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Wendy
shares her Melbourne home with her family,
three** cats, Harley,
Tunign and Abby, and Alfred
the latest addition to the family —the guard dog— all
seven of these close relatives being discerning critics
and valued advisors in matters musical and sartorial.
**
A varied career includes singing in folk clubs in the seventies, stand
up comedy in sunny Brixton (UK) in the eighties, co-writing, arranging
and performing the sound track of two award winning documentaries, co-writing
and performing corporate comedy and appearing
in the occasional dramatic piece - being a bit of a dramatic piece herself.
She is currently involved in fostering the songwriting talent in the
Northern
suburbs of Melbourne as a coordinator of the Darebin Music Feast
Songwriters Award and a co-founder of the Darebin Songwriters Guild.
This year Wendy has played at Cygnet Folk Festival, Tamar Valley Folk
Festival,
Port Fairy FRInge with her group Unsung, and Brunswick Music Festival
also with the band. She is planning a trip to Europe and the US in the
first quarter of 2009.
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The
All Of Us Project was the brain child of Michel Lawrence
in response to the Cronulla Riots. He undertook to seek out and
photograph at least one member of each naitonality that lives in
Australia. My song "All Of Us" rather coincided with his
theme and it was incorporated into the DVD of the project and to
my surprise and delight it found it's way onto Youtube. Listen up.
The message matters. We all belong here. |
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Click
this to share a Youtube moment with Unsung playing at Bar 303 on
Moy's song 'Winter Sun' |
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Have
a listen to a couple of songs at Folk Victoria, The Emerald Room,
Clifton Hill Hotel, May 2007 with Harry Williamson. Unsung played
the second part of the evening and we each had our 'me me' moments
for the first set.
Big thanks to Malcolm Turnbull for knowing the words to my song
'Walls'(!) |
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I have taken the liberty of including some responses to performances
in my
chronological ‘breakdown’ (for which I’m sure there’s
a cure).
Also here are a some very kind reviews of my new CD...
Jeb
Tyler, Down Under, Australian Hi-Fi, Sept/Oct 07
"It almost took me longer to read the 'thank-you's' on the
back of the CD than
it did to listen to Out of the Shower. Ealey's contralto
voice is a superb instrument,
her lower registers are almost tenor and so superbly earthy you
can smell the humus. At times when she sings, she sometimes seems
to 'dual pitch', with her voice briefly catching the upper octave
(or second octave!) before regaining the 'real' note, which I found
quite fascinating. It's also lucky she's singing her owns songs.
No Right Way is so fiendishly difficult I don't think it'll
every be covered. Her songwriting abilities are demonstrated by
Child of My Heart, easily the finest lyric I have heard
in
a long time, and Wendy is so obviously singing from the heart that
it will stick in your memory." |
Julia
Irwin, Northcote Leader, May 07
"When Northcote resident Wendy Ealey wrote to Grammy Award
winning US singer-songwriter Janis Ian describing herself as an
insignificant songwriter who wanted to do a version of her song
'Jesse', Ian replied saying there is "no such thing
as an insigificant songwriter". She said she was welcome to
record the song. Ealey does the song justice with her faithful rendition,
but it is some of the songs she has written herself that can move
the listener to tears or laughter. This is an intensely personal
folk roots album from a seasoned musician. Standout tracks include
the title 'Out of the Shower', an optimistic song about
gaining confidence with age, and 'Child of My Heart', about
Ealey's longing to have a child afer the biological clock passed
midnight. Ealey's 82-year old mother Mary Stentiford performs backing
vocals on one track. 'Out of the Shower' is well worth
a listen. It is available at Wendy's gigs." |
John
Williams, Trad & Now, December - January 07/08
"In the cover notes to this CD Wendy says she wrote to Janis
Ian asking permission to sing the classc song 'Jesse'.
The reply was, "Wendy, there is no such thing as a singer/songwriter
of little consequence."
After listening to this CD many times I am surprised that Wendy
thought of herself in this way as this CD is a beauty.
The review took quite a while to write as I had to keep stealing
the CD back from my wife who took a real liking to it.
Everyone I played it to also thought it was terrific. There are
thirteen tracks ten of which are written by Wendy.
Wendy can write very powerful lyrics.
Her song, "Bigger Than This"* about our government's
attitude to refugees deserves wide airplay but probably won't
make commercial radio.
That's why we have the ABC.
Another political and thought provoking track is "Riding
on Uncertainty".
Wendy also shows her abilities with many highly personal tracks.
"Cautionary Tale" shows what happens to a partner who
cheats.
"Child of my Heart" has such a sense of longing it could
easily move you to tears.
"Walls" is about a relationship break-up and getting
over it.
My favorite track is the very amusing "Dancing".
This song will sure fill the halls of Australia with willing dance
participants!
At the very least you are guaranteed a good laugh.
The title track, "She's Out of the Shower" is possibly
autobiographical.
If this is the case then Australia has gained a great singer/songwriter
who has the ability to construct meaninful lyrics and perform
them with great vocal talent.
There are many other fine tracks on this CD.
You won't be disappointed if you purchase it.
And I'll bet Janis Ian will be pleased with Wendy's cover
of 'Jesse'."
* To avoid any confusion, Bigger Than This
was not written by me, but rather by Mary Caruana, in conjunction
with Brent Parlane. I thank them for their permission to record
the song and for their contribution to the recording. Mary and
Brent both sang backing vocals, Mary's daughter Belle is that
angelic voice of youth at the end of the song, and Brent also
kindly played guitar on the track. |
| Welcome and please enjoy a browse through my resume, some
of my lyrics, and maybe even order a CD. |
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