artist Sandy Stubbert

Sandy is a veteran of the grassroots, independent Canadian music scene. She began her singer/songwriter career at age 16 in a Kingston folk-club called "The Vaults". She has performed in venues such as Convocation Hall (opened for Ferron) and Toronto's Harbourfront Centre; music festivals such as Owen Sound Summerfolk, Calgary Folk Festival, Mariposa, Blues Skies, Northern Lights (Sudbury); Toronto clubs including the Horseshoe, Rivoli, Ultra Sound, C'est What, Free Times Café, Silver Dollar and other venues including Kingston's Stages (opened for Crash Test Dummies), Vancouver's Railway Club, Calgary's Nickalodian, Saskatoon's 23 Below Folk Club; live performances on TV and radio (City TV and CBC radio). Her powerful voice, both musically and lyrically, and masterful guitar playing are her calling card.  She also plays mandolin and dulcimer. 

In February of 1999 Sandy was diagnosed with severe clinical depression and spent the next 12 years in a near fatal battle the illness. After leaving an 18-year long relationship in March of 2010, she is in the process of recreating her life and resurrecting her musical career. She wrote her first new song in over 14 years and followed this with a house concert on August 30th, 2010. This benefit concert raised over $1,700 for the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride. The Ride begins in Vancouver on September 9th and ends in Halifax on September 23rd. Sandy is one of  the team volunteers supporting the National Riders as they cycle across Canada.

THE BACKING STORY

During her high school years Sandy played in a bluegrass band, her high school concert and stage bands and was involved in theatrical productions. She has a deep love of singing around campfires and has sung to mine workers and fire fighters in rustic northern bars in Red Lake and performed solo at coffee houses in addition to playing folk festivals and clubs across Canada.

In 1983 Sandy began a 9-year musical partnership with Mary-Ellen Anderson founding the folk-duo Two which evolved into the folk-rock band Two-Penny Opera.  This partnership resulted in two independent recordings: Loose Marbles in a Big Wooden Box in April '88, produced by Ian Tamblyn, and Dead & Crazy People in May '92, produced by John Switzer.  Both recordings received airplay on the CBC, campus radio stations and select commercial radio stations in Ontario.

From '92 to '98 Sandy was a member of the local Toronto folk-rock band Compass. In December of 1998 she released her first solo recording, Kick The Moon. Produced by Bill Garrett, this recording is a canvas for nine original songs and one Joni Mitchell cover ('California' from the album Blue).  Beginning in the summer of 2003 Sandy was invited to play in the all girls bluegrass band Roses in the Snow. She was part of this dynamic foursome for 18 months playing gigs throughout southern Ontario including the Ontario Bluegrass Awards and OCFF private showcases.