Cory ‘The Bear’ Woodward is a man who wears many hats – producer, solo artist and musical collaborator.
But no matter what role he is playing, it is a passion and fascination with music that keeps him going.
“I love the texture of sound,” said Woodward of being on both sides of the music – production and artist. He described working on the production of a song and hearing elements that would actually make him giddy.
Originally from Edmonton, Woodward made his way to Vancouver in 2005 to pursue music. He released the EP Princess of the Skies in 2007 and the full-length record The Truth in 2012.
In 2012, he formed The Lion The Bear The Fox with fellow musicians Ryan McMahon (The Fox) and Christopher Arruda (The Lion). In 2013, they released their debut EP, We’d Be Good Men, and were named a Top 20 finalist in The Peak Performance Project.
Although he is still a member of the trio, he is pursuing a solo career with an EP called Bear that will be available for his upcoming solo tour, where he will make a stop at Legacy Guitar and Coffee House. He said he recorded the five songs in five days and they are all acoustic right now, but he is planning on adding some more production down the line.
For songwriting, he said he takes ‘most inspiration from everyday life and personal experiences.’
One of the songs, he said, was inspired by a songwriter’s circle he attended at the Canadian Country Music Awards, where Woodward heard an artist perform a beautiful love song about the support of his wife.
Woodward felt a connection to that song, feeling the same way about the support of his wife. As soon as he got home, Woodward said he wrote his own song about ‘the love of this life’ and the way she has supported him in his musical pursuits.
Although Woodward said he still does love writing and performing, he has really enjoyed production, starting Little Bear Music Co. in 2013. Besides co-producing his own records, he has co-produced and mixed The Lion The Bear The Fox and worked with The Wild Romantics and Adam Briscoe.
“I always approach every song or album without knowing the final outcome,” said Woodward on his website. “The recording process is an intimate one and your comfort during the process is paramount.”
And the relationship formed during that process is something that is important to Woodward as well, calling a former producer he had worked with as an artist ‘a lifelong friend.’
You can catch Woodward performing at Legacy Guitar and Coffee House Feb. 6.
