Ladies Of The Canyon

Ladies Of The Canyon

Ladies Of The Canyon are a Canadian group from Montréal, active since 2006. The band is made up of Maia Davies, Anna Ruddick and Senja Sargeant, and their songs draw on country, folk and alt-country influences, alongside harmony-led arrangements.

Background and lineup

The group begins as four friends writing and singing together in living rooms, with their early influences including The Eagles, The Band and Fleetwood Mac. The lineup includes Maia Davies on vocals, guitars, mandolin and keyboards; Senja Sargeant on vocals, guitars and mandolin; Jasmine Bleile on vocals and guitars; and Anna Ruddick on electric and upright bass and vocals. Ruddick also contributes songwriting and harmonies, while Davies handles business matters for the band.

Davies moves to Toronto to oversee the group’s music business, dealing with labels, lawyers and other industry contacts after the band records an EP in Montréal in 2009. Ruddick has a background as a professional musician and plays in a range of styles, including rock, electro, prog, classical and jazz, before becoming more closely involved with the group.

Recording and songs

The band’s debut full-length album, Haunted Woman, is released on Kindling / Warner Music Canada and produced by Colin Cripps. Cripps is already known for production work with Kathleen Edwards and Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy, and his work with Ladies Of The Canyon helps present the group’s range as songwriters and vocalists.

The album features several lead vocal turns across the group. Senja Sargeant sings lead on four songs, including the first single, “Follow Me Down,” as well as “War & Glory.” “Follow Me Down” is a pop-leaning song shaped by a difficult relationship, while “War & Glory” is darker in tone and has lyrics developed with Davies. Davies sings lead on “No Deliverance,” the title track “Haunted Woman” and the acoustic “Goodbye Gold & Blue.” “No Deliverance” is described as old-school Nashville country in the tradition of Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, while “Haunted Woman” is a war-time ballad.

Jasmine Bleile sings lead on “Every Minute” and “Lonely Town,” a song written for a 55-year-old friend and centred on finding love later in life. Bleile is also described as the most grounded member of the group. Ruddick contributes the song “Hard To Find Love,” with Bleile on lead vocals.

Performance and group dynamic

The band’s sound depends heavily on close harmony singing, with the members combining distinct voices into a layered blend. They also rework their own songs in informal versions, including Celtic-influenced and humorous private variations. On stage, the group is known for a playful dynamic among the members, while off stage Davies tends to manage the business side, Bleile acts as the voice of reason, and Sargeant and Ruddick provide much of the road-trip entertainment.