By ROBIN CAUDELL
UPPER JAY — Meredith Luce.
You may not know her name now. But you will.
The 20-year-old singer/songwriter pens her own folk rock and alt-country tunes, which draw on an eclectic musical background ranging from classical to pop rock.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Luce got on the North Country radar two summers ago by chance. She was visiting an aunt and uncle in Old Forge when her mother, Sally, got on the Internet to see what was happening there. Sally found a link to North Country Public Radio's UpNorth Music Project and submitted a sample of her daughter's music.
"We forgot about it," Luce said. "I was contacted by them. They said we will pay you to record some songs. We recorded in Blue Mountain Lake. It was a really great opportunity."
CATCHY CHORDS
It was a freaky day. Her aunt and uncle had warned her about the weather.
"There were thunderstorms all day. We were in this big room with big vaulted ceilings. It was raining real hard, and it's a metal roof. The second we set up, the rain stopped. We recorded the songs. I stopped, and the rain started again."
Before a 2007 New England tour, Luce released her debut album, "October," which was favorably received in her hometown.
She has just released, "Neck of the Woods," which earned accolades from North Country Public Radio's recording engineer Joel Hurd, who said: "I really love it. I'm telling you, she's going to be a big star, and soon."
Luce's contemporary folk is edged like no other.
"I don't think I ever try to intentionally sound different. I think what happens with my guitar playing, it has a certain sound. My guitar playing is fairly rhythmic because I started out playing solo. You have to be your own band."
Her guitar hooks, riffs and catchy chord progressions are influenced by Metallica, pop rock and Canadian jazz.
"I never wanted to sound like someone."
When young musicians start off, they often cover and end up sounding like the original artists. Luce covered male musicians, so there was little chance she would acquire their vocal mannerisms.
"I just became me."
ELECTRIC AX
"Me" was forged by her piano and classical cello training, as well as children's musical theater and her mother's vintage Martin. When she was 12, there was the epiphanic first rock concert headlined by Treble Charger.
Now, she swings an electric ax and has played in festivals and venues across eastern Ontario, western Quebec and New England.
Luce's music has been featured by CBC Radio programs such as "Vinyl Café," "Go!," "Canada Live" and on Radio 3 podcasts. She has also performed across Canada on the CTV network and was a recent winner of an emerging-artist grant from the City of Ottawa.
The next album is always on her mind.
"I write a lot. I already have 20 songs since my last album. It took seven months to record. It took so long that by the time I was done, I was ready to write new songs."
She's the happiest in the creative mode and when she's out on the road playing venues in the states that are closer than far-flung alternatives in Toronto or Kingston.
"I enjoy playing in smaller towns."
At intimate venues in Canton and Old Forge, she finds people are very friendly. They talk with her and invite her to dinner.
"I'm so not used to that," Luce said. "It's really nice."
E-mail Robin Caudell at: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com
