Born in Regina, where her father was a TV reporter for CBC, Potvin relocated to Hull, Quebec at the age of four. Her love of music began early, with an affection for early rock n' roll and oldies records the likes of Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers. A turning point came at the age of 13 when she discovered the Beatles and received a guitar on her 14th birthday. At the age of 15 she discovered blues music and began experimenting with songwriting. She did not consider music to be a career choice until two years later when she started frequenting open jams in Ottawa.
In 2003 Potvin wrote a canon of songs with which she self-produced, self-financed, self-released, and self promoted her first recording, Careless Loving. The album featured six original songs and four covers by Dinah Washington, Ruth Brown, Etta James and Buddy Johnson. This album helped build her reputation as a songwriter as well as a singer and player. Local writers embraced the CD, and Potvin's reputation began to spread.
Time Bomb featured three female blues players, Deborah Coleman, Sue Foley and Potvin. The title track, "Time Bomb", an instrumental where all three women take turns laying down leads. For the next nine songs the women spell each other off taking lead vocals and guitar duties of every third song until they come together again on the final track "In The Basement".
''No Love for the Poisonous''
No Love for the Poisonous was produced by Dave Mackinnon of FemBots. In a favourable review of the album, The Globe and Mail wrote, "Smartly timeless and featuring the most assured songwriting of Potvin's three-album career, No Love for the Poisonous is a wicked success story."
''Play''
In 2011, Potvin changed directions and recorded Play, an album with a combination of folk, indie rock and pop influences. She collaborated with Black Hen Music director and guitarist Steve Dawson and a crew of Vancouver studio musicians, recording an album of new songs in five days.
''For Dreaming''
Roxanne Potvin's latest album, For Dreaming, was released in 2016 and follows a five-year break from recording. Potvin stated that making For Dreaming largely on her own was "the most challenging and frightening experience" she has had in her career to this point but also "the most satisfying experience" as well, due to being able to work at home without any outside pressure.
Management
Roxanne Potvin signed with Alert Music Inc. late in 2005, and was managed by W. Tom Berry from 2005 to 2009. She is since self-managed.
