Patricia Morrison

Patricia Morrison's bachelor's degree is in Peace and Global Studies, and although her songs reflect a care for the problems of the world, what really shine through are the details and the individual stories, whether she is writing a love song or the story of a teenage mother. Morrison says, "Writing, singing and art have always been ways of grounding myself, of creating something tangible and beautiful in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. They are how I speak when I don't know how, whether that is across cultural divides or to my own family."

She has a classical musical background, with years of choir and voice lessons and one year of music school. Evident in her melodies is that love of silky, sometimes soaring musical lines. "I am a sucker for a beautiful piece of music. It pins me to my chair. I admit to wanting to be a part of bringing more of that into the world, although I have strayed from the classical genre," Morrison says. Influenced by folk, blues, gospel, pop, Latin and classical music, her style varies from relaxed to intense, but whispers more often than it yells, with her guitar undulating gently in the background.