Biography of Kathleen Edwards

The daughter of a diplomat, Kathleen Edwards spent most of her early life living in Seoul, South Korea, and Geneva, Switzerland. During this time, she studied classical violin from the age of five until returning to Canada in 1997. After graduating from high school, Edwards opted not to go to university but to forge ahead musically. In 2000, she teamed up with fellow Ottawa singer/songwriter Jim Bryson to release her debut EP, Building 55. During that time, she also opened for Hayden and Jane Siberry. In 2001, Edwards returned to the studio and recorded a heartfelt album similar to efforts by Stacey Earle, Gillian Welch, and Lucinda Williams. In 2002, Failer was released to a large amount of national press and international rumblings of stardom. In 2002, she also performed at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival. In early 2003, Failer met with even more critical acclaim as Zoe/Rounder made Edwards a priority, and sent her out on more extensive American and European touring. ~ Jason MacNeil