“She has a natural gift for performing, a formidable singing voice and as a songwriter and lyricist the potential to become a world class artist.” – Ron Saint-Germain (Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, etc)
Heather Valley is an Americana singer-songwriter based in Hamilton, Ontario.
Her songs describe an otherworld of lost love and longing, big skies, dusty roads, grifters, lovers and ghosts.
Her debut album, Desert Message, was named ‘Best Album of 2019’ by Hugo Vogel of altcountry.nl and the track ‘Ohio River’ was named best song. It was reviewed in the Philadelphia Inquirer, played on the CBC and hit #5 in Canada on the earshot! roots chart.
The track ‘Lovejoy’ was featured in the Props BMX documentary Go Fast: Pull Up on the life of superstar BMX rider Jimmy LeVann.
HV’s songwriting has also been praised by Alan Cross for Global News & The Edge 101.9 FM.
WILDFLOWER RADIO
Wildflower Radio is a warm and wistful collection of cover songs recorded at a haunted farmhouse in southwestern Ontario. Intended to capture the vibe of a fuzzy AM radio dream, this collection highlights Heather Valley’s gentle and thoughtful Americana style.
The first single, a duet version of “How I Got to Memphis” featuring Toronto singer Katey Morley, achieved the #5 spot on the Canadian Indie Country Countdown.
The most recent single, a cover of Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy” was reviewed by mystery author William Boyle, who said HV “really captures this song’s shaggy bummer heart.”
This collection features an all-star cast of musicians from Philadelphia, Hamilton and Toronto, including Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner of Magnolia Electric Co, Thomas McKay of Joydrop, Nimal Agalwatte of Basement Revolver, Katey Morley, Matty Simpson & Justine Fischer.
Collaborators contributed from their own studios and the album was mixed and mastered by Nimal Agalwatte at Four String Studio in Hamilton.
INFLUENCES
Jason Molina, Cat Power, Wilco, Gillian Welch, Julie Doiron
WILDFLOWER RADIO (detail)
Release date: May 17, 2021
Track Listing
If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow) – 5:23
How I Got to Memphis (Tom T. Hall) – 3:24
Goddamn Lonely Love (Jason Isbell) – 3:57
It’s a Good Life if you Don’t Weaken (The Tragically Hip) – 4:06
Make Me a Pallet on the Floor (Sam Chatmon) – 2:40
Whip Poor Will (Jason Molina) – 4:40
The Last Song (Lucero) – 5:33
Attributions
Copyright Heather Valley, 2020
Mixed and mastered by Nimal Agalwatte at Four String Studio
All vocals and acoustic guitars by Heather Valley
All steel guitars by Mike “Slo Mo” Brenner
“Emily” – upright bass by Nimal Agalwatte, electric guitar and Wurlitzer by Thomas McKay
“If It Makes You Happy” – upright bass by Nimal Agalwatte
“How I Got to Memphis” – backup vocals by Katey Morley
“The Last Song” – electric guitar by Matty Simpson and upright bass by Justine Fischer
heathervalleymusic@gmail.com / www.heathervalleymusic.com
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