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artist Veronica Johnny

Toronto, ON, CANADA
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biographical info

Veronica Johnny   Aboriginal Artist | Entertainer

Singer | Songwriter | Guitarist | Workshop Facilitator

Audio Engineer | Entrepreneur | Inspirational Speaker

Veronica Johnny is the front woman, vocalist and rhythm guitarist of The Johnnys, a high-energy rock’n’roll band she founded with drummer and husband Dave Johnny. She is an Aboriginal artist of Cree, Chipewyan, & Ojibwa heritage, hailing from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. Since beginning her musical journey, Veronica has become a seasoned performer as both solo artist and a member of groups; amassed studio experience on either side of the mixing console; promoted or managed other musicians, and facilitated performance, industry and inspirational workshops for schools, festivals, bands, organizations and individuals.

 “She has the qualities of an achiever.” Cliff Jones, Director, Trebas Institute

“The most inspirational woman in this hemisphere!” Leela Gilday, Juno Winner

 

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS – Veronica Johnny

Nominated for 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Award - Best Producer/Engineer Sang backup with Eagle & Hawk players for Stevie Salas at 2009 Native American Music AwardsPerformed at ‘Creator Within’, a gathering of Indigenous Artistic Expression hosted by ANDPVAPerformed at Canadian Aboriginal Festival in 2008 in the Toronto Rogers Centre (skydome)Performed at Banff Centre for the Arts with the Songs Above the Treeline participants Studying traditional drumming & singing with Juno winner, Brenda MacIntyre – Medicine Song Woman

 

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS – The Johnnys

Performed at 2008 Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards – taped in Winnipeg for APTNPerformed on Arbor Live! – a high profile music variety show broadcast on APTN in 2009Nominated for three 2008 Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards including Best Rock CD, Best New Artist & Best Group or DuoShowcased on “Larger Than Life” shown in Cineplex theatres across Canada in January 2009.Showcased at the Northern Arts & Cultural Centre in Yellowknife in January 2009.Showcased at Canadian Music Fest 2009 at the Hard Rock Café in TorontoPerformed on Rez Tunes – an all aboriginal music variety show broadcast on APTN in March 2010.

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS

 

Healthy Living /Choices / Life SkillsSelf Esteem BuildingBasic Song Writing (Beginner)Basic Guitar (and/or Bass) (Beginner)How to Apply for an Arts GrantMusic Industry Info SessionMarketing (for Artists & Musicians)Bio & Press kit (for Artists & Musicians)

2009 PERFORMANCES: Concert for a Cure; Hard Rock Café, The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, The Central, Rok Boutique, Sneaky Dees, Woman Voice; Yellowknife - Northern Arts & Cultural Centre, Top Knight, St. Joseph School, Folk on the Rocks Endless Summer, Ts’eko Celebration; Ft. Simpson Beavertail Jamboree.

2008 PERFORMANCES: Toronto - Lee’s Palace, The Bovine, Revival Theatre, Clinton’s, Sneaky Dees, iNative Festival - El Macombo; Yellowknife - Ramble & Ride Old Town Festival, Top Knight, Ts’eko Celebration of Women in Music; Winnipeg - Pyramid Cabaret, Regal Beagle, MTS Centre; Banff - Banff Centre for the Arts

2009 WORKSHOPS (accumulated # of participants): YK District 1 Schools Tour (1500+); South Slave Education Schools Tour (40); YWCA’s Taiga Adventure Camp (60), NWT Foster Families’ Camp Connections (80), Beavertail Jamboree (130); Ts’eko Celebration of Women in Music (15)

MEDIA: First Story, Entertainment Beat, Inside Fashion, Arbor Live, Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards

 

VERONICA JOHNNY: www.myspace.com/veronicajohnny

THE JOHNNYS: www.myspace.com/thejohnnysrock  | www.sonicbids.com/thejohnnys

MANAGEMENT: Johnny International Productions Inc. | info@thejohnnys.com

influences

Brenda MacIntyre - Medicine Song Woman
Traditional Aboriginal Teachers
Edie Brickell

New Single released today - Ne Mama (My Mother) by Veronica Johnny

posted by Veronica Johnny   

- For immediate release -

May 5, 2010

 

Northern rocker goes traditional with first drum song release

 

Another side of an artist known more for rocking stages has emerged, celebrating her Aboriginal heritage.

Veronica Johnny, vocalist and rhythm guitarist for rock’n’roll band The Johnnys, released her first traditional honour song on May 5, just in time for her mother’s birthday. Ne Mama, featuring Veronica singing and playing the hand drum, is dedicated to her mom, mothers everywhere and Mother Earth.

“The timing was right to put this song out there,” says Veronica. “It’s my mother’s birthday, Mother’s Day is right around the corner and Earth Day just passed. This song honours our mothers’ strengths, and is a message of love and healing too.”

Although Veronica started in the Northwest Territories as an acoustic singer-songwriter, she wanted her newer solo material to reflect her Cree, Chipewyan and Ojibwa roots. In 2008 and ’09 at the Aboriginal Music Lab in Vancouver, drummer and elder Gerry Oleman mentored Veronica, gifting her with a drum.

It was there that Veronica began writing Ne Mama, based on a lullaby melody her mother sang to her and her siblings when they were young. Later in 2009, at the Catapult workshop for Aboriginal musicians in Toronto, Veronica jumped at the opportunity to record the song.

“Catapult was a great experience, it gave me the confidence to do something more traditional that I’d been wanting to do for a long time,” says Veronica. “It really came together, with a nice piano melody and Jennifer Podemski doing some beautiful backing vocals.”

Since then, Veronica has studied traditional singing and drumming with Brenda MacIntyre – Medicine Song Woman, and branched into facilitating drumming workshops with youth, women’s drum circles and solo performances featuring a mix of hand drumming and acoustic guitar. Veronica plans to record a solo album later this year.

“Expressing myself through traditional music has been an amazing journey so far,” Veronica says. “It’s given me a lot of strength whereas, on one hand with The Johnnys I do something fun, bold and a little crazy, on the other the drum music is meaningful, grounds me and is a powerful source of healing.”

 

For further information, please see www.myspace.com/veronicajohnny, or email info@thejohnnys.com

 

Listen in at: http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Veronica-Johnny

posted by Veronica Johnny   

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