Last weekend was the Folk Music Ontario Conference and it was my first time attending. As a first-timer, it can be very overwhelming. As I look back and debrief myself on it, I realize how much I missed. But what I did attend, was incredible!
During the Fringe North Festival in August, I performed my show, In the Tracks of the Black Bear. I've mentioned this show a few times in various newsletters and social media posts, so some of you are familiar. It was a great time, and thank you to the folks who came out. Also, a special thanks to Fringe North for the support....
I've talked about this project on my socials and some past posts on this blog. But, now I'm making an official announcement and the official release date will be October 12!
My latest single draws on personal experiences and feelings. Grey Bar Hotel is the title and it takes that from a slang word inmates often used to describe the jail. I started here in 1986 completely green. This was before they had college corrections programs. I still ask myself, why didn't I quit after my first shift? I persevered.
This is me about to open the box of my new vinyl LP of The Neighbourhood: Songs & Stories of a Blue Collar Raising. I haven't been this excited in a while. I'm thrilled for you all to see and hear it. A big thank you to my label, Morningstar Records and Mike Haggith at the label for making this possible. ...
Playing for smaller audiences has become the norm. Getting paid the same, if not less, than musicians did thirty years ago, has become the norm. The reason these things are happening is that people still haven't started coming back to live music. And that's the part that's hurting musicians.
Thanks for reading along. Here's part two of some of the independent artists that are out there who are bringing country and folk music to the forefront once again.
I'm not too fond of pop country and I never did. What I do take issue with is the excessive amount of attention the pop stars put out to what sounds like country music and then are praised for 'saving' or 'helping' country music's popularity. There is a cadré of artists out there who have been marching to the Three...
It's true. Sure, many musicians would love to play an arena gig with five figures worth of attendance but, let's be real. For most of us, that isn't happening anytime soon; especially for a sixty-two-year-old guy like me! Yet, having experienced the love of an intimate audience, it's going to be tough to change my mind.
It was a hard decision to come to, but I made it and I'm not sorry. Due to an injury, I had back in high school (I fell in the orchestra pit and broke both my wrists and a concussion) my left hand healed badly and it limited how much I could rotate my hand. As you can appreciate, it...
