Biography

It is as if the wind calling down the lake in Fort Qu’Appelle Saskatchewan inspired Deborah as a child.

Born in Regina, she lived her early years in Fort San where her father was a doctor at the sanitarium. She grew up with the generosity and inclusiveness of the Aboriginal people in the area. There was always plenty of adventure to be found in the woods and hills of the Qu’Appelle valley.

Now a long time Manitoba resident, Deborah makes her home with her partner of 25 years in Sandy Hook Manitoba. The prairie themes of her music remain, with a good dose of Interlake beauty. Perhaps it is her variety of life experience that makes her music so accessible and meaningful. Having lost her mother at eight, Deborah began to write poetry as an outlet to heal. As she became older, these poems became songs as she developed her skill at the piano and on guitar.

Teaching has always been a passion for Deborah and she spent thirty years teaching high school Biology, Physical Education and Sciences in Winnipeg. At the same time, Deborah trained as a massage therapist in San Diego, California and became a leader in massage and body work in Winnipeg. Recognized as a woman of distinction in Health and Wellness in 2009, her work with cancer patients and their families is continuing today. Deborah continues to teach students in massage therapy at the Massage Therapy College of Manitoba.

Where does the music come from? Deborah began composing songs for other artists to perform in the 1980’s. Her classic “Nothing Like The Freedom” has been performed world wide and perhaps through the whole universe! Taken into space by Roberta Bondar, “Nothing Like The Freedom” was played as the space shuttle orbited the prairies. Inspired by the women’s music movement and such artists as Heather Bishop, Connie Kaldor, Chris Williamson, Holly Near and Jennifer Berezan, Deborah has kept the best of women’s music in the folk tradition with a healthy dose of humor and political clout.

Deborah’s recording projects offer a glimpse into the time line of her own life and the women’s movement as her music evolved. An early release on vinyl was funded by the SDB’s, a group of forward thinking women who wanted to fund women artists who had not been previously recorded. “Prairie Spirits” was released in the late 1980’s and offered Karen Howe, Barb Spence and Deborah a first chance in the studio with some of Manitoba’s best. From there, Deborah went on to record her most successful project to date, “Distance In Her Eyes”. Already in its third pressing this engaging project takes the listener on a trip through the gifts of prairie life. Her haunting song “Her Garden” was used in the NFB release “Sandra’s Garden” and established Deborah as a writer for film. “Diamonds In Her Hands” was released two years later and producer Dan Donahue encouraged Deborah into arrangements and production value that highlighted the sharper lyrics, rhythms and melodies. Profits from this project were donated to organ transplant research in honor of Deborah’s friend Judy Cook.

Time became the theme of Deborah’s next project called “It’s About Time”. Always with a prairie undercurrent, these songs take the listener through the seasons of the prairies, capture the challenge of the family farm and look at love and relationships that change over time.

“Late November” released in 2008, is the best of Romeyn’s writing to date. Again, with some of Manitoba’’s best artists on strings, keyboards, guitars and vocals, “Late November” is a gift for the ears and and a deeper look at life as winter approaches. It is a truly lovely project.

The writing and performing have not stopped! A favorite on CBC radio, Deborah has stepped into performance venues in the Interlake to packed houses and the delight of audiences. As comfortable in a house concert as she is on an open air stage, Deborah hosts with ease, and engages with her audiences to come with her on a musical journey.

Her new project, “Dream & Paint the Sky” was released in the fall of 2014 to an enthusiastic sold out West End Cultural Center crowd.  This collection of lullabies for adults with a twist, will move you from  dancing laughter to tears,  and remind you what music can be all about. Deborah continues to dream and paint the sky herself... still reaching  over the prairie landscape past the horizon.

Way out there.