Singer/Songwriter/Producer
WINNER OF 2010 USA SONGWRITING CONTEST WITH ALANNAH MYLES for "GIVE ME LOVE"
Born in London, Ontario, Nancy began pursuing her singer/songwriter career when she moved to Toronto in the early 70's. She worked briefly with Leonard Cohen in Nashville and then began performing at festivals and clubs throughout Ontario, opening concerts at Massey Hall for Chris de Burgh and J.J. Cale. She made appearances on many of the current days' TV shows, performed in the movie "Silent Partner" and eventually signed a publishing deal with Chappell Music Canada in the early 80's. Nancy was an original member of Prairie Oyster while continuing to maintain her performing act "The Nancy Simmonds Band". She left Canada in 1987 to live in Carpinteria, California for the next 16 years where she was involved in animal rescue as well as maintaining her writing and producing career. Her songs have been covered by Melissa Manchester, Ricky Van Shelton, Rosemary Butler, Alannah Myles, Christopher Ward, Joan Kennedy, Quartette, Adrian Zmed, Colleen Peterson and Veronique Believeau. She has received writing awards for the multi-million selling CD "Alannah Myles" and "Song Instead of a Kiss". In 2002 while performing at historic "Fiesta Days", she won the Santa Barbara Songwriting Contest. She is the winner of The USA Songwriting Contest 2010 along with Alannah Myles.
Between 2003 and 2004 she produced three CDs from the catalogue once known as All Breed Dog Songs and now release as Musical Tails, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Litters. There are over 120 dog breed songs available through iTunes for individual downloads.
In 2005 she co-produced the late Colleen Peterson's last CD with David Bradstreet called “Postcards From California” a collection of songs written and recorded in her studio in California with Colleen and other Canadian writers Alannah Myles, Christopher Ward, Robert Priest and Cyril Rawson.
In 2007 she and David Bradstreet produced her first release, “Debut,” on Joe Tucker Records. In 2009 she completed the 10th "Litter", or CD, for Musical Tails with all songs written, performed, engineered and mixed by Nancy.
In March 2012, “Tortilla Flats” is released on Joe Tucker Records. Songs from California including the winner of the Santa Barbara Songwriting Contest, “It’s Awfully Nice in Paradise”.
October 2012 welcomes the release of “Dark Stars”, songs from the 80’s and early 90’s produced by Terry Brown, Lou Pomanti and Nancy Simmonds.
In 2006 Nancy began to record this CD in her home studio in Nova Scotia where she lived for five years. She engineered and played guitars, mandolin, keyboards and sang vocals and background vocals. These files were sent to David Bradstreet in Toronto, ON. where he added his guitars, vocals and keyboards as well as recording live with David Woodhead, Frank Barth, and Mark Kelso.
"Tortilla Flats" is a collection of 11 songs that celebrate the years Nancy lived in California during the 80's to 2003. During that time she was also the winner of the Santa Barbara Songwriting contest and included the song, "It's Awfully Nice in Paradise" on this CD. The songs were recorded in Nipomo, Ca., Georgian Bay, Ont., Toronto, Ont. and Austin Texas. Carl Keesee on bass joined Nancy and David who performed all the instruments except for Frank Barth on mandolin on "Under Fiesta Moon" and "Tortilla Flats".
All songs were written by Nancy and published through Soap Opry Music, SOCAN.
DARK STARS
Produced by Terry Brown:
The Dance That Couldn't Be
The Look In His Eyes
Produced by Lou Pomanti:
Wild Boys Run Free
Detroit City
I Wanna Be With You
Why Don't You Move In?
Dark Stars
Produced by Nancy Simmonds:
Who's Gonna Make The First Move?
Like A Hurricane
Street Angel
POSTCARDS FROM CALIFORNIA
Featuring songs written in Carpinteria, California, between 1989 and 1994 with long time friend and writing partner, Nancy Simmonds. The album includes other visiting Canadian songwriters such as Alannah Myles, Cyril Rawson, Christopher Ward and Robert Priest.
Nancy Simmonds recorded this amazing collection of songs, which were originally intended only as song demos, on an 8-track cassette machine at her California home studio. "During the spring of 2004, David Bradstreet and I discussed the possibilities of transferring the original tracks to digital, rebuilding the songs, keeping Colleen's vocals front and center, and adding live tracks with local musicians. With the support of the family and the incredible circle of friends surrounding this project we are able to bring one last magical collection of Colleen's work to her fans. I hope everyone enjoys this CD as much as we have putting it together and bringing her perfect voice back to us one more time."
December 2022: Songwriters Nancy Simmonds and Cyril Rawson release 12 songs they created in the early 90's. Cyril produced the band tracks in Nashville with studio muscians (sorry, we have no records of who played but they were great!) and Nancy added vocals from her studio in Carpinteria, California. Just recently re-discovered, packed away on the shelves that store tapes and cds from over the years, these songs are a sweet collection of the work that represents these two writrers from Canada. Special guest writers Colleen Peterson (Broken Moon) and Alannah Myles (I'll Keep You Satisfied) shared these productive years and add to theflavor of the CD. Enjoy!
Click here to hear the song on You Tube
"BLUE OVER BLUE"
Visit Nancy Simmonds You Tube channel and Musical Tails Facebook page.
Click here to hear the CD on YouTube
Click Here to hear the CD on YouTube
Click Here to hear the CD on YouTube
Click Here to hear the CD on YouTube
