Joanne Mackell is a veteran singer/songwriter with a voice that could stop a mack truck and songs that make you remember the first time you fell in love. Her passionate delivery, outstanding vocal range and commanding stage presence consistently raise the roof and rock the house.
 
 Born in Boston and raised in Montreal, this daughter of hockey legend Fleming Mackell [Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins] was signed to United Artists at age 23.
 
 Joanne's first album included musical legends Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Martha Reeves, among others. .The debut record was hailed by critics and got the attention of some of LA's heavy hitters including Bonnie Raitt who helped her put together her next recording, a demo that received airplay on LA's premier FM station at the time.
 
After several years in New York and California she returned to Toronto to release "Local Gig In Paradise". The highly praised CD is a collection of 11 original songs ranging from throaty ballads and classic country swing, to flat-out honky tonk, all textured with her r&b/soul roots.
 
Joanne Mackell and the Paradise Rangers is one of Toronto's most-respected roots/country bands. The players are Steve Briggs (guitar), Christine Bougie (guitar) Marc Pizer (drums)and John Switzer (bass). Every year the band hosts Toronto's favourite roots party -- The Jambo on Ward's Island -- a summer day of music and dancing where a few hundred fans enjoy their favourite local bands. This very popular event is produced by Joanne and celebrates its ninth anniversary this August.

 Her latest cd BRAND NEW LONESOME is a road trip across the wide map of roots music.  Traveling through full throttle honky tonk with This Better Be Good, to bluegrass on Red Yellow Blue,  some memphis style soul/blues for This Close and I'm the One, americana country on Queen of Hearts, spanish harlem soul on I Fall in Love,  tex mex crooning for Soon Come Tomorrow    sixties era dylan  with the radio friendly Sumac and finally coming home to a true Canadian lonesome road ballad  A Thousand Miles.

The record was produced and written by Joanne who called on some of Toronto's finest musicians to make these gems shine. They include the PARADISE RANGERS   [Christine Bougie, Steve Briggs, John Switzer and Marc Pizer] , part time rangers, Shelley Coopersmith and Evelyne Datl, plus Kevin Quain, Pat Carey, Howard Moore and a featured appearance by the Creaking Tree String Quartet then there's a gang of singers from far and wide. Amelia Curran, Laura Hubert, Catherine MacLellan and Linda McRae are some names you may have heard before.
  
  As a vocalist, Joanne can both get up close and personal or lean back and holler with an easiness that charms her listeners and puts them in the palm of her hand. Her songs are built up from the ground with the kind of writing that only comes with experience. All of these qualities make Joanne Mackell's new cd, BRAND NEW LONESOME, a home run. If you like lyrics that make you listen and groove that gets into your bones, JOANNE MACKELL is all that and more.