Serena Ryder * Ryan Star * Cuff the Duke

Serena Ryder is a Canadian singer/songwriter who is from Millbrook, near Peterborough, Ontario. She performed in many venues around Ontario from the age of 18, including being showcased at the CBC Women's Blues Review 2002 at the Music Hall, Danforth Avenue, Ontario at 19. She has a "fearless" approach to performing. Her voice is mature beyond her years, with tremor and vivacity of a seasoned blues singer. Promotional CDs ('A Day at the Studio' and others) were available at some of her early performances and since then she has released three albums.

In 2004 she released her debut album Unlikely Emergency, which included the single "Just Another Day" which gained significant airplay on many Canadian radio stations. The album was released with the production help of Hawksley Workman, who contacted the CBC after hearing her perform on a local Live radio broadcast. The album was recorded at his studio and released on Workman's Isadora imprint.

Serena is currently signed to EMI Music Canada, and in late 2006, she released her major label debut featuring a collection of Canadian cover songs If Your Memory Serves You Well. This sophomore release featured three originals, including the standout single "Weak In The Knees", which was also featured on the 2007 'Women & Songs Volume 11' compilation.

Ryder soon found herself opening major concerts for the likes of Aerosmith and she won the 2008 Juno Award for "Best New Artist."

In November 2008, Serena released her third album, Is it o.k., mixing original work with a reprise of "Weak In The Knees". She was nominated for two Juno Awards for 2009 - including 'Artist of the Year' and 'Adult Alternative Album of the Year' for "Is it o.k.", which was eventually released in the USA almost a year later on Atlantic Records. Serena generated further awareness stateside with a duet with American Idol graduate Jason Castro on his debut album.


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Ryan Star (born Ryan Star Kulchinsky on January 7, 1978) in Long Island, New York is a singer/songwriter, pianist, guitarist and reality television contestant.
Ryan was just 14 years old when he formed his first band called Stage. While still in high school the band played the CBGB's and the Mercury Lounge.
As Ryan grew older he decided to become known as the solo artist R. Star, releasing "Songs From The Eye Of An Elephant".
Ryan was one of the finalists on the CBS reality television show of the second season of Rock Star in July and August of 2006. The show is a talent show type reality show in which the band Supernova is looking for a lead singer to front their band. This show's producer and the drummer of the show is Tommy Lee. On the show, Ryan showed his diverse style from melodic and moving piano to rocking the Rolling Stones.
His track "Brand New Day" is the theme song to the Fox television drama Lie to Me.

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Cuff the Duke is a Canadian band from Oshawa, Ontario, that has been active from 2001. They play a blend of traditional country and folk music with indie rock influences, and can be categorized as an alt-country group. The line-up of the band has evolved, with the consistent members thus far being Wayne Petti (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, bass) and Paul Lowman (bass, piano, backing vocals, fiddle, guitar, lap steel). Petti and Murray have also released solo albums.

Cuff the Duke’s debut Life Stories for Minimum Wage was released on Toronto-indie Three Gut Records on October 15, 2002 to rave reviews. Critics heralded their efforts as “intense” and “timeless.” Emphasis was placed on the mature aspect of the album…a surprise considering the members (all originally from Oshawa) were only 21.

July 2005 saw the sophomore release of the self-titled Cuff the Duke on Hayden’s Hardwood imprint (a first besides Hayden himself), distributed by Universal. A favourite of the fans, college radio (#2 national) and critics alike, they wowed audiences with their live show wherever they played. Early in 2006, Halifax’s Dale Murray (The Guthries) joined the band to play electric and steel guitar. With founding members Wayne Petti and Paul Lowman, the band embarked on additional extensive North American touring.

Somewhere amongst all of that, several van breakdowns included, Cuff the Duke managed to be part of an exciting, primarily instrumental band called The Hylozoists, led by producer/musician Paul Aucoin, who’s La Fin Du Monde came out spring ’06 on Boompa/EMI. 2007 saw the re-release of Cuff the Duke’s 2002 debut Life Stories for Minimum Wage, Wayne Petti’s solo debut City Lights Align, as well as the band's third full-length album, Sidelines of the City. Later releases include Way Down Here (2009) and Morning Comes (2011).

Current members:
Wayne Petti – vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, bass (2001–present)
Paul Lowman – bass, piano, backing vocals, fiddle, guitar, lap steel (2001–present)
Dale Murray – guitar, pedal steel, backing vocals (2005–present)
AJ Johnson - drums, percussion, backing vocals (2011-present)
François Turenne - Live Guitars (2009–present)

Past members:
Jeff Peers – guitar, keyboards, percussion (2001–2005)
Brad Fudge – drums, percussion (2001–2003)
Matt Faris – drums, percussion (2003–2006)
Patrick Conan – live drums, percussion (2006)
Paul Aucoin – live keyboards, percussion (2005–2006)
Steve Krecklo – lead guitar, lap steel, keyboards, organ, percussion, backing vocals (2002, for Life Stories for Minimum Wage)
Christopher Sandes – live keyboards (2007–2008)
Corey Wood – drums, percussion (2006-2010)

Official website: www.cufftheduke.ca

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