- Emm Gryner
Infobox Musical artist
Name = Emm Gryner
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Background = solo_singer
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Born = birth date and age|1975|6|8
Sarnia,Ontario ,Canada
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Origin =Toronto ,Ontario ,Canada
Instrument = Vocals,keyboard instrument s
Genre =Pop music ,alternative rock
Occupation =Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1995–present
Label = Dead Daisy, Mercury
Associated_acts =David Bowie ,Hot One ,The Cake Sale
URL = [http://www.emmgryner.com/ www.emmgryner.com]
Notable_instruments =Emm Gryner (born
8 June 1975 inSarnia, Ontario ) [cite news | url=http://www.thegate.ca/interviews/archives/emm-gryner.php | publisher="The Gate" | accessdate=2008-04-03 | title=Emm Gryner / The Queen of Toronto | date=] cite web | url=http://www.sarnia.ca/pdf/HONOUR_LIST_2004.pdf | format=PDF | title=Mayor's Honour List 2004 | publisher=City of Sarnia | accessdate=2008-04-03 ] cite web | url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/G/Gryner_Emm.html | publisher="Jam! "/Canoe | accessdate=2008-04-03 | title=Gryner, Emm ] is a Canadiansinger-songwriter .Biography
Gryner's childhood was spent in
Forest, Lambton County, Ontario . Her father was of half Irish heritage [ [http://www.tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=4949&page=1 Tandem - Online magazine ] ] and her mother was Filipina.cite news | url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/G/Gryner_Emm/2002/10/25/745550.html | publisher="Jam! "/Canoe | date=25 October 2002 | title=Life couldn't be finer for Emm Gryner | first=Fish | last=Griwkowsky | accessdate=2008-04-03 ]Emm started her music career in
Toronto , working office jobs during the day while honing her live show in small, local clubs by night. Gryner entered her original song "Wisdom Bus" in a nationwide songwriting contest sponsored byStandard Broadcasting , and won. With the money from this prize, she recorded an album called "The Original Leap Year " and released it on her ownDead Daisy Records . The album attracted the attention ofViolent Femmes producer, Warren Bruleigh.Bruleigh passed the album onto an exec at
Mercury Records who signed Gryner. The result was "Public", aBritpop -inspired album that yielded a hit in Canada called "Summerlong". Several tours followed, withRon Sexsmith ,Bernard Butler ,Rufus Wainwright and others.After
Universal Music took overMercury Records , Gryner was dropped from the label and returned to her own Dead Daisy Records. She released several albums, two of which went on to be nominated for Best Pop Album of the Year at theJuno Awards . During this time, Gryner moved toNew York andLos Angeles to write and tour. She also took a job singing and playing keyboards inDavid Bowie ’s band. The gig saw Gryner performing with Bowie atGlastonbury Festival , on "Later with Jools Holland " and other venues around America and Europe. She appears on "Bowie at the Beeb ", a live album.After leaving Bowie’s band, Gryner moved to
Montreal and released an album called "Songs of Love and Death " which was made up of cover versions of Irish songs byThe Undertones ,The Virgin Prunes ,Horslips ,Thin Lizzy ,The Thrills and others. Recorded in a house she shared withKate McGarrigle , the album attracted the attention of Irish media. Gryner found a champion in Pat Egan, a legendary promoter and manager based inDublin , and he set up her first shows.In 2005, Gryner signed Atlantic Canadian indie band
In-Flight Safety . The band went on to receive national acclaim, capture several awards and receive a Juno nomination for Best Video of The Year in 2007. Gryner subsequently signed Toronto songwriterRoyal Wood and released his album, "A Good Enough Day" through Dead Daisy.In 2006, Gryner released "
The Summer of High Hopes " produced byNathan Larson . The album was released in Canada and later in Ireland on the heels of a performance atOxegen Festival . Gryner also collaborated with Larson in the bandHot One , which released an album that year. She is also a member of the collectiveThe Cake Sale (Gary Lightbody ofSnow Patrol ,Bell X1 ,Josh Ritter ,Glen Hansard and others). The collective is featured on "The Cake Sale", a multi-platinum-selling Irish album with proceeds toOxfam ’s Make Trade Fair.Gryner also played the angel in the music videos of "The Grace" and "Age of Consent" by
Neverending White Lights and starred in "One Week", a film by directorMichael McGowan . In the summers of 2007 and 2008, Gryner co-hosted theradio show "Under The Covers " withDanny Michel , a show aboutcover song s, forCBC Radio One .Recognition by other musicians
Nelly Furtado named Gryner's album "Science Fair" one of her desert island discs in a VH1 interview, andDavid Bowie named Gryner andGodspeed You! Black Emperor his two favorite Canadian acts during a promotional interview for his "Reality" album. In the November 2006 issue of "Q", celebrating the magazine's 20th anniversary,U2 frontmanBono recognized the track "Almighty Love" from Gryner's album "The Summer of High Hopes" as one of six songs that he wished he had written from the last twenty years of music. [ [http://www.thegate.ca/news/more.php?id=1296_0_1_0_M The GATE - Emm Gryner gets a little love from U2's Bono] ] The American indie band +/- covered the song "Summerlong" for their EP, "Holding Patterns". The song "Angel" byMatt Nathanson is written about her.Discography
* "
And Distrust It " (1995)
* "The Original Leap Year " (1997)
* "Public" (1998)
* "Science Fair" (1999)
* "Dead Relatives " (2000)
* "Girl Versions " (2001)
* "Asianblue " (2002)
* "Songs of Love and Death " (2005)
* "The Great Lakes" (2005)
* "The Summer of High Hopes " (2006)References
External links
* [http://emmgryner.com/ Emm Gryner] official website
* [http://www.deaddaisy.com/ Dead Daisy] record label website
*myspace|emmgryner
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