Loreena McKennitt Biography
17 February 1957, Morden, Manitoba, Canada. Celtic harpist, keyboard player and singer Loreena McKennitt rose to prominence in her native Canada in the mid-80s with a series of independently released albums. The daughter of a livestock dealer, McKennitt's earliest ambition was to become a veterinary surgeon, though she abandoned her studies in Winnipeg soon after she discovered Celtic music. In 1981, McKennitt moved to Stratford, Ontario, where she became involved with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. During this period she also wrote for and appeared in several movies financed by the National Film Board Of Canada. While busking in Toronto, she recorded three cassette-only albums which were sold independently on her own Quinlan Road label - an independence of spirit which can still be seen in the fact that, despite her worldwide success, she continues to be self-managed. Elemental (1985) included readings of W.B. Yeats and William Blake poems, plus beautifully performed versions of traditional material such as "She Moved Through The Fair" and "Carrickfergus". To Drive The Cold Winter Away (1987) and Parallel Dreams (1989) explored Celtic influences in addition to the music of America's indigenous peoples.
A major label distribution deal was signed with Warner Brothers Records who saw the commercial potential of her work, despite the fact that a lot of her lyrics were taken from classical poetry and drama. 1991's The Visit introduced elements of Middle Eastern music and was compared with the music of Kate Bush and Enya. The album went on to achieve double platinum status in Canada and won the 1992 Juno Award for Best Roots And Traditional Album. This success was repeated by the follow-up, The Mask And Mirror, which continued her exploration of world religion, a theme also tackled in her "traveller's diary" which accompanied the release. Songs such as "The Mystic's Dream" attempted to meld the links between Judaic, Celtic and Christian mysticism. The elegant Palau De La Música Catalona in Barcelona, Spain, was chosen as one of the venues to promote the album. The 1997 release The Book Of Secrets explored the music and religion of eastern Europe and Italy. It was promoted by a tour of western Europe and North America, with highlights captured on the attendant 2-CD set, Live In Paris And Toronto. While the latter album was being mixed McKennitt's fiancé was killed in a tragic sailing accident. She all but retired from music at the start of the new millennium, but gradually worked her way back with a number of guest appearances and live shows. She received the Order of Canada in 2003.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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