Biography
Ruth Moody, a Canadian singer and songwriter possessing a crystalline soprano voice, also functions as a multi-instrumentalist on piano, accordion, bodhran, banjo, and guitar. She previously served as lead vocalist for the progressive Canadian roots ensemble Scruj MacDuhk and helped establish the folk trio the Wailin' Jennys. Her recording and performance credits extend across dozens of projects, encompassing appearances on releases by Mark Knopfler, Aiofe O'Donovan, Allison Russell, and Rodney Crowell, among additional artists. In 2010 her debut solo album, The Garden, came out via Red House. After the Wailin' Jennys earned a Juno for Bright Morning Stars in 2011, Moody issued her follow-up Red House album, These Wilder Things, during 2013. She then paused her career for a decade once tours alongside Mark Knopfler concluded.
Born in Australia to master musician mother Marcelline and English teacher father Charles, Moody moved with her family to Canada at age one; there she and her three siblings—including older brother and musician Richard Moody (of the Bills), older sister Jane, and younger sister Rachel—grew up on a goat farm. Classical piano studies began for her at four, setting her apart from siblings who leaned earlier toward stringed instruments. Mid-1990s enrollment in English and French literature courses reflected an initial plan to teach, yet three years afterward she shifted decisively toward folk music as a profession.
Her earliest substantial performance arrived in 1997 upon winning an audition for lead vocalist duties in progressive roots group Scruj MacDuhk. The ensemble delivered two Juno-nominated albums between 1997 and 1999—Live at the West End Cultural Centre and The Road to Canso—before disbanding in 2001. Moody subsequently concentrated on songwriting while incorporating guitar into her instrumental range and self-released the Blue Muse EP in 2002.
That same year she joined mezzo soprano singer and songwriter Nicky Mehta along with alto Cara Luft to create the cooperative progressive vocal folk trio the Wailin' Jennys, which put out its self-released, self-titled debut EP. Their 2004 breakthrough album 40 Days secured the 2005 Juno for "Roots & Traditional Album of the Year by a Group," after which Luft departed to resume solo work. Toronto-based singer, songwriter, and producer Anna Chvostek contributed to their next release, 2006's Firecracker, which reached the top of the bluegrass charts. In 2007 formally trained alto jazz vocalist and upright bassist Heather Masse (New England Conservatory of Music) joined as the trio's third permanent member. Occasional appearances on the radio program Prairie Home Companion followed, with Masse becoming a regular, and the group's third album—their first on Red House—Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House surfaced in 2009, the same year Masse issued her initial solo effort, Bird Song. Moody's first solo album, The Garden, arrived on Red House in 2010 and garnered positive international notices. The Wailin' Jennys then released Bright Morning Stars in 2011; afterward the members turned to individual solo and session projects following North American and European tours.
Moody's association with guitarist and songwriter Mark Knopfler began when he guested on her 2013 album These Wilder Things, which, like its predecessor, drew enthusiastic responses from listeners and reviewers. She also joined him on Privateering (2012) and Tracker (2015). Tours in support exposed Moody to worldwide audiences through both opening sets and guest spots within his band. After those dates she elected to step back while still composing.
The Wailin' Jennys returned in 2017 with the covers collection Fifteen. Captured across five days, the album topped both the Bluegrass and Heatseekers charts and reached number ten on the folk albums chart. Moody additionally supplied the song "One Voice" to Brian May and Kerry Ellis's Golden Days that year. Post North American and European tours the trio—whose members now lived in three separate North American locales—entered hiatus to allow solo pursuits. Moody devoted time to family, alternating between residences on Vancouver Island and in Nashville, Tennessee. Over ensuing years she contributed to recordings by Rose Cousins, Anthony Da Costa, Crowell, and Russell.
She reemerged in 2024 via Wanderer on her own Blue Muse Records imprint. The collection gathered material written across the prior decade. Co-produced with Dan Knobler and featuring an all-star lineup of vocalists and musicians (among them National Steel resonator guitarist Joey Landreth), the album was mixed by Tucker Martine.
Born in Australia to master musician mother Marcelline and English teacher father Charles, Moody moved with her family to Canada at age one; there she and her three siblings—including older brother and musician Richard Moody (of the Bills), older sister Jane, and younger sister Rachel—grew up on a goat farm. Classical piano studies began for her at four, setting her apart from siblings who leaned earlier toward stringed instruments. Mid-1990s enrollment in English and French literature courses reflected an initial plan to teach, yet three years afterward she shifted decisively toward folk music as a profession.
Her earliest substantial performance arrived in 1997 upon winning an audition for lead vocalist duties in progressive roots group Scruj MacDuhk. The ensemble delivered two Juno-nominated albums between 1997 and 1999—Live at the West End Cultural Centre and The Road to Canso—before disbanding in 2001. Moody subsequently concentrated on songwriting while incorporating guitar into her instrumental range and self-released the Blue Muse EP in 2002.
That same year she joined mezzo soprano singer and songwriter Nicky Mehta along with alto Cara Luft to create the cooperative progressive vocal folk trio the Wailin' Jennys, which put out its self-released, self-titled debut EP. Their 2004 breakthrough album 40 Days secured the 2005 Juno for "Roots & Traditional Album of the Year by a Group," after which Luft departed to resume solo work. Toronto-based singer, songwriter, and producer Anna Chvostek contributed to their next release, 2006's Firecracker, which reached the top of the bluegrass charts. In 2007 formally trained alto jazz vocalist and upright bassist Heather Masse (New England Conservatory of Music) joined as the trio's third permanent member. Occasional appearances on the radio program Prairie Home Companion followed, with Masse becoming a regular, and the group's third album—their first on Red House—Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House surfaced in 2009, the same year Masse issued her initial solo effort, Bird Song. Moody's first solo album, The Garden, arrived on Red House in 2010 and garnered positive international notices. The Wailin' Jennys then released Bright Morning Stars in 2011; afterward the members turned to individual solo and session projects following North American and European tours.
Moody's association with guitarist and songwriter Mark Knopfler began when he guested on her 2013 album These Wilder Things, which, like its predecessor, drew enthusiastic responses from listeners and reviewers. She also joined him on Privateering (2012) and Tracker (2015). Tours in support exposed Moody to worldwide audiences through both opening sets and guest spots within his band. After those dates she elected to step back while still composing.
The Wailin' Jennys returned in 2017 with the covers collection Fifteen. Captured across five days, the album topped both the Bluegrass and Heatseekers charts and reached number ten on the folk albums chart. Moody additionally supplied the song "One Voice" to Brian May and Kerry Ellis's Golden Days that year. Post North American and European tours the trio—whose members now lived in three separate North American locales—entered hiatus to allow solo pursuits. Moody devoted time to family, alternating between residences on Vancouver Island and in Nashville, Tennessee. Over ensuing years she contributed to recordings by Rose Cousins, Anthony Da Costa, Crowell, and Russell.
She reemerged in 2024 via Wanderer on her own Blue Muse Records imprint. The collection gathered material written across the prior decade. Co-produced with Dan Knobler and featuring an all-star lineup of vocalists and musicians (among them National Steel resonator guitarist Joey Landreth), the album was mixed by Tucker Martine.
Albums
Singles
