Phyllis Sinclair facts for kids
Phyllis Sinclair is a talented Cree singer from Canada. She writes folk songs that often share important messages. A magazine in the UK called her "The Lady of Conviction" because of her strong beliefs. Her songs are like stories, full of vivid pictures, just like the traditional storytelling of her Cree culture. Growing up in Winnipeg's inner city, in a family that worked hard, greatly influenced her music.
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Phyllis Virginia Sinclair was born in Churchill, Manitoba. She was the oldest of three children. Her Cree grandmother and mother raised her. Phyllis loved music from a young age. She sang in church and school choirs. She also enjoyed singing and dancing at local gatherings. Often, spoons and toe-tapping were the only instruments.
Stories about Wisakedjak and her grandmother's singing sparked her imagination. They made her love storytelling. When she was 10, her family moved to Winnipeg. There, she started playing the guitar. She also began writing her own songs. To escape street life, she sang as a soloist. She often sang with her younger sister and mother. They performed at churches, gatherings, and coffee houses.
Phyllis worked as a journalist across Canada. She also worked in the commercial fishing industry in northern British Columbia. Later, she earned a Master of Business Administration degree. At the same time, she started her solo folk music career. She quickly became known for her a cappella sea shanty, North Coast Fisher Wife's Prayer. This song was featured in Canada's Penguin Eggs Magazine.
Music Career Highlights
In 2006, Phyllis Sinclair released her album Fence Posts and Stones. This album helped her music become well-known in the Canadian folk scene. Her song Hard Time Hannah from this album reached No. 1 on the National Aboriginal Top 30 Countdown.
Her second album, Fathomless Tales from Leviathan's Hole, came out in 2008. It earned her a nomination for Best Folk Acoustic album at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. An American music group, Musicians for a Cause, chose her song "The Manicure" for their campaign. This campaign aimed to raise awareness about Alzheimer's Disease. Her song was chosen from 350,000 entries worldwide.
In 2011, Phyllis won a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award. This was for Best Folk Acoustic Album for her album Dreams of the Washerwomen. CBC Radio Canada International also chose this album as a Best New Recording by a Canadian Artist. She was also nominated for Female Artist of the Year by the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards.
Phyllis Sinclair began her first international tour in Australia in 2010. After that, she had her Dreams of the Washerwomen UK Tour in 2011. She has also toured across Canada and parts of the United States.
Albums
- Fence Posts and Stones (2006)
- Fathomless Tales from Leviathan's Hole (2008)
- Dreams of the Washerwomen (2011)
- Wishlist (2013)
- Ghost Bones (2021)
- Kiyam (2024)
