Sherman Downey

Corner Brook, Newfoundland

www.myspace.com/shurmann

Sherman Downey was born and raised in a small town on the west coast of Newfoundland. It was from this perspective that he began writing music. There is no mistaking the fact that he writes and sings beautiful songs. There is a certain charm in his lyrics that makes even the simplest things seem poetic. His songs are often likened to those of a younger Paul Simon, full of contagious rhythm, but layered with hints of bluegrass. It’s hard to believe he fronted a St. John’s punk band who did one marathon Canadian tour and even played gigs with bands like Our Lady Peace, Treble Charger and Bucket Truck in front of thousands of people.

Sherman spent a few years traveling through South East Asia teaching English, busking in subways and writing songs. The one year of his life of which he found himself in the same city for more than 6 months was in St. John’s Newfoundland where he entered a songwriting competition hoping to win the $500 3rd prize only to win the 100 hours of recording time that was reserved for first place. Sherman pressed and released 500 copies of an album of songs under the name "PattyFingers" with a friend and as a duo they had a top 10 hit all summer long on Newfoundland radio. Record stores sold every copy of the disc and Sherman was off to Thailand again.

Sherman Downey was recently named recipient of MUSICNL’s full length recording grant for 2009 and earned a spot in the top ten for this year’s regional Canadian Radio Star National Songwriting Competition. Armed with charming melodies, toe-tapping rhythms and a story to tell, Sherman’s songs will have you singing shamelessly into a brush in front of your mirror.