Spotlight on... with Janne GuitarGirl

Born in England, local singer-songwriter Shirley Ryder briefly moved to Cyprus before emigrating to New Zealand at the age of nine and has remained here ever since.

Shirley learned to play the piano while very young, and coming from a music-loving family, (her uncle wrote a hit on British pop charts) she co-wrote her first song with her cousin at age 12. Joining her first band in Palmerston North aged 24, she then went on to play keys in various covers bands before forming her own band to play her own music, recording a song two years later at Phoenix Recording Studios in Wellington.

'Shirley Ryder and Friends' became 'The Shirleybyrds' and that was when I first saw Shirley, when she performed her original song 'Circles' at the Tauranga Acoustic Music Club, backed by Graeme Hardaker.

They put out an album with Tim Armstrong Studios and songs 'Leia' and 'Circles' were recorded as music videos by Shane Davies at Soundtree Studios. She also performs with 'Electric Universe', and party covers band 'Celsius'.

Shirley shared the stage with Shane Hales, and appeared on his show 'Face TV, Rockin' The Planet'. Thrilled to hear her music played on radio stations, Shirley has continued to write more originals. Her song 'Lady Blue' was released in 2016 followed by 'The Reaper' and other songs from a current project on Facebook, the 'Lucy Star Visual Concept Album' by Soundtree Productions.

Shirley is looking forward to performing some favourite covers and some original songs on Sunday, September 24 at 'The Matua' from 3-6pm.