Tory Cassis is an accomplished singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Above all he is an entertainer, using his songs skillfully to draw either tears or laughter from his audiences. He was raised in Toronto, Canada. All the other children in the neighborhood found hockey to be a favorite amusement. Unfortunately, Cassis was born with the burden of weak ankles. While his friends and others his age were practicing kicking and chasing a ball, Cassis was discovering a love for music. Singing was his first interest, thoughts of an instrument came next, so he taught himself to play the guitar, and then later the trumpet. By the time he was in high school, he knew for sure that he wanted to pursue a career in the music world. Influences like the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and the Police drew Cassis toward rock, while other artists like Duke Ellington, Nat "King" Cole, and Count Basie pulled him toward jazz. A little something from each role model began to show up in Cassis' music as he appeared at local clubs and wherever else he could land a paying gig in those early days. In 1999, Cassis completed his debut full-length offering, titled Anywhere but Here. The album received mostly glowing reviews and helped him earn a Juno Award nomination for Best New Solo Artist. Tunes like "The Things I Would Say," "Sunrise," "Anywhere but Here," and "Such a Crime" showcase his many talents and numerous styles of music, mixing jazz, pop, folk, and even funk to make the songs totally his. A year after the debut album hit the market, Cassis began performing with singer Holly Cole, going on tour with her band through places like Japan. Over the years, Cassis has worked with many other impressive artists, on-stage and on recordings, including Tyler Yarema, Terry Wilkins, Moxy Fruvous, Basil Donovan, Kathryn Rose, Mark Mariash, Ben Carlson, and many others. ~ Charlotte Dillon