Little Miss Higgins
Little Miss Higgins is the stage name of Jolene Yvonne Higgins,[1] a Canadian folk and acoustic blues singer-songwriter who has performed both as a solo artist and as the lead singer of Little Miss Higgins and the Winnipeg Five.[2]
Born in Brooks, Alberta, and raised both there and in Independence, Kansas, she settled in Nokomis, Saskatchewan after meeting and marrying guitarist Foy Taylor.[3] She modeled her performance style on that of American blues singer Memphis Minnie.[4]
She independently released an EP in 2002 before releasing her full-length debut album The Cobbler Shop Sessions in 2005.[5] She followed up in 2007 with the album Junction City,[4] which was a Juno Award nominee for Blues Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2008.[6]
After separating from Taylor and moving to Winnipeg, Manitoba, she teamed up with the Western swing band The F-Holes for the 2013 album Bison Ranch Recording Sessions, which was released as Little Miss Higgins and the Winnipeg Five.[7] The album was recorded in a converted barn on bassist Patrick Leclerc's family farm.[8] Bison Ranch Recording Sessions was a Juno Award nominee for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year – Group at the Juno Awards of 2014.[9]
Her most recent album, My Home, My Heart, was released in 2017,[10] following which Higgins received a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Solo Artist of the Year at the 14th Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2018.[11]
In 2020 Higgins announced plans to cease recording music, arguing that the contemporary era of streaming music services have made recorded music no longer a viable source of income for most musicians, although she plans to continue performing live and touring.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "DEAD COW HILL". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ Cayley Dobie, "Q&A: Little Miss Higgins, singer/songwriter". Burnaby Now, August 10, 2017.
- ^ Gerry Krochak, "Miss Higgins will put on a show". Regina Leader-Post, October 27, 2005.
- ^ a b Cam Fuller, "Little Miss Higgins making name in music". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, May 10, 2007.
- ^ "Little miss who?". Nelson Daily News, May 26, 2006.
- ^ Cassandra Szklarski, "Ladies first; Music Female-heavy Juno nods led by Celine with six Avril and Feist tied with crooner Buble for five each". Telegraph-Journal, February 6, 2008.
- ^ Bill Robertson, "Jolene Higgins is simply indefatigable". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, September 12, 2013.
- ^ Christopher Tessmer, "Higgins goes against the grain with new alt-country album". Regina Leader-Post, November 7, 2013.
- ^ Rob Brown, "Juno nomination for former resident". Brooks Bulletin, February 11, 2014.
- ^ Eric Volmers, "Songs For Joe; Little Miss Higgins puts her son front and centre on latest record". Calgary Herald, October 12, 2017.
- ^ "Gunning & Cormier, Papillon up for Canadian Folk Music Awards". Halifax Chronicle-Herald, September 20, 2018.
- ^ Ashley Martin, "Little Miss Higgins resolves to thrive on live music". Regina Leader-Post, January 23, 2020.