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Born: November 30, 1947 in Durban, South Africa
Born in South Africa, Mortifee left for Canada when her father, a politician against apartheid, decided it was best to move his family elsewhere. In Vancouver, she began performing in coffeehouses at the age of 16, and was discovered by the legendary Josh White Sr., who became her mentor/advisor.
From there, Mortifee went on to compose the score, and star in, 'The Ecstasy of Rita Joe' featuring Chief Dan George and Paul Horn. She co-hosted the TV Show 'Both Sides Now' and starred in the record-setting play 'Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris' where she was discovered by EMI producer Norman Newell at the New York shows.
Meanwhile she was composing for BBC-TV, The National Film Board Of Canada, and various ballet companies including the North Carolina Dance Company.
Her first solo album, 'Baptism' (1975), was recorded at Abbey Road Studios and released worldwide by Capitol-EMI.
Her albums have been on EMI, United Artists, Warner, and her own Jabula label. At the height of her first flush of success, she put everything on hold for three years to travel into the heart of Beirut and Calcutta - where she worked with Mother Teresa.
These life experiences became the album 'Journey to Kairos', a stage show/album/award wining TV special.
It was media personality Robert Conrad who created a following for Mortifee in Cleveland with TV specials, concerts and plays at the Cleveland Playhouse to showcase 'An Arabian Knight' and 'Jacques and Maddly'.
Her career changed with the CD 'Serenade at the Doorway' where Mortifee decided to dedicate her time and her music to the cause of healing and comfort. With no publicity, the CD quietly sold over 50,000 copies, mostly by mail order.
2005's 'Into The Heart of The Sangoma' brought Mortifee back to the recording scene and was released by Vancouver's Bongo Beat Records.
Singles
197? Dark Young Man/Wake Up Jesus//Ordinary Feeling/Funny (CBC Radio) LM-193
1983 Are You Lonely Tonight/Goodbye My Love (WEA) 25-96257
1983 Born To Live/Never Ending Search (WEA) 25-97227
1984 Magdalene/Mystery (WEA) 25-92937
as ANN MORTIFEE, CHIEF DAN GEORGE, PAUL HORN
1973 Jesus God/Nobody Gets My Child (United Artists) UAXW-364W
Albums
1975 Baptism (Capitol) ST-6437
1980 Journey To Kairos (Jabula) JB-33
1982 Reflections on Crooked Walking (Jabula) JB-35
1983 Born To Live (Jabula/WEA) 25-03361
1984 Bright Encounter (Jabula/WEA) 25-14121
1991 Serenade at the Doorway (Jabula) JR-43
2005 Into The Heart Of Sangoma (Bongo Beat) BB-1974-2
as ANN MORTIFEE, CHIEF DAN GEORGE, PAUL HORN
1973 The Ecstacy of Rita Joe (United Artists) UALA-126F
Video
Compilation Tracks
