Singer lends voice to Silent Witness

By Jennifer Hoegg

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

Audra Raulyns wants to lend her voice to women who have been silenced by their partners. The Sackville-based country singer/songwriter is touring the province in support of Silent Witness Nova Scotia, with upcoming shows in East Hants and Wolfville.

Nominated by Music Nova Scotia for Country Recording Artist of the Year for her latest CD, All That, Raulyns’ is an energetic and accomplished artist. Her stage companions on the Swing into Spring tour, The Elliotts, are musical veterans. Carl Elliott -- a recipient of the ECMA Stompin’ Tom Connors Lifetime achievement award and a Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame member -- and sons Mike and Bill are known as the “East Coast Kings of Swing.” “I consider it an honour to play with the Elliotts,” Raulyns said. “They’re patriarchs in the arts.”

A percentage of ticket and CD sales will go to Silent Witness, an organization dedicated to remembering and honouring women killed by a domestic partner. Domestic violence may be difficult to talk about, Raulyns said, but it is a subject that must be broached.

According to group provincial project coordinator Rebecca Coughlin, “Audra has been an indispensable asset to Silent Witness Nova Scotia for three years.” Raulyns performs regularly at Silent Witness’ presentations, bringing audiences to tears with her rendition of New Brunswicker Leslie Monaghan’s “I’ll Stand in the Rain.”

With this concert series, Raulyns hopes to raise awareness of the organization and assist it in adding chapters throughout the province. Raulyns is thrilled to partner with the Elliotts, with whom she first worked in the fall of 2007, on the special tour.

Local audiences can take in the talents of all four musicians at Wolfville’s Al Whittle Theatre May 31 or Hants East Rural High Theatre June 22. Tickets for the Wolfville show are available now at Moe’s Music, Windsor, and Cochrane’s Pharmasave, Wolfville. See http://www.audraraulyns.com/ for further details on the East Hants show.