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{{Short description|Canadian composer and keyboarder}}
{{multiple issues|
[[File:Michelle Willis.jpg|thumb|Michelle Willis in 2016]]
{{notability|date=February 2018}}
'''Michelle Willis''' (born November 6, 1986) is a British-born, Canadian-raised singer/songwriter and keyboard player. She performs regularly as a solo artist and as a side musician with [[David Crosby]] and [[Becca Stevens]].<ref name="MW">{{cite web |url=https://www.michellewillis.ca/bio |title=About Michelle Willis |publisher=michellewillismusic.ca |accessdate= 23 January 2023}}</ref> She has also worked with [[The Stooges|Iggy & The Stooges]], [[Laura Mvula]], [[Snarky Puppy]], [[The Parachute Club]], and the [[Zac Brown Band]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/michellewillis|title=Michelle Willis Biography |publisher=All About Jazz |accessdate= 8 June 2019 }}</ref>
{{one source|date=February 2018}}
{{primary sources|date=February 2018}}
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{{More footnotes|date=January 2017}}
'''Michelle Willis''' is a Canadian singer, songwriter and keyboard player. She is a graduate of Toronto's Humber College Jazz program. She performs regularly as a solo artist and as a side musician with '''David Crosby''' and '''Becca Stevens.''' She has worked with '''Iggy & The Stooges, Laura Mvula, Snarky Puppy, Three Metre Day, Parachute Club''' and '''Zac Brown Band.''' In 2013, Willis, along with Don Rooke and Hugh Marsh were nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for their score to the film ''Still Mine.''


==Career==
A different '''Michelle Willis''' is an American composer of over 100 religious and secular pieces. Much of her work has been in arranging the works of previous composers. Among her more widely cited arrangements are "More Holiness Give Me",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tetonmusic.com/shop/c/p/More-Holiness-Give-Me-SSA-and-organ-x31999794.htm|title=More Holiness, Give Me|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Teton Music|accessdate=2017-01-21}}</ref> and "Amazing Grace".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tetonmusic.com/shop/c/p/Amazing-GraceSATB-with-piano-x31999810.htm|title=Amazing Grace|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Teton Music|accessdate=2017-01-21}}</ref> She has also written original compositions such as "The Tender Mercies of the Lord",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tetonmusic.com/shop/c/p/The-Tender-Mercies-of-the-Lord-Solo-x31999807.htm|title=The Tender Mercies of the Lord|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Teton Music|accessdate=2017-01-21}}</ref> "Three Songs",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tetonmusic.com/shop/c/p/Three-Songs-SATB-x32103359.htm|title=Three Songs (SATB)|author=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Teton Music|accessdate=2017-01-21}}</ref> and "The American Scout". Willis is also the composer of over 20 children's operas and two full-length musicals. Her most recent production is the musical comedy, ''Once Upon a Thyme'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tetonmusic.com/shop/c/p/Once-Upon-a-Thyme-x32102421.htm|title=Once Upon a Thyme|author=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Teton Music|accessdate=2017-01-21}}</ref> where she wrote the script and composed and orchestrated the musical score.
After graduating from [[Humber College]]'s Jazz program, Willis became a regular performer in [[Toronto]]'s piano bars. In 2009, Three Metre Day, a modern roots band was formed with Willis on pump organ and vocals, [[Hugh Marsh]] on violin, and Don Rooke on slide guitar. In 2012, the band recorded the album ''Coasting Notes'' and wrote the score for the film [[Still Mine]] for which Willis, Rooke, and Marsh were nominated for a [[Canadian Screen Awards|Canadian Screen Award]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/michelle-willis-mn0001301691/biography |title=Michelle Willis Artist Biography |publisher=AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group |accessdate= 8 June 2019 }}</ref> Marsh and Willis also recorded on Iggy & The Stooges final album, 2013's ''[[Ready to Die (The Stooges album)|Ready to Die]]''.<ref name="MW"/>


After building her résumé through a variety of collaborations and work as a session keyboardist and background singer, Willis signed a recording contract with [[groundUPmusic]]. Her debut solo album, ''See Us Through'' was released in Spring 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/see-us-through-mw0002933881 |title=Michelle Willis See Us Through |publisher=AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group |accessdate= 8 June 2019 }}</ref> In a very positive review of the album, Cashbox Magazine Canada's Lee Fraser commented, "The fact that it’s her debut is pretty surprising, given the fact that Michelle has toured Europe, Canada and the US, and that every show she plays in her hometown of Toronto is filled to capacity with her adoring fans."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cashboxcanada.ca/7504/michelle-willis-see-us-through |title=Michelle Willis: See Us Through |publisher=cashboxcanada.ca |date=22 April 2016 |accessdate= 8 June 2019 }}</ref>
Willis' music has been performed all over the globe including the Salt Lake Tabernacle and other notable venues. She is a graduate of Ricks College (Now Brigham Young University-Idaho) and [[Boise State University]] in choral education.<ref name=bio/>


Willis was featured along with Laura Mvula on Snarky Puppy's ''[[Family Dinner – Volume 2]]''. Among others also featured on that album were David Crosby and Becca Stevens. Producer [[Michael League]] then used himself, Willis, and Stevens to back Crosby on the Crosby-Stevens song "By the Light of Common Day" on Crosby's 2016 album ''[[Lighthouse (David Crosby album)|Lighthouse]]''. The quartet reunited as a real performing band on Crosby's 2018 ''Here If You Listen'' album, then toured for six weeks in late 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/michael-league-snarky-puppys-jazz-schooled-grassroots-visionary-michael-league-by-mike-jacobs.php?page=1 |title=Michael League: Snarky Puppy's Jazz-Schooled, Grassroots Visionary |publisher=All About Jazz |date=December 10, 2018 |accessdate= 8 June 2019 }}</ref> When speaking about "Janet", a song Willis wrote for that album, Crosby praised her as a singer:
Willis also works as a music specialist at an area charter school. She lives in [[Herriman, Utah]], where she is conductor of the Kensington Symphony Orchestra.<ref name=bio>[http://www.kensingtonorchestra.org/conductor/ "Michelle Willis"], Kensington Symphony Orchestra.</ref>

{{blockquote|Michelle Willis is... so startlingly talented, I don't even know where to start. She's probably one of the best singers I've ever heard in my life. Of all. Ever. Anybody. One of the very best, one of the top handful. I'm talking about, I live in the same world with Joni and Aretha, Bonnie, women who could sing. She's in that league. She's that good. She's an unbelievably talented singer.<ref name="youtube.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-ULEMICyB4| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/4-ULEMICyB4| archive-date=2022-03-01 | url-status=live|title=David Crosby - "Janet" Behind The Track|publisher=[[YouTube]]|date=2018-10-29|access-date=2022-03-01}}{{cbignore}}</ref>}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.michellewillis.ca Official website]
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, Michelle}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, Michelle}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Boise State University alumni]]
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Brigham Young University–Idaho alumni]]
[[Category:GroundUPmusic artists]]
[[Category:People from Herriman, Utah]]
[[Category:Canadian keyboardists]]
[[Category:Canadian women songwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Toronto]]
[[Category:Canadian women keyboardists]]
[[Category:Humber College alumni]]

Latest revision as of 11:05, 11 November 2024

Michelle Willis in 2016

Michelle Willis (born November 6, 1986) is a British-born, Canadian-raised singer/songwriter and keyboard player. She performs regularly as a solo artist and as a side musician with David Crosby and Becca Stevens.[1] She has also worked with Iggy & The Stooges, Laura Mvula, Snarky Puppy, The Parachute Club, and the Zac Brown Band.[2]

Career

[edit]

After graduating from Humber College's Jazz program, Willis became a regular performer in Toronto's piano bars. In 2009, Three Metre Day, a modern roots band was formed with Willis on pump organ and vocals, Hugh Marsh on violin, and Don Rooke on slide guitar. In 2012, the band recorded the album Coasting Notes and wrote the score for the film Still Mine for which Willis, Rooke, and Marsh were nominated for a Canadian Screen Award.[3] Marsh and Willis also recorded on Iggy & The Stooges final album, 2013's Ready to Die.[1]

After building her résumé through a variety of collaborations and work as a session keyboardist and background singer, Willis signed a recording contract with groundUPmusic. Her debut solo album, See Us Through was released in Spring 2016.[4] In a very positive review of the album, Cashbox Magazine Canada's Lee Fraser commented, "The fact that it’s her debut is pretty surprising, given the fact that Michelle has toured Europe, Canada and the US, and that every show she plays in her hometown of Toronto is filled to capacity with her adoring fans."[5]

Willis was featured along with Laura Mvula on Snarky Puppy's Family Dinner – Volume 2. Among others also featured on that album were David Crosby and Becca Stevens. Producer Michael League then used himself, Willis, and Stevens to back Crosby on the Crosby-Stevens song "By the Light of Common Day" on Crosby's 2016 album Lighthouse. The quartet reunited as a real performing band on Crosby's 2018 Here If You Listen album, then toured for six weeks in late 2018.[6] When speaking about "Janet", a song Willis wrote for that album, Crosby praised her as a singer:

Michelle Willis is... so startlingly talented, I don't even know where to start. She's probably one of the best singers I've ever heard in my life. Of all. Ever. Anybody. One of the very best, one of the top handful. I'm talking about, I live in the same world with Joni and Aretha, Bonnie, women who could sing. She's in that league. She's that good. She's an unbelievably talented singer.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "About Michelle Willis". michellewillismusic.ca. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Michelle Willis Biography". All About Jazz. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Michelle Willis Artist Biography". AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Michelle Willis See Us Through". AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Michelle Willis: See Us Through". cashboxcanada.ca. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  6. ^ "Michael League: Snarky Puppy's Jazz-Schooled, Grassroots Visionary". All About Jazz. December 10, 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  7. ^ "David Crosby - "Janet" Behind The Track". YouTube. 2018-10-29. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
[edit]
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