Marlee Walchuk
Marlee Walchuk is a multifaceted Canadian artist renowned for her work as an actress, singer, songwriter, musician, voice-over artist, and painter. Born into a show business family in Vancouver, Canada, she began public live performances at the age of 14, joining her siblings Judy Ginn and Jim Walchuk. Her earliest memory of being on stage was singing "Red Roses For a Blue Lady" with Wayne Newton at the Cave Supper Club in Vancouver. By 17, she had toured clubs across Canada and opened for artists like Ricky Nelson and Jim Nabors at the Vancouver Coliseum. At 18, Marlee moved to Los Angeles to train at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, where she honed her acting skills. After two years, she returned to Vancouver and began singing lead with the seven-piece horn/rock band "The Visitors," performing in Vancouver's top rock venues. She spent the next six years in various bands, duos, and trios, learning to play piano and guitar while working steadily in Vancouver's thriving club scene. Her solo performances, blending comedy with original songs and covers, earned her the title of "Vancouver's Best Solo Rock Act." During this time, she recorded and entered one of Judy and Jim’s original country songs, "God Bless the Woman," in the Canadian Song Festival, which won first prize and became a national Canadian country music hit. Marlee's career spans various genres and countries. In the late '90s, she toured Germany to promote her first full studio album, "One More Chance," and received a warm audience response. She also performed at the Merritt Mountain Music Festival in Canada and collaborated with artists like Michael Bublé. In 2001, she moved to Sydney, Australia, where she formed the dance-pop duo Sugarbeach with her partner Nathalie Callender. Sugarbeach released two CDs and four singles, all of which topped the GLBT music charts in the USA. They were inducted into the GLBT Hall of Fame in 2014 for their creation and management of RightOutTV, a platform promoting LGBTI original music artists. Currently, Marlee performs with two bands: Souled Out, an R&B and soul group, and the Porch Chops, an acoustic retro folk trio. She continues to act in film and television, with notable roles in "Limetown," "You Light Up My Christmas," and "The D Cut." Her diverse talents and contributions to the arts have solidified her as a respected figure in the entertainment industry.
