In her forties before making the jump to singing in front of an audience, Wendy Lynn Snider has certainly been making up for lost time in the last few years, playing a steady stream of gigs with her band. An upcoming stop will find her at Maryhill’s Commercial Tavern on January 27.
She and her band will be playing a mix of classic country, new country and gospel tunes.
Although she’d always sung at parties and family gatherings, it wasn’t until her new husband, Curtt Snider, came along that she was encouraged to get out on stage. In fairly quick fashion, her long-dormant musical aspirations got some new life.
The Sniders wrote a number of songs together, including “Online Flower,” which appeared on her first CD, Life is Good, recorded in Nashville. She began performing again to support the album, touring all over Ontario and doing guest appearances with other musical acts such as St. Catharines’ Toasted Western Band.
It wasn’t until 2010 that she re-connected with high school friend and longtime music industry professional Michael Peters that she moved to the next stage of her musical resurgence.
Peters brought in industry veteran Thomas Wade to produce a new self-titled album for Snider that features a blend of traditional, new country, and country gospel songs. The CD also features CCMA award-winning players Shane Guse on fiddle, Doug Johnson on steel and Wade on guitars.
Today, the Wendy Lynn Snider Band – 2012 Niagara Music Award’s “Country Band of the Year” – consists of Steve Fortin on lead guitar/vocals (Toasted Western Swing Band, Walter Ostenak Band), Peter Sisk on bass/vocals (from the Good Brothers), Murad Gundaz on drums and Albert Fortney on steel.
“I’ve come a long way in a very short period of time,” said Snider on the line from St. Catharines. “We’re always very busy these days.”
In addition to her own band, Snider also performs with musicians/recording artists Steve Fortin, Colin Amey and Wade, among others.
She’s also part of the Toasted Western Swing Band (which also features Grammy winner Walter Ostenak, Steve Kostyk and Fortin), The Tribute To The Nashville Stars Band and Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band.
Busy may be something of an understatement given that she’s still doing her day job.
“We do it because we love it – it’s a passion and dream, and I’m very grateful that we got a chance to do it.”
A lifelong fan of country music – her father Leonard entertained at the local pubs back home in Temagami and favoured the songs of Johnny Cash – she’s partial to performing some of the classics, but includes new country and some classic rock in the mix
“I just love singing.”
For her third album, now in the works, she’ll be focusing on country gospel songs, so some of those may make it into the set list next weekend.
“We’re going to do a lot of the classic country stuff, some stuff off of the album, and probably a few new country songs just to show what we can do,” she laughed.
It promises to be a high-energy show, with plenty of toe-tapping tunes, Snider added.
“It’s all the stuff close to my heart that we really enjoy doing.”
The Wendy Lynn Snider Band takes to the stage at the Commercial Tavern January 27 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10, available the day of the show at the venue, 1303 Maryhill Rd., or by calling 519-648-3644. For more information, visit www.commercialtavern.ca.
