Nussey home for the holidays

BY HEATHER CAMPBELL

Lively’s Angie Nussey is coming home for the holidays with a very special gift, her new CD, Little Tragedies.  Now residing in Toronto, she is holding a launch in Lively with family, friends and her home community on Dec. 22.

Her connection to the community remains strong with her mother and sister still living in the community.

“My family and friends have done a lot of work towards organizing this event,” said Nussey from her home in Toronto. 

Family and friends have been her inspiration along the way, always calling at just the right time when she was feeling discouraged. 

“Someone would call and get me back on track.”

Her music career began at age seven taking piano lessons and then playing the saxophone with the Lively High School Band. Yet she quit it all to pursue a career in medicine. She completed three years at Laurentian University but the music kept calling. She had written 100 original songs before ever performing.  “Music provides a way to unleash what’s inside,” she explained. 

She hadn’t really fathomed music as a career path and now there is no other way.

Her bio describes her as having “an honesty and love for performance that makes her stand out.” She has been described as “Jewel on Whiskey.” Nussey has a very soft side mixed with an outrageous sense of humor and her voice ranges from powerful, emotional melodies, to soft, almost whispering sounds.  She is a unique singer/songwriter with a motto “that she wakes up happy and goes to bed happy” and she affirms music makes her happy.

She is talented and determined with several special recognitions accumulated, including Female Performer of the Year two years running at the Toronto Independent Music Awards and Best Song in 2006.

This past October she had the opportunity to take her music to Harare, Zimbabwe on a visit with her best friend from school. 

“She asked me to play for a small backyard party but it turned into a huge event with 300 people attending,” said Nussey. 

They were raising money for HIV/AIDS efforts. It was the beginning of taking her music internationally. She is looking forward to returning in April with her band to perform at the Harare International Festival of Arts.

This CD Launch is special to Nussey because it is a pay it forward as he is donating a portion of the proceeds to the YWCA.  She credits the YWCA staff for helping her pursue music as a career.  “They asked me to write and record a song for them.  While I was recording the song, I thought why not record nine more while I’m in the studio.”  She called it, “Here’s my Demo” and has never looked back.

Special guests joining her for the CD Launch are Super Stack and Ben Sures. The fundraiser and launch will be held on Saturday, December 22, at the TM Davies Community Centre, 325 Anderson Dr., Walden.  Tickets are only available at the door for $10 and doors open at 7:45 pm.