Nancy White (singer-songwriter)

Nancy Adele White (born November 11, 1944) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, whose humorous and satirical songs on political and social topics were a regular feature on CBC Radio from 1976 to 1994 on the public affairs show Sunday Morning.[1]

Nancy White
Born (1944-11-11) November 11, 1944
OriginCharlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Genresfolk, comedy
Occupation(s)singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)guitar, piano, vocals
Years active1970s-present

Background

Originally from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, White was educated at Dalhousie University.[1] She began her career as a journalist in Charlottetown and Halifax, occasionally performing her comedic songs at coffeehouse nights, and began pursuing music and theatre more actively after moving to Toronto in 1970.[1]

Career

In Toronto she performed in a theatrical production of Under Milk Wood, originated the role of Ophelia in Cliff Jones's musical Rockabye Hamlet (originally known as Kronborg: 1582), and was a co-creator and star of the musical revues Hey Seester, You Want My Sailor? and Ice Folly.[1] Beginning in 1976 she was a regular contributor of comedic songs to CBC Radio's Sunday Morning,[2] frequently appearing on the program until she was dropped as part of a revamp of the program's format in 1994.[3]

In 1978 she released Civil Service Songwriter, her debut album as a recording artist.[4] She has since released numerous other albums, blending both her comedic songs and forays into more serious songwriting.[1]

She created a number of works with comedian Gay Claitman, including the radio play Lies My Mother Told Me, the short run comedy series Gee, That's a Cute Dress Marjene,[5] and the stage comedy revue Little Pink Lies.[6] She won two ACTRA Awards at the 8th ACTRA Awards in 1979 for Lies My Mother Told Me, for Best Radio Variety Writing with Claitman and Best Radio Variety Performance with Claitman and Robert Cameron.[7]

Following her departure from Sunday Morning in 1994, she was an occasional contributor to CBC's weekend pop culture magazine Definitely Not the Opera[8] and the CTV Television Network's newsmagazine series W5,[9] and performed on tour with the political comedy duo Double Exposure.[10]

She was one of the writers, with Bob Johnston and Jeff Hochhauser, of the musical Anne & Gilbert, based on the Lucy Maud Montgomery books Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island.[11]

Personal life

She was formerly married to the composer and keyboardist Doug Wilde.[12] Their daughters, Suzy and Maddy Wilde, are also singers, Suzy in the glam folk band StoneFox and in Flashlight Radio (with Ben Whitely), and Maddy in the indie rock band Spiral Beach.[13]

Discography

Albums
  • Civil Service Songwriter (1978)
  • Sort of Political
  • What Should I Wear to the Revolution (1982)
  • Unexpected (1983)
  • The Sunday Morning Tapes (1984)
  • Unimpeachable (1987)
  • Bimbolandia (1988)
  • Momnipotent: Songs for Weary Parents (1990, Mouton)
  • Pumping Irony (1993, CBC/Mouton)
  • Homely for the Holidays (1994)
  • Songs of the Spanish Civil War (1994)
  • Gaelic Envy and Other Torch Songs (1998, Borealis)
  • Unexpected (CD re-release 2001, Borealis)
  • Stickers on Fruit (2002, Borealis)

Compilations
  • Canoesongs, Volume One
  • Canoesongs, Volume Two
  • The World's Greatest Hockey Hits, Volume One

Bibliography
  • Topical Punch: Saucy Songs by Nancy White (Toronto 1986)

References
  1. "Nancy White". The Canadian Encyclopedia, July 29, 2007.
  2. Ray Conlogue, "Palatable pizzazz". The Globe and Mail, August 30, 1978.
  3. Sid Adilman, "Satirist Nancy White looks beyond CBC". Toronto Star, June 11, 1994.
  4. "News-singer needs a change". The Globe and Mail, February 1, 1979.
  5. Rick Groen, "Fall offerings fall short of mark". The Globe and Mail, October 13, 1979.
  6. Rick Groen, "Uneven Little Pink Lies has more downs than ups". The Globe and Mail, January 25, 1980.
  7. "List of winners". North Bay Nugget, April 5, 1979.
  8. John Laycock, "White's lyrics skewer the pompous". Montreal Gazette, May 15, 1997.
  9. Shawn Ohler, "Singer returns to topical satire". Calgary Herald, November 8, 1996.
  10. Allan Kellogg, "Master mimic Robertson thankful for his Exposure". Edmonton Journal, April 16, 1995.
  11. Doug Gallant, "New musical follows Anne". The Guardian, August 26, 1998.
  12. Damian Inwood, "Nancy White 'momnipotent': Satirist polishing her role as mother". The Province, July 16, 1991.
  13. Peter Goddard, "Singer Suzy Wilde has a voice in the family business". Toronto Star, September 19, 2012.
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