Award-Winning Songwriter Ariana Gillis Survives Brain Injury to Record THE MAZE with Producer Buddy Miller

In 2015, singer/songwriting phenom Ariana Gillis was, as they say, going places, until a chance accident sidelined her career. Winner of numerous awards in her native Canada, including the Canadian Folk Music Award, her life was devastated by a bizarre incident. Her collision with a car door caused a rare form of concussion which was not diagnosed until much later, rendering her unable to work or perform. A devastating injury can lead to the early end of a career, something Gillis had a lot of time to contemplate, but fortunately she was able to continue, ultimately.

It was a dark time, but she eventually recovered and recorded an incredible new album with her longtime fan, legendary recording artist/producer Buddy Miller (Patty Griffin, Richard Thompson). The Maze comes out June 14th, and her penetrating, beautiful songs are perfectly showcased by Miller and his crack band of Nashville musicians. Miller explained: "I have been a fan of Ariana Gillis since discovering her music on satellite radio...something rare and unseen - genuine, un-calculated, un-co-opted, art from a soulful gem."

The Maze was recorded live at Miller's studio in Nashville, after Miller witnessed Ariana perform live at the City Winery in Nashville. This is just one instance where her powerful live prowess had a impact: years earlier she converted the legendary music journalist/radio DJ Dave Marsh after performing for him live in a stairwell at Folk Alliance in Memphis. This lead to Marsh playing her second album, Forget Me Not on his Sirius/XM show, which caught the attention of one of the greatest songwriters in recent history, Bernie Taupin. Taupin stated, "Now under the wing of multi-talented Americana everyman Buddy Miller the stars are aligned and Ariana Gillis will prove through these recordings that she is no flash in the pan flavor of the month but a force to be reckoned with now and for a very long time."

Hailing from just outside Toronto, Ariana Gillis began taking singing lessons at the age of six, but she was hardly thrilled. "I was starting to sound like everybody else, which is very boring." So, her father encouraged her to write her own material and learn to play the guitar. An award-winning songwriter himself, he gave her invaluable insight into the process. Gillis made an immediate impact on the Niagara music scene, and the Canadian Folk music scene, winning Songwriter of the Year at the 2009 Niagara Music Awards, followed by Female Vocalist and Album of the Year in 2010, as well as 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award, Young Performer of the Year.

Gillis will criss-cross North America this summer in support of the new album, tour dates are below with more to confirm shortly.
Tour Dates:

MAY 11 House Concert Ottawa ON
MAY 18 Club Passim Cambridge MA
MAY 19 Askew Providence, RI
MAY 23 Hugh's Room Toronto ON
JUNE 1 House Concert Hamilton ON
JUNE 15 House Concert Powell, OH
JUNE 20 Dakota Songwriting Series Toronto ON
JUNE 28 Richard Flohil's Birthday Toronto ON
JUNE 29 Hugh's Room Toronto, ON (Record Release Party)
JULY 12 Funk 'N Waffles Syracuse, NY
JULY 13 Rockwood Music Hall New York City, NY
AUG 16-18 Summerfolk Music Fest Owen Sound, ON
AUG 24 Treehouse Cafe Bainbridge Island WA
SEPT 6 Dripping Springs City Lmts Dripping Springs, TX
SEPT 7 Concert in the Woods Fort Worth TX
SEPT 11 Blue Guitar Room Pasadena, CA
SEPT 14 House Concert Santa Ana CA
OCT 19 Caffe Lena Saratoga Springs, NY

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