Amanda Marshall

Singer/songwriter Amanda Marshall immersed herself in music from an early age, performing in school choirs, joining the band, and teaching herself guitar. She recognized her ambition to perform professionally right away, and at seventeen the Toronto native sought out fellow Canadian musician Jeff Healey during one of his club appearances nearby. After an introduction backstage, she shared her onstage aspirations, prompting Healey to invite her to join him for an open-mic set. Her singing impressed him so deeply that he urged her to recruit musicians and begin playing regular gigs in small venues. Marshall took the suggestion, quickly building a local audience drawn by both her ability and her strikingly young age. Healey stepped in once more by securing her a slot on a forthcoming U.S. tour, which in turn attracted a record contract and yielded her self-titled debut album in 1996. The record’s gritty, soulful sound resonated strongly, especially across Canada, where it earned multiple platinum certifications. Her follow-up, Tuesday’s Child, arrived in 1999 and reflected greater involvement from Marshall in the songwriting while also including contributions from notable writers such as Eric Bazilian and Carole King.