With more than a decade and a half in the Canadian music scene Ken Tizzard, through his work with the Watchmen, Thornley and now his solo material, has received numerous Juno nominations, Much Music Awards, six gold and platinum records and has had music licensed to major television shows including CSI and Fashion Television. As well, Ken’s television appearances run the gamut from Breakfast Television to Bob Izumi’s Real Fishing, through to the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. From dark cabarets in northern Russia through to the Air Canada Center ken has performed in front of vast audiences in many variations sharing the stage with performers as diverse as Randy Bachman and the Toronto/Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Now with his new folky/singer-songwriter CD “Lost In Awe,” Ken plans to head back out to show people something new once again. Armed with an acoustic guitar, harmonica and his voice Ken will begin touring across Canada and the US starting in June of 2008. Produced by John Whynot (Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo, Lucinda Williams, Colin James, Change Of Heart, Loreena McKennitt, Big Wreck and Jim Cuddy) and recorded at Blue Rodeo’s Woodshed Studios in Toronto, Ontario. Lost in Awe has a natural stripped down sound that was highly important for this record. Ken Tizzard The Past: I dislike bios. The necessary evil of finding an interesting way to introduce people to your past, present and ambitious future is never easy. All indicators say that I should start with something sharp and to the point like: For more than a decade Ken Tizzard has been an active contributor to the Canadian music scene. As a teenager, Ken moved from St.John’s, Newfoundland to the metropolis of Toronto. With only his bass, whatever clothes he could stuff into his case and thirty dollars in his pocket Ken headed off to the big city to pursue a career in music. He performed on the Queen Street scene in a variety of bands in every venue from the Beaches to High Park. By day Ken worked as the photo editor for Music Express magazine. Shortly after a well-deserved break from the magazine and a five-week tour of Russia, Jake Gold approached Ken as a possible new bassist for the Watchmen. Finally getting into the flow of big city Toronto life Ken was apprehensive about moving back to a small town to start with a new band. However a weekend trip, all expenses paid, to the ‘Peg in December changed everything. Several gold and platinum albums and just over a decade later Ken finds himself between records hanging with his brother in law, Big Wreck front-man, Ian Thornley and then Edwin drummer Sekou Lumumba. At the end of a long hot summer the new friends decided to head out for a two-week fun tour that slowly evolved into Thornley. Over the next few years they made a record and tour extensively throughout Canada and the US. The band managed to headline their own shows successfully and as well gained momentum enough to tour as support for Nickelback, Three Doors Down and 3 Days Grace among others. During his time with Thornley, Ken began to look hard at what he was doing with his life. Being a new father yet still living to play music Ken struggled with the hustle of ten months a year on the road. Years go by, kids get older, friends move on. Time for a change. “After twenty years as a bass player I felt it only fitting that my first solo record highlighted the bass.” Ken Tizzard’s first solo record “Quiet Storey House…an introduction” is a collection of songs that highlight the six string bass as primary accompaniment. Ken followed up the release of this album with two tours across Canada as a soloist Ken performing in varied venues ranging from pubs to concert halls and theatres with the Toronto Symphony backing him up. Last year Ken bought a RV, which now takes his wife two daughters and him around the countryside camping, exploring and performing. While camping in the mountains last year Ken began writing a new CD. With no electricity in the woods Ken turned to his acoustic guitar and harmonica and wrote the songs that appear on “Lost In Awe.” Ken Tizzard And Now: “Lost in Awe” is a collection of 15 songs inspired by real people and events from Ken Tizzard’s Life. Conceived and written while on a summer tour in 2007 Ken found himself newly motivated by the awesome nature of the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and Montana. Produced by John Whynot (Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo, Lucinda Williams, Colin James, Change Of Heart, Loreena McKennitt, Big Wreck and Jim Cuddy) and recorded at Blue Rodeo’s Woodshed Studios in Toronto, Ontario. Lost in Awe has a natural stripped down sound that was highly important for this record. “Most of the songs were written in the dark woods at the base of great mountains. Thematically these songs deal with the age of technology that we struggle through and impress the intimacy which is sometimes lacking in out ‘virtual influenced’ world. It was important for me to deal with complex issues in a simple manner.” “Every line on this cd brings a picture or a face to mind. This is some of the most personal and reflective music I have ever been a part of.” “2 mics, 1 comp, 1 eq, 2 guitars, some harmonicas, a bunch of songs and John Whynot…” “Bob Dylan’s music has followed me for over 25 years. I wanted to have a song of his on this record and I think his influence is pretty obvious. I recorded two songs with the hopes of one turning out alright, I guess I got lucky.” “For me the road to discovering a way to have both a musical life and a family life has been at times frustrating. However I try to keep focus on the fact that this journey is really the event itself. Ken Tizzard words: “The debut from the bass player of The Watchmen has a Canadian sound in line with contemporary offerings from some of this country's music hall of famers, namely Tom Cochrane and Bruce Cockburn. This is the type of stuff you'd hear in a (pre-bylaw) smoky bar, with a harsh, heavy domestic beer in your hand, listening to a crooner sing his heart out for truck drivers and seasoned cougars.” Bill Alexander – Soundproof Magazine With a voice that oozes tenderness and angst and drips with cool, Tizzard has crafted an engaging album of thoughtful, melodic material that is moving, touching and memorable. The album is as far away from his material with Thornley as New Dayton is from New York. It's mellow, soothing, and captivating, the type of music a person would want to listen to cruising down the highway on a melancholy rainy afternoon. Relying on his voice and bass, he's crafted nine songs that showcase his varied talents. On Quiet Storey House, Tizzard emerges as a songwriter with the heart of Dylan and the soul of Mellencamp. Al Beeber - The Lethbridge Herald “His new release, Quiet Storey House...an introduction, shows him to be a fine songwriter and sculptor of sound, and possessor of a gently haunting vocal style. Two cover songs here, NICK DRAKE's : Fly," and TEARS FOR FEARS' "Mad World," reveal some of his influences, and his intelligent ambient style merits wider exposure.” Kerry Doole – Tandem (Toronto) “While he concedes not everyone understands his current bass-centric direction, his experimental project is capturing the essence which characterizes the definition of genuine artistry.” Chris McCluskey – The Coast (Halifax) “With nary a trace of his post-grunge roots showing, Tizzard fits in nicely with the current batch of singer-songwriters.” Dave Clark - Scene – London -“The next time I'm sharing dinner and a bottle of wine with my girl, I will probably slip Quiet Story House... in with Avalon, Let's Get It On, MCMXC a.d, Chet Baker Sings, and Otis – Blue.” -“… All Because of You…has that certain ambiance, a kind of unrequited love thing that works so well in the deep, dark night.” “…this is one smooooth CD. Translation: Ken Tizzard wants you to get laid, and he wants you to listen to him while you do it.” “Tizzard treats his bass guitar like a lead instrument, which adds a kind of surreal jazz effect to these obviously well-written pop songs.” Paul Wiggins – Here Magazine – Moncton