"Girl Singer Heads West!"

Hope this finds you healthy and happy. Life is vibrant as ever here in Girl Singer Land. I'm heading west for a short tour over the May long weekend. Check out my appearances page for details of the tour. Really looking forward to smelling that mountain air and hearing my yodels bounce off the Rockies.

I started a writing group that meets a couple times a month. We've been at it since February. We pick a new title at the end of each session and then everyone goes home and writes from the same title using their own perspective. Some interesting stuff coming out of these meetings. I'm digging it and I'm writing more than I have in a long time.

My book, "Linger", is taking wonderful shape. The artist, Megan Mansbridge, is almost done the illustrations. I'll keep you posted on its fall release. It's going to be fantastic!

On the homefront, I've taken on the duties of Assistant Coach for Josi's (our youngest daughter's) softball team. Lots of fun teaching these young ones how to play ball. I'm trying hard not to be too competitive, but I've got them all on a nutritious eating regime and strict exercise plan - just kidding.

Mae (our middle one) has been busy singing a bit and playing the piano, but her biggest dilemma is deciding what to wear to school the next day and figuring out how to do her hair. She really cracks me up with how serious she is about it. Crystal (our oldest) is graduating at the end of May. Wow! how times flies - Johnny Reid knows what he's talking about in his latest song. Better go pack for the tour west. Take care and I'd love to hear from you.

Marny

p.s. The bass playing is coming along. I love it! I'll be breaking it out for a few songs during this tour.

Hello there!

Posted by Marny's webmaster

I hope you're having a good spring so far. The run-off was moving like crazy at our house last week. It took Josi (my youngest daughter) less than 5 seconds to get her first boot full when she went out to play and her dad wasn't far behind her.

Things are great here in Girl Singer Land. I've been busy practicing on my new acoustic bass I bought a month or so ago. I'm addicted to that thing! I expect to be ready to bring it out for my performances in May. I'll keep you posted on when and where that will be. All you bass players need not be intimated, I'm not that good (not yet, anyway).

In the meantime, I'm very excited to be opening for one of my favorite Canadian artists, Lisa Brokop. Dates include:

April 19, 8:00pm, Mae Wilson Theatre, Moose Jaw SK
April 20, 8:00pm, Casino Regina, Regina SK

Call 1-306-565-3000 for tickets. You won't be disappointed - I promise.

I will also be performing to help kick off National Organ Donor Awareness Week in Regina on April 24th, 11:30am at the F.W. Hill Mall. (I only have one kidney and encourage everyone to consider organ donation). Come on down and hear some music, say hello, and listen to some incredible stories from organ recipients, organ donors and people waiting for organs.

Check out my website, www.girlsinger.ca for more info on me and my upcoming appearances.

Take care, and I hope to hear from you soon!

Marny

Spring is on its way!

Posted by Marny's webmaster

Spring is on its way! I can feel the thaw coming on in my area. The days are getting longer and the birds are singing louder and I love it. I always feel stronger after surviving a Saskatchewan winter. Things are great in Girl Singer Land. Spent a lot of the past two months getting my girls to basketball games and dance lessons and making muffins. Serious mom stuff. I did take a weekend in February to attend a writer’s workshop in Saskatoon. It was fantastic to be around 30 other Saskatchewan songwriters and learn from some sensational pros: Ralph Murphy, James Dean Hicks and Dean McTaggart. Thanks to SRIA for putting this event together.

Big news! I just bought myself an acoustic bass guitar. I haven’t been this excited about a new toy since the Christmas when I was six and I got a purple Barbie Van. I can’t leave it alone. All I want to do is play my bass. You can bet I’ll be busting it out during my acoustic shows real soon.

I had a great time in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan at the Northern Lights Casino. Thanks Paul Lomheim for the gig. I also had the opportunity to watch the world class Country North Show that Paul produced. Over-the-top talent up north!

To check out more on Marny visit www.girlsinger.ca.

upcoming shows

Here's what's up for me in the weeks ahead:

Tim Horton's Brier, Regina Exhibition Park, Saturday March 11, 5:15-6:15 pm. Come one, Come all! We're gonna raise the roof!

Saskatchewan Country Music Awards, Nipawin, SK, Friday, March 17 to Sunday, March 19. I'll be playing at the Kick Off Party, President's Dinner, Songwriter's Cafe, Awards Show and, no doubt, the lobby of the hotel. Just try and keep me from the stage. I'm also delighted to say I've been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year.

Opening for Lisa Brokop, Wednesday, April 19 at Casino Moose Jaw and Thursday, April 20 at Casino Regina.

The release of my book, "Linger", has been moved forward to the fall. The artwork is coming along beautifully and I'm very excited about this project. I'll keep you posted on its progress.

I hope life is good for you. Take care and I'd love to hear from you.

Marny

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope you had a great holiday season. We sure did at the Duncan-Cary house. We recently finished an addition on our very small home. The new space is wonderful! I have my own bathroom off my bedroom. I even have a door on my bedroom now! Woo Hoo! The girls have their own rooms also which is a big change for them. They've been sharing a room for almost 6 years now. 9 out of 10 nights when I check on them before I go to bed, they're sleeping together. Funny thing that is.

Lots of family and friends over the holidays. Lots of laughs, lots of food and lots of booze. Today, not only am I on the wagon, I'm also on the treadmill. Always the same every January. Every magazine on the check out stand has diet secrets and quick ways to lose that last 10 pounds. Seems every time I make an attempt to lose those last 10 pounds that's all I can think about. I start a diet in the morning and I'm surprised and disappointed when I haven't trimmed down by noon. What's up with that? I'm going to trick myself this year by not going on a diet to lose those last 10 extra pounds. I'll secretly step up the pace on my treadmill and maybe balance a bit more on the wagon, and enjoy carrots rather than cookies for a snack, at least for today. One of these tomorrow's I'll be rid of those 10 extra pounds.

Music wise, I have three main focuses this winter:

1. Get things ready for the release of my book in April. Yes, I'm publishing a book. I'm having my song, "Linger", illustrated into storybook form by a great artist, Megan Mansbridge. We are hoping for a release just prior to Mother's Day. If you're not familiar with the song already, check out the lyrics and have a listen under the music section of my website. The song has been going over extremely well at my live shows and I wanted to put the story into book form. I'll keep you posted on the release and where it will be available for purchase.

2. Write, write, write, and get ready for my sophomore album.

3. Broaden my audience.

So, it's busy here in Girl Singer Land. Onward and upward.

I hope your 2006 is off to a good start. Take care and I'd love to hear from you.

Marny

Season's Greetings to you!

Posted by Marny's webmaster

Seasons Greetings to you! My dog, Reg, is real proud of his Christmas scarf so I thought I'd send you a shot of us together.

This has been a great year for me here in Girl Singer Land. Some of the highlights from 2005 include:

• four Saskatchewan Country Music Awards
• a writing weekend in Peachland, BC led by Roy Forbes and Bill Henderson
• singing my song, "Who's That Man", for Queen Elizabeth
• a trip to Halifax, NS to write with RyLee Madison as well as spend some time with my radio promoter, Paul Kennedy, and, of course, eat a ton of seafood
• performances at the Professional Bull Riding in Regina (singing performances, not bull riding, although riding the bull looked fun)
• being invited to perform with Regina's Prairie Gold Chorus at their Centennial Concert celebration
• performing for the Centennial dance for my hometown of Lumsden, SK, with my friends, Shifty Morgan, backing me up
• singing O'Canada at the Labour Day Classic game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in front of 30,000 screaming football (and some MDC) fans
• various festivals around Saskatchewan including Carleton Trail Jamboree, Craven Country Music Jamboree, Flatland Festival, Remember Forget's Summer Festival
• great times with my girls and handsome husband at the beach
• the Ranchman's in Calgary, where I discovered bottle cap shooters, YUM!
• traveling to Ottawa with a few other Saskatchewan artists to celebrate our Centennial at the National Archives Library
• playing at The Pump Roadhouse!!!
• hearing my songs on the radio
• great casino dates in Prince Albert, Yorkton, Regina, Moose Jaw - and Bear Claw Casino at White Bear coming up for New Year's Eve

Yes, it's been a great year. I'm working on making 2006 even better. I'm writing to prepare for another album. Whether or not that will be out in 2006 is still hard to say. I am publishing a book that I am very excited about. I'm having my song, "Linger", illustrated into storybook form by a fantastic artist, Megan Mansbridge.We expect to have a spring release. For more info on the song, check out my website www.girlsinger.ca. You can read how that song came about, have a listen, read the lyrics and while you're at it, get my album...if you haven't already.

I hope you all have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year. Drop me a line. I'd love to hear from you.

Merry Christmas!
Marny Duncan-Cary