Heather Bishop |
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"Before now, my music was empowerment of people" - Heather Bishop Often thought of as a singer of children's music, Canada's own Heather Bishop is truly multidimensional. From Folk to Blues to songs celebrating her spirituality, Heather Bishop has proven she's an artist of substance. Bishop draws large crowds wherever she performs, whether it's a venue crammed full of kids or an auditorium packed with adult Blues fans. Originally from the Canadian prairies, she's been performing for over twenty three years, and has she has released 7 adult albums and 3 albums of children's music on her own Mother Of Pearl label. "My children's work is now probably close to half of the music that I do." she says. Considering the fact that she's a lesbian and performs for children, Bishop has seen homophobia and bigotry on occasion but rarely has a problem getting booked for children's concerts because of her sexual preference. In fact, Bishop is a highly respected entertainer and very successful in the children's genre, and has been blazing trails for other gay entertainers from the very beginning. "I came out 22 years ago, and it did cost me," says Bishop. "But things have changed over the years. Because of me and others like me, K.D. Lang was able to come out. But I am still seen as a threat. My music has always been about getting rid of the cage, knocking down the bars. Some of our out lesbians have been co-opted by the mainstream, and seem to be wanting to be inside the cage. It is so important to remember what they're singing - does it nourish my spirit?" Nourishing the spirit is a theme that Bishop is eagerly exploring these days. "Before now, my music was empowerment of people," says Bishop. "Now I feel that music needs to nourish people. People are looking for that which will feed their spirit. If I can be a bridge for that, then I will have done my job." Her music has always been uplifting, compassionate, and sometimes quirky. It's music that touches your heart and moves your soul. "The spiritual longing of people is palpable," she says, "The point is to get back to the 'essence' - whatever you call it - God, Goddess, Mother Earth, Divine Oneness - that spark of pure magic that lives in you. That's not always easy. But it is a journey of our own heart, finding the courage to live from the pure heart, and to talk about what is sacred in our lives." Her inspiration, she says, comes from growing up in western Canada. "I'm absolutely a westerner, a true prairie gal," she laughs. "I've seen a lot of the world, but my soul gets fed on the prairie and under the prairie sky. When you abandon the source of your inspiration you're in trouble. I never wanted to tempt the fates. I have to nourish my heart to write from the heart." Her trophies include a Parents' Choice Gold award and a NAPPA Gold award. She's continually striving to keep her work interesting, not only for herself, but for her many fans. With her talent, and down to earth attitude, it's very likely that we'll all see a lot more accolades for Heather Bishop in the future. Canadian fans catch catch Heather Bishop when she returns to Toronto this fall. Bishop performs on Saturday October 2 (8pm) at Trinity-St. Paul's Church (427 Bloor Street West) in downtown Toronto. Tickets are $17 (advance) and $20 (at the door). They are available in Toronto at Wonder Works Bookstore (79A Harbord St.) and in Waterloo at Words Worth Books (100 King St. South). Phone orders tickets (using Visa or Mastercard) may be obtained by calling The Elora Festival Box Office: 519-846-0331. Not only might she make you laugh, she just might touch your soul.
Find out about the author of this biography by viewing Derek M's biography page. |
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