What's On! MUSIC: Jennie Bice

Her parents were involved with choirs, community theatres, artists, musicians and anything else that inspired creativity. As a result, Jennie developed a love of all forms of artistic expression, but her first love has always been her fiddle.

Jennie brings music to life with her fiddle, weaving stories and emotions with every note.

Fiddler, singer, actor, composer, educator, and recording artist Jennie Bice thrives in a wide range of musical styles, from Celtic and roots to blues, jazz, and rock. Her dynamic presence lights up every stage she graces.
Jennie’s musical journey began at age four, playing fiddle around the family piano in her art-filled London, Ontario, home. Surrounded by choirs, theatre groups, and creative energy, she developed a lifelong love of artistic expression, with the fiddle as her first passion. She honed her skills in orchestras, ensembles, and fiddle contests but found her groove playing in bands during her University of Windsor days. There, Jennie joined diverse groups spanning Celtic (Celtic Cross), folk (Dharma Bums), country rock (Lynn and the Rebels) and blues genres, including a formative stint with blues singer Thomas Buck Nasty, who ignited her love for improvisation.

While earning her B.A. in dramatic studies, Jennie performed in stock theatre, comedy groups, and touring musicals, developing a deep appreciation for stagecraft. A serendipitous trip to BC introduced her to the vibrant West Coast music scene. After a chance meeting with a guitarist at the Irish Heather pub in Vancouver, Jennie formed Celtic rock band Prydwen. When their tour brought them to Mission Folk Festival, Jennie enjoyed the community so much she decided to make Mission her home.

In Mission, Jennie has become a pillar of the arts community, serving on boards for the Mission Arts Council and Folk Festival, co-chairing the Children’s Festival, and promoting cultural initiatives. She shares her passion for music through teaching, leading workshops like her Saturday group “Jennie and the Many,” which inspired her music book, The Kitchen Fiddler – Ingredients for a Jam. This unique book blends fiddle tunes, jam session advice, and recipes from her kitchen jams. Jennie also launched “Bow by the River,” a fiddle camp in partnership with the Mission Folk Festival, where participants perform on a festival stage. She brings music to local schools, running a lunchtime fiddle club at E.S. Richards Elementary and dreaming of more such groups.

Onstage, Jennie performs with bands such as Roads Unknown, Tractorgrease Folk, and The Doolins. Her most active duo, Strong Bow & Wry with Tony Ivan O’Hara, blends roots, rock, funk, and blues with her signature fiery fiddle. The duo represented BC at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2024 and is set to record its debut album in Toronto in 2025.

Jennie continues to embrace theatre as the musical director and performer in Opening Nite Theatre’s annual pantomimes. She also runs ONTS “Theatre Camp for Kids” during the summer. Don’t miss her in Jurassic Park: The Panto, written and directed by Camille Atebe, this January! Tickets are available at openingnitetheatre.com.​

Stay tuned for Jennie’s latest projects on her Facebook page or visit her website at www.jenniebice.com.

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