Dallas John Green was born on September 29^th, 1980 in St. Catharines, Ontario. Green began learning how to play guitar when he was eight years old, with some cajoling from his parents. Green attended St. Nicholas elementary school and Denis Morris high school. Green played on the school basketball teams for many years but also began writing original music during his time at D.M. and is said to have found inspiration from his favourite musician, folk-rock legend Jeff Buckley. Green didn’t always sing. When he was 16 years old his English teacher heard him sing a song from a band named “Weezer” in class to himself and she liked what she heard. She made him continue to sing in front of the class. Green attributes the confidence he needed to launch his singing career to this teacher as well has his friends.

Green began a successful music career as a vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. Green named the band “Alexisonfire” after watching a program on the Discovery Chanel that focused on contortionism featuring a woman, who among other things, was a contortionist who breathed fire. Her stage name was Alexis Fire and that specific show segment was titled “Alexisonfire”, thus spawning the name for Green’s band. From 2001-2011 Dallas was a member of the group, producing four studio albums. Prior to becoming a member of Alexisonfire, Green was the lead singer and guitar player in a band called Helicon Blue.

Dallas Green left the band in 2011 to pursue a solo career under the moniker “City and Colour”.  Green’s first solo performance was in St. Catharines and his second was in 2005 in Waterloo, Ontario.  City and Colour’s first solo EP was titled “The Death of Me”.  Aside from vocals, Green also played guitar, piano and keyboard on the recording.  Three songs from this first album were written when he was just 18 years old.  Proceeds from disc sales went to the Denis Morris Starve-a-thon.  The recording was done in only three days while he was on a break during an Alexisonfire tour.

Green has produced seven studio albums and four live albums as City and Colour, many of which have reached platinum and one double platinum.  The albums are as follows: “The Death of Me” (2004); “Missing” (2005); “Sometimes” (2005); “Bring Me Your Love” (2008); “Little Hell” (2011); “The Hurry and the Harm” (2013); “If I Should Go Before You” (2015).  The Live albums are as follows: “Live” (2007); “The MySpace Transmissions” (2008); “Live Session” (iTunes Exclusive 2008); “Live at the Orange Lounge” (2010).  All albums were released by Dine Alone Records or by Dine Alone Records in partnership with Vagrant Records.

He has won three Juno Awards:  2007 Alternative Album of the year “Sometimes”; 2009 Songwriter of the Year for “Waiting”, “Sleeping Sickness” and “The Girl”; 2012 Songwriter of the Year for “Fragile Bird”, “We Found Each Other” and “Weightless.”

On October 9, 2015, City and Colour released a new album entitled “If I Should Go Before You.”

City and Colour’s first music video was for the song titled “Save Your Scissors” which was released on the “Sometimes” album which was released in January of 2006 and has since gone platinum. The second video was for the song “Comin’ Home” which reached the number one spot on MuchMore Music’s video countdown.

In 2014 Green collaborated with singer Alicia Moore a.k.a. Pink.  They performed under the group name “You+Me”.  Together they released an album titled “Rose Ave” which debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart and landed in fourth on the Billboard 200.

Green has toured all over the world with both Alexisonfire and as City and Colour.

In a 2006 interview with St. Catharines Standard journalist Monique Beech, Green stated that; “Music to me is like breathing”… “Hearing songs every day – that inspires me. That keeps me going.”

In his personal life, Green married television host Leah Miller (b.July 20, 1981) in 2008. Miller was raised in Toronto.

When he isn’t writing and recording music or touring, Green often returns to his family home in St. Catharines.

This series is written and compiled by Alicia Floyd, Collections Technician – Archival at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre