Melissa Ruth is a classically trained musician with front-porch sensibility. Growing up in rural British Columbia, she was raised on a balanced diet of borsht and Bob Dylan and was exposed to art and culture from an early age. As a child and teenager she studied classical flute and gigged locally. By age 15, Melissa added guitar to her musical practice and began writing her own songs.

In May 2005, Melissa graduated with a degree in music Performance and Education. She was also nominated for Outstanding Student of the Year in Fine Arts that same spring. While studying classical music ... (+) expand

Melissa Ruth is a classically trained musician with front-porch sensibility. Growing up in rural British Columbia, she was raised on a balanced diet of borsht and Bob Dylan and was exposed to art and culture from an early age. As a child and teenager she studied classical flute and gigged locally. By age 15, Melissa added guitar to her musical practice and began writing her own songs.

In May 2005, Melissa graduated with a degree in music Performance and Education. She was also nominated for Outstanding Student of the Year in Fine Arts that same spring. While studying classical music by day, by night Melissa was active in the folk scene of Humboldt County. She played through-out the area in a variety of settings; open mics, art shows, street corners, and coffee houses before relocating to Eugene, Oregon to teach and to pursue her budding career in music.

Ruth draws much of her inspiration from her experiences traveling and teaching. Having lived in many cities, towns and country cabins through out the Western United States and Western Canada, Ms. Ruth speckles her music with home-town observations. From her “Humboldt County sky underwater” to her “San Francisco stranger, footsteps passing by” Melissa’s music is known for its intimacy; it’s willingness to take you to those home-towns with her. As a songwriter Melissa is known for her musical versatility and lyric driven tunes. As a performer, her live shows have been described by show goers as honest and poignant. Producer Hank Alrich says of Ms. Ruth:
“I immediately found her songs fascinating. Lots of artists are putting forth 'original' material, but little of it is anywhere near this original. She has a very personal take on all of it - lyrics, melodies, accompaniment - that brings forth a truly refreshing perspective, one completely outside the 'cookie cutter' approach to which so many young artists fall prey.”

Ms. Ruth has played in cities up and down the West Coast. She has shared a stage with nationally recognized artists and has made numerous radio appearances. Of late she was featured as Women of the 90s Fresh Pic of the Day for May 7th and was a performer at the 2008 Willamette Valley Music Fest.
Melissa Ruth is often accompanied by blues and jazz guitarist Johnny Leal and plays frequently with her California-based group Melissa Ruth and the Likely Stories. She currently teaches music to young folks and is set to release her debut album Underwater and Other Places in June. (-) collapse