2005 Melissa graduated with a degree in music and was nominated for Outstanding Student of the Year in Fine Arts that spring. While studying classical music by day, by night Melissa was active in the folk scene of Humboldt County. She played through-out the area before relocating to Eugene, Oregon to teach and to pursue her budding career in music.
Having lived through out the Western United States and Western Canada, Ms. Ruth speckles her music with home-town observations. Her music is known for its intimacy; it’s willingness to take you to those home-towns with her. Her musical versatility and lyric-driven melodies define Ruth’s songwriting. As a performer, her live shows have been described as honest and poignant. Entertainment Editor Serena Markstrom of Eugene’s Register-Guard Newspaper:
[Ruth’s] college teacher already might need to eat her words about whether Ruth has “it†if she ever hears her former student’s CD or sees her play live. Ruth’s “it†is love, compassion, humor, good guitar skills, a pretty voice, a capable band and a desire equal to her audience’s to connect with people."
In July of 2008, Ms. Ruth released her debut album “Underwater and Other Placesâ€. She has toured the Western United States and performed at regional music festivals including 2008’s Willamette Valley Music Fest. Her song “The Blues Instead†has received national and international streaming and airplay and was 81 in Women of the 90’s top 100 songs of 2008. Melissa is often accompanied by blues guitarist Johnny Leal and she is currently the music director in her local school district. When not teaching or touring, Melissa delights in working her garden and playing with her cute dog Bruno.
2008 Highlights:
July release of Underwater and Other Places
Radio and online airplay and interviews
West Coast Tour
Willamette Valley Music Fest
BlackHawk Solar Cookoff
Grrrlz Rock 2008 Concert Series
Women of the 90's Fresh Pic of the Day: May 7th and October 28th
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