Roots Music Canada

20/02/2024

Love and respect to Buffy on her 83rd birthday. Miigwech.

20/02/2024

Lori Yates Music has been around the Americana scene since well before we started calling it Americana – as a member of 80s country rockers Rang Tango, a solo artist, and recently, a member of the supergroup Hey Stella with Bazil Donovan, Michelle Joseph and the dearly departed David Baxter.

Lori Yates has been around the Americana scene since well before we started calling it Americana – as a member of 80s country rockers Rang Tango, a solo artis

18/02/2024

Five years ago, Gordy the Moose & 🇨🇦 Roots Music Canada stopped by showcase 🙌 thanks friends!!!

17/02/2024

It's a story we've heard before. A band puts together a new album and has big plans to tour in support of it, only to have the plans dashed by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

It was hard enough for established groups to face this obstacle.

But what if you're a brand new band?

Let me introduce you to Kennedy Road.

It's a story we've heard before. A band puts together a new album and has big plans to tour in support of it, only to have the plans dashed by the COVID-19 pa

16/02/2024

New Canadian Music

16/02/2024

On a hot Tuesday in August 2023, Yukon-based bluegrass band The Lucky Ones set up at Ganaraska Recording Co., the studio east of Toronto run by Juno-winning multi-instrumentalist Steve Marriner and guitarist extraordinaire Jimmy Bowskill (The Sheepdogs, Blue Rodeo).

On a hot Tuesday in August 2023, Yukon-based bluegrass band The Lucky Ones set up at Ganaraska Recording Co., the studio east of Toronto run by Juno-winning mul

15/02/2024

In 2018, Elizabeth Szekeres wrote a very interesting article for Roots Music Canada about a recent release by Chicagoan Joe Jencks that featured the unpublished songs of Si Kahn called The Forgotten.
She began by noting that Roots Music Canada typically showcases Canadian artists but that an exception was being made because, as she wrote, Joe must be “some kind of honorary Canadian since he

In 2018, Elizabeth Szekeres wrote a very interesting article for Roots Music Canada about a recent release by Chicagoan Joe Jencks that featured the unpublished

14/02/2024

Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous has just wrapped up the first half of its first season back after COVID-19 shut down the touring circuit for more than two years.

The period spanning October 2023 to February 2024 saw 21 Canadian and international acts tour seven routes from Ontario to British Columbia, touching down in more than 80 communities.

Home Routes has just wrapped up the first half of its first season back after COVID-19 shut down the touring circuit for more than two years. The period span

13/02/2024

Folk Music Ontario is Canada’s largest annual conference devoted to the folk, roots, and traditional music community.

The conference offers training, showcasing, and networking opportunities for artists and music industry professionals in Canada and the international folk community, with customized programming for folks at any stage of their career, from emerging to export-ready.

Folk Music Ontario is Canada’s largest annual conference devoted to the folk, roots, and traditional music community. The conference offers training, show

13/02/2024

It feels a little strange to hear The Western Swing Authority refer to their new album, released on Feb. 9, as a "coming-of-age project," after some 15 years of recording together.

A person could be left with the mistaken impression that the band once sucked or something.

Hardly.

Gordy the moose reviews some of his favourite new submissions to the Roots Music Canada virtual mailbox. It feels a little strange to hear the Western Swi

13/02/2024

New Brunswick bluesman Matt Andersen was the big winner last night at the 27th annual Maple Blues Awards, held at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.

Matt was the only multi-award winner of the evening, taking home the prizes for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Recording/Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.

New Brunswick bluesman Matt Andersen was the big winner last night at the 27th annual Maple Blues Awards, held at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. Mat

12/02/2024

Adrian Sutherland has released a brand new video for the new year featuring the Summer Bear Dance Troupe, four young dancers representing the Ojibway, Cree, Assiniboine and Sioux tribes.

The video is for his song "Precious," which came out last October.

Adrian Sutherland has released a brand new video for the new year featuring the Summer Bear Dance Troupe, four young dancers representing the Ojibway, Cree, Ass

10/02/2024

Brooke Blackburn has spent a lifetime in music. The second son of Toronto music veteran Bobby Dean Blackburn, Brooke was surrounded by music in the home growing up because that's where his dad's musical friends gathered to rehearse.

Brooke Blackburn has spent a lifetime in music. The second son of Toronto music veteran Bobby Dean Blackburn, Brooke was surrounded by music in the home growing

09/02/2024

09/02/2024

Singer-songwriter James Leclaire gets everyone singing along with his latest single, “Are You Ready?”

It's the sixth single from his ambitious and unique project where he is releasing a new song each month for the next three years.

Singer-songwriter James Leclaire gets everyone singing along with his latest single, “Are You Ready?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkfgqQF-hg4 It'

08/02/2024

The thing about the Rogue Folk Club is that sometimes you have to act fast to get tickets — especially if the artist you want to see won't allow a watch-from-home option.

The thing about the Rogue Folk Club is that sometimes you have to act fast to get tickets — especially if the artist you want to see won't allow a watch-from

08/02/2024

Gordy the moose reviews some of his favourite new submissions to the Roots Music Canada virtual mailbox.
Darren Roy Clarke - "Dirty Face and a Broken Screen"
Darren Roy Clarke is a brand new face on the folk roots scene – at least as a solo recording artist – but a lot of musicians out there want to make sure we discover him.

Gordy the moose reviews some of his favourite new submissions to the Roots Music Canada virtual mailbox. Darren Roy Clarke - "Dirty Face and a Broken Screen

07/02/2024

Portage. Now there’s a word that evokes the past. It conjures up canoes being paddled into the venerable history of Canada - fur traders, voyageurs, Indigenous peoples, French explorers, lakes, campfires and landscapes from sea to shining sea.

"Portage" is actually the word for overland travel between bodies of water.

Portage. Now there’s a word that evokes the past. It conjures up canoes being paddled into the venerable history of Canada - fur traders, voyageurs, Indigenou

07/02/2024

Sorry about the noise, but the moose and I are doing a big happy dance here at Roots Music Canada HQ.

Allison Russell is a Grammy winner! Yes!!

I was a bit bummed out in 2021 when Allison scored three nominations for her triumphant solo debut, Outside Child, and then didn't actually get to take home any hardware.

Sorry about the noise, but the moose and I are doing a big happy dance here at Roots Music Canada HQ. Allison Russell is a Grammy winner! Yes!! I was a

06/02/2024

Nominees for the 2024 Juno Awards were announced at a news conference in Toronto at 11 a.m. on Tuesday morning — and there's exciting news for both veteran and emerging artists.

Nominees for the 2024 Juno Awards were announced at a news conference in Toronto at 11 a.m. on Tuesday morning — and there's exciting news for both veteran a

06/02/2024

Gordy the moose reviews some of his favourite new submissions to the Roots Music Canada virtual mailbox. This week Darren Roy Clarke, Twin Flames and Gina Burgess Music.

Gordy the moose reviews some of his favourite new submissions to the Roots Music Canada virtual mailbox. Darren Roy Clarke - "Dirty Face and a Broken Screen

05/02/2024

There was lots of exciting news out of Los Angeles Sunday night as Allison Russell won her first ever Grammy for "Eve Was Black" off her sophomore solo album The Returner — the title of which was inspired by Joni Mitchell and her many come-backs.

So it seems fitting that the other Canadian to win a roots Grammy on Sunday night was Joni herself.
/songwriter

There was lots of exciting news out of Los Angeles Sunday night as Allison Russell won her first ever Grammy for "Eve Was Black" off her sophomore solo album

04/02/2024

Award-winning Acadian roots duo Vishtèn has teamed up with Juno-winning singer-songwriter Catherine MacLellan for the third single from their forthcoming album, Expansion.

The song is called "Sauvage," and we're thrilled the debut the video for it here on Roots Music Canada.

Expansion is a product of Vishtèn Connexions, a project born out of the passing of Vishtèn member Pastelle LeBlanc.

Award-winning Acadian roots duo Vishtèn has teamed up with Juno-winning singer-songwriter Catherine MacLellan for the third single from their forthcoming album

04/02/2024

Sarah Jarosz - Polaroid Lovers (Rounder)
Sarah Jarosz has been a darling of the roots music world since her arrival in 2009, earning four Grammys, along with many other notable accolades. However, they’ve all reflected her background in folk and bluegrass.

Sarah Jarosz - Polaroid Lovers (Rounder) Sarah Jarosz has been a darling of the roots music world since her arrival in 2009, earning four Grammys, along with m

03/02/2024

To understand the cultural importance of Ron Hynes, The Man Of A Thousand Songs, to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, just consider the question once posed on social media by Fred's Records in St. John's. The legendary music store asked people to list the greatest Newfoundland songwriters in order. They then added, "Assuming, of course, Ron Hynes is number one."

To understand the cultural importance of Ron Hynes, The Man Of A Thousand Songs, to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, just consider the question once pos