Amy Sky

Amy Sky, singer-songwriter, record producer, actress, television host (born 24 Sep 1960 in Toronto, ON), B MUS (Toronto) 1982. Amy Sky studied piano from age four, and later studied music theory and composition at the University of Toronto. After working as a backup singer for Ronnie Hawkins for six months 1982-3, she worked as a staff songwriter for MCA Nashville 1983-6 and for Warner/Chappell Music and EMI Music in Los Angeles 1986-93. She has written songs for Anne Murray ("Let There be Love"), Natalie MacMaster ("In My Hands"), and Roch Voisine ("Deliver Me"), and for such major US, British and Australian artists as Belinda Carlisle ("Deep Deep Ocean"); Sheena Easton; Heart ("Cherry Blossom Road" and "Voodoo Doll"); Cyndi Lauper; Melissa Manchester; Reba McEntire ("If Only" and "Just a Little Love"); Aaron Neville; Olivia Newton-John; Diana Ross ("Stranger in Paradise," with John Capek); Jennifer Rush ("Wings of Desire"); and Steve Wariner ("When We're Together").

While in Los Angeles, Sky married Marc Jordan. They returned to Toronto in 1993, and in 1994-5 launched the Canadian bimonthly songwriter showcase series "Bluebird North." Sky emerged as a solo artist in 1996, performing in the major role of Mrs. Johnstone in the Toronto production of the musical Blood Brothers (with David Cassidy and Michael Burgess) and releasing her first album, Cool Rain (1996).

Cool Rain included the 1996-7 Canadian adult contemporary (AC) hit singles "Don't Leave Me Alone" (No. 7); "I Will Take Care of You" (No. 4); "'Til You Love Somebody" (No. 4); and "If My Heart Had Wings" (No. 8). The album contributed to Juno award nominations for songwriter of the year and best new artist. Sky followed this success with Burnt by the Sun (1998), which included the 1998-9 Canadian AC hit singles "Love, Pain, and the Whole Damn Thing" (No. 6 AC, and a Canadian Top 40 hit at No. 23); "Waterfall"; "Heaven (Opened Up Its Doors)"; and "Ordinary Miracles," and resulted in a Juno nomination for songwriter of the year. Those first two albums resulted in three SOCAN songwriting awards.

Amy Sky's 2001 album Phenomenal Woman included the single of the same name (on the poem by Maya Angelou), and "I Believe In Us." With This Kiss (2003), a collection of romantic songs, included the single "Everything Love Is" (performed with Jordan). She also released the 2005 single "Let It Shine," and in 2006 EMI released Life Lessons: The Best of Amy Sky. Sky has also been nominated for East Coast Music Awards, West Coast Music Awards, a Canadian Independent Music Award (2004), and an International Songwriters' Award (2007). In 2007, Sky won the Canadian Smooth Jazz Award for best composition. For her work in the area of artists' rights, she won the Canadian Recording Industry Association's Applause Award.

She has also performed on songs by Roch Voisine, Marc Jordan, Bruce Guthro, and others. She hosted three seasons of parenting shows on Rogers TV, including "Enfagrow: The Toddler Years with Amy Sky."

From 2005 to 2007, Sky wrote and produced songs for three of Olivia Newton-John's studio albums. In addition, Sky in 2008 was executive producer for A Celebration In Song: Olivia Newton-John and Friends.