ICori Brewster was born and raised in Banff, the Rocky Mountain resort town in Alberta, where the Brewster family has resided for over 120 years. She began singing with her mom and sisters on Rocky Mountain trail rides. Like all young women do, Cori left home to experience life outside this small town, carrying with her that profound `sense of place’ wherever she went.
Brewster entered Red Deer College to study Physical Education but after graduating from University of Alberta, with a Bachelor of Physical Education, the pull of music was tugging at her soul. Cori moved to Winnipeg to begin her journey, recording her first singles that began her foray into country music. Several of Cori’s singles achieved chart topping success.
In 1994, Cori hit the ground running with the release of `One More Mountain’. Peter North of the Edmonton Sun attests that “If anyone can relate to the classic country song Blue Canadian Rockies it’s Cori Brewster. The singer/songwriter, who was raised on the songs of country pioneers like Wilf Carter and Hank Snow, grew up in Banff listening to songs like Blue Canadian Rockies… In fairly short order the determined and talented artist released her first full-length CD. One More Mountain is a solid collection of originals”.
With appearances at the Calgary Stampede, The Tommy Hunter Show, Merritt Country Festival, Whistler Roots Festival and many hours on the road, `One More Mountain’ was a hit. With a successful tour of Germany, an official showcase at SXSW and a nomination for female artist of the year by the Alberta Recording Industry recognition as a singer songwriter solidified. The response for her video’s, `Spin on a Red Brick Floor’ and `Good as Gone’ was great, both achieved high rotation on CMT and Country Beat. Cori’s commitment to the music industry was cemented.
In 1998, Cori released her 2nd CD, `Stones’ to wonderful response. Vancouver’s `Xtra West’ magazine reported that `Stones’ “is a collection of fresh and captivating songs by an authentic contemporary Canadian voice”. RoseAnna Schick of Connect magazine in Winnipeg declared that “Cori is a talented singer-songwriter with country roots and a folk/bluegrass sound…`Stones’ is an album full of feeling and integrity”.
Cori hit the road with Maria Dunn and Jennifer Gibson as the Sonic Sisters touring throughout Ontario and organized a book store tour across the country until the promotion of her second release was cut short by the birth of her son, River in October 1998. Never one to let the grass grow too long under her feet, Brewster says that “After the birth of my son we ventured to New Zealand where I toured with a local songwriter and I then had the wonderful experience of being a music supervisor for a documentary on Alberta cowgirls, called Pretty Ladies, Fast Horses. We have been lucky to have one of our songs on the television series, Dawson Creek and we are starting to have songs recorded by other artists, which is wonderful”.
Cori’s 3rd CD, `Large Bird Leaving’ was released in 2007. Maverick Magazine in the UK confirms that “Cori is a musical treasure and her CD is captivating and impeccably produced… has you immediately reaching for the repeat button”. `Large Bird Leaving’ was selected as Top Canadian Album at #7 on Folkdj-playlists for July 2007. Cori toured extensively in Alberta playing all Alberta’s major folk clubs and making inroads into rural concert series. Jope Langejans from the Forestburg Concert Series reported that “Cori touched my heart and soul with her music and her dedication to what is real in the world”.
`Buffalo Street’ Cori’s 4th CD reflect her continuing commitment to the craft of songwriting and attention to detail that so effectively evokes a time, a sense of place, a character and of course a range of emotion. `Buffalo Street’ is a collection of beautiful stories inspired by the rich history of the Canadian Rockies and its people. Songs cover a diverse range of subjects and characters from the personal to the historical and from the genealogical to geographical.
Buffalo Street has earned considerable acclaim for the veteran roots artist, with some critics and broadcasters suggesting she found her true calling with the colourful collection of tales. It was named one of the Fab Five albums of 2009 by CKUA’s David Ward and earned a 4 ½ out of 5 star rating from the UK’s Maverick magazine. CFMU’s Jim Marino called it “(so far) the best of 09. … a winner from beginning to end.” Buffalo Street was the #1 Canadian album at US folk radio last July, while the song “Trono” was the top Canadian song. The song “My Familiar Sky,” meanwhile, won third place in the Calgary Folk Festival Songwriting Contest Songs of Alberta category. Herizons wrote of Brewster, “Give this woman an Order of Canada for telling us about what Banff was before it became just another tourist Mecca”
Cori was named the honorary chair of Canmore’s Artspeak Festival, is currently on the board of directors of the Alberta Music Industry Association, recently completed her first cross Canada tour and coaches her son’s soccer and volleyball team.
