A musician who is no stranger to Orillia will be back in town in a few days, and it might be the last chance for fans to see her here.
Liona Boyd might soon put away the guitar.
“It could very well be my last time (performing in Orillia),” she told OrilliaMatters. “If I do another tour, it will probably be a farewell tour across Canada, but this will probably be my farewell to Orillia.”
The classical guitarist released her first album, The Guitar, in 1974. She went on to release 27 more over the years, her latest being last year’s No Remedy for Love.
Getting to this point in her career hasn’t been easy. After decades of writing, recording and performing, she was diagnosed with focal dystonia in 2009. It’s a neurological disorder that targets muscles in specific parts of the body.
It forced Boyd to alter her playing style. It didn’t seem like it at the time, but it turned out to be somewhat of a blessing in disguise, she feels.
“I think it was the best thing that happened. I would have never written (the album) Seven Journeys, which is more simplified guitar,” she said. “At the time, I was devastated. I quit playing for six years.”
The diagnosis “opened up this whole new career for me called singing and songwriting,” she said.
Prior to the diagnosis, she was an instrumentalist. She has since added singing to the mix. It was a big change for Boyd, but she’s always been up for a challenge.
The challenge that might take her off the road is writing.
“I love writing and I might make a switch,” she said.
It’s not entirely new to Boyd, who, in 1988, released In My Own Key: My Life in Love and Music. Last year, she released her second memoir, No Remedy for Love, along with the album of the same name.
For now, though, she is keeping her focus on the music.
“I enjoy performing. I’m a storyteller. I enjoy the audience response,” she said.
And she is thankful her style of music still resonates with audiences.
“I put a lot of soul and romanticism in my music, which doesn’t happen a lot in music today,” she said. “I want to take people to a different place. Classical guitar has a magic to it. You get drawn into the music.”
Boyd will perform Nov. 6 at the Orillia Opera House. To purchase tickets, visit the box office, call 705-326-8011 or check out the opera house website.
For more information on Boyd, click here.
