Acoustic guitars , mandolin, fiddle and banjo are the virtuosic template for an overlay of vocal harmonies detailing vignettes of life, love and community, then and now, in Norfolk County, Ontario. For The Schotts, life is music is life. This is no project, “The Schotts”, are who they are!
These music educators have performed, both individually and together, all over the world with artists such as Susan Aglukark, The Good Brothers, Jason McCoy and John Landry. Bluegrass, Roots, Traditional at its best. The Schotts: no pickups, no effects, no artifice.
Zakary Miller was born in the heart of the city, with a foot on the farm. His roots spread across the great white north and his songs reflect on a deeply Canadian identity. Self loathing and loving at the same time, his ‘Canadiana Swing’ is born.
Trent Severn is an acclaimed Ontario folk trio who sing original, contemporary songs easily described as “Canadian history in harmony”. Topically modern with a humorous twist, Trent Severn have inspired audiences all over Canada to share a patriotic laugh and let their glowing hearts melt away. Comprised of talented multi-instrumentalists, singers and songwriters Dayna Manning, Emm Gryner and Lindsay Schindler, Trent Severn is a truly DIY band that showcases beautifully-crafted, evocative songs that continue the deeply poetic legacy of true ‘red and white’ pioneering troubadours.
If you only know Leah Mathies as a young singer songwriter, you’re missing out on so much more. Granted it is fair to say she is a prolific writer. Having penned over 60 original songs, including ‘Mesmerized’ from her 2013 debut EP which garnered her radio play across Canada and festival appearances (SummerFolk). But her evolving sound, which refuses to be pinned down to one genre, along with the addition of her new band, takes her music to another level. Forget what you think you know about Leah Mathies. Leah Mathies Facebook Leah Mathies Twitter Leah Mathies YouTube
Alfie Smith
Alfie Smith is a prolific songwriter who has recorded 6 albums over his 20 year career. Known best for his resophonic guitars, brazen slide licks and uncompromising vocals, Alfie is endorsed by several luthiers including Goodman Guitars (who have recently named a guitar model after him) and Goldtone Banjos. He has been nominated for a dozen Hamilton music awards including Best Male Vocalist and Best Guitarist, and has represented Toronto in the Memphis International Blues Challenge. He performs constantly, and has been a featured performer at Mariposa, Festival of Friends, Home County, Eaglewood, Mill Race, Red Rock, Orangeville Blues & Jazz festival, to name a few.
Nicole Christian
Nicole Christian is a little roots, a little country and a whole lot bottle-neck blues. A multi-instrumentalist who specializes in flute, piano and resophonic guitar, Nicole released two solo albums before heading to the studio to record her most recent, Run Rabbit Run, which was voted The Best Debut Roots and Blues Album of 2010. In 2011 Nicole was selected as a finalist for the Toronto Blues Society’s Talent Search and was nominated for two Hamilton Music Awards, Best Female Vocalist and Best Blues Album. She appeared on an episode of Toronto Talent and won a Hamilton Arts Award for Performance in 2012. Nicole performs regularly throughout Southern Ontario, and whether solo or as a duo with Alfie Smith she’s sure to get your feet tapping.
GATHERING SPARKS is the graceful collision of Eve Goldberg and Jane Lewis—musical friends who bonded over finely tuned harmonies and the craft of songwriting. Their inclusive approach embraces folk, pop, blues and gospel influences tastefully played on acoustic guitar, piano, accordion, ukulele, and banjo.
With their love of participatory group singing and infectious mix of styles, Gathering Sparks has been making some big waves. Their debut 6-song CD was nominated for a 2014 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year, and they have quickly become an audience favourite. Whether they are belting it out a capella style, tugging on your heartstrings with a folky original, crooning a jazzy swing tune, or getting into the spirit with a gospel-inflected singalong, Gathering Sparks performances make fans out of listeners with their stellar harmonies and fine musicianship.
“Phenomenal songs binding the individual skills of its members together as one with rich, honeyed harmonies.”
— Eric G. Thom, Penguin Eggs Magazine
EVE GOLDBERG has lifted audiences across North America with her heartfelt and insightful songs and solid instrumental work. Her fluid vocals embrace all the styles she loves—folk, blues, country, bluegrass, old time, and jazz—with equal affection and mastery.
JANE LEWIS has followed her love of words from the printing press to the spotlight with soul-bending lyrics, transcendent compositions, and crystal clear vocals. Her thoughtful piano and accordion playing, mastery of harmony, and upbeat presence add a sparkle to any stage.
As solo performers, Eve, Jane, and original member Sam Turton had each carved out their own niche in the folk/roots scene. But when they came together for a one-time triple bill in 2012, there was a certain “spark” that couldn’t be denied. The three loved the magic that came from the gathering of their songs, voices, instruments and styles, and a performing group was born. When Sam retired from the group to focus on other pursuits, Eve and Jane committed themselves to continuing to share their music and harmony as a dynamic duo. Gathering Sparks is now booked through 2015 and into 2016, with appearances and workshops at summer music camps, concert series and house concerts.
“What a delight! Great songs, great singing and lovely harmonies. I’m singing along as if I’ve known these songs forever.”
— Sharon Hampson of Sharon, Lois & Bram
Raised between two potato fields on Prince Edward Island, Ashley Condon is the grandchild of Bill Leblanc, a Canadian country pioneer who once spent the night in jail with Hank Snow. Like pecan pie – sweet and nutty – Ashley has won audiences over with her larger-than-life stage presence and down-to-earth charm. Growing up on everything from old-time country to folk, blues and soul, her music resonates.
The success of her 2007 EP, I’ve Got This Feeling, garnered the attention of Ontario native and ECMA-nominated producer and musician Joel Hunt (Teresa Ennis, Old Man Leudecke). The two joined creative forces for Ashley’s debut, full-length album, Come In From The Cold, released on June 15, 2010. Since its release in 2010, Come In From The Cold has been nominated for a 2011 Canadian Folk Music Award, a 2011 East Coast Music Award and has earned the rising star two 2012 Music PEI Awards for New Artist Of The Year and theLynn Grishko Memorial Bursary. Her highly anticipated sophomore album, This Great Compromise, is set for release on May 28th, 2013 and was produced by Condon’s songwriting hero; three-time JUNO award winning singer-songwriter David Francey. Condon is backed on the album by Francey’s touring band of Chris Coole (banjo, guitar) and Mark Westberg (guitar), John Showman (fiddle) and by celebrated Maritime multi-instrumentalist Darren McMullen.
The signature track on her Francey-produced sophomore album, This Great Compromise, is “Betty’s Song”, a tribute to Condon’s mother and a wistful lament over Condon’s inability, as a teenager to appreciate her mother’s strength and perseverance. Other highlights include “Gentle Man”, a haunting number about an encounter with a stranger; “We’ve Got Love”, a simple love song with a very Francey-like sing-along chorus; “I’m Going Home, Amen”, a rollicking gospel song about moving back to PEI; and the title track, a sophisticated statement about the impact on relationships when partners must leave the province for work.
Having lost both her parents by the age of 22, it is not surprising that Condon’s music is marked by an astonishing degree of maturity and nuance – the kind almost never heard in emerging artists. She has established a reputation in the Maritimes as a powerful writer and singer and an uncommonly-talented entertainer who jokes and tells stories to audiences as naturally as if they were guests in her living room.
If he were alive 100 years ago, Paul J McInnis would have been found strumming on a street corner, singing his songs about roads, girls, and small towns. His closest friends would have been pickers, singers, poets and painters. He would have enjoyed a simple life surrounded by the things he loved. Today, 100 years later, not much is different. If you look for him, Paul can be found strumming on a street corner in some small town, singing songs about roads, girls, and the things he loves. He may slip into his local pub on the way home for a pint with some old friends. It`s a simple life. Paul J McInnis’ music is folk music. It channels John Prine, Randy Newman, and Bill Monroe. It is literate, joyful, melancholy, and timeless. He prefers to play in the moment; recording live off the floor with open mics and no overdubs. Mistakes happen, he’ll say, but so does magic. The resulting album, Broken Down Waltz, is a collection of some of those magical mistakes, all written and arranged by Paul and performed beautifully with some of his closest friends on mandolin, harmonica, accordion, cello and guitar. It is what Paul believes music should be: simple and real. Paul has seen Canada through a windshield. During the years spent travelling with Juno nominated troubadour Craig Cardiff, the duo played every club, pub, and dive student bar they could find. They even hosted a conference on independent music at the North American Folk Alliance’s annual convention. Over the past decade, Paul has had the honour of opening for acts as diverse as Serena Ryder, Jim Cuddy and Big Sugar. Closer to his current home in Waterloo, Ontario, Paul has played countless small festivals both as a solo act and as a sought after sideman. As for his joyful and timeless songs, Paul has twice received accolades from legendary songwriters David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager. What does the future hold? Paul would say the only thing we can expect is uncertainty. There is, however, one thing we can count on. Paul will keep playing, singing, and surrounding himself with the things he loves. It’s what he’s always done. It’s what he’ll always do.
Suzie Ungerleider began performing as Oh Susanna in the mid-1990s, crafting a persona that matched the timeless qualities of her music, sounds that drew from the deep well of early 20th Century folk, country and blues, yet rooted in her finely-honed storytelling skills. This Canadian songstress has a voice that can pierce a heart of stone. Her superbly crafted songs often tell stories of troubled souls who rebel against their circumstances to attain a quiet dignity. These are tales of longing and love, of small town joys and pains, of our simple feelings and strong passions. These are tales that look into our beautifully flawed human hearts.
Born in Massachusetts and raised in Vancouver, Suzie first recorded a cassette of seven songs for a couple hundred bucks, making 50 copies and catching the attention of the music industry before Alt-Country even had a name. The positive reaction she received inspired Suzie to quit her day job as a library clerk and take her chances in Toronto. Soon after, she recorded her internationally acclaimed debut album Johnstown with assistance from Bazil Donovan (Blue Rodeo), Peter Moore (Cowboy Junkies) and Bob Egan (Wilco/Blue Rodeo).
The follow-up, Sleepy Little Sailor, firmly established her reputation within what was then known as Alt-Country circles, and her third, eponymously titled album from 2003 found Suzie expanding her sound in an exciting roots rock direction. After pausing to start a family, she returned in 2007 with the stunning collection, Short Stories, bolstered by a top-notch band anchored by a rhythm section comprised of her husband Cam Giroux (Weeping Tile) and Bazil Donovan (Blue Rodeo), along with a crew of string-bending virtuosos including Luke Doucet, Kevin Fox, Joey Wright and Burke Carroll. This group reconvened for 2011’s Soon The Birds, which brilliantly blended the stark beauty of her early work with fleshed-out ensemble arrangements.
Looking back at how her career developed, Suzie says that she definitely had a narrow focus at the beginning, drawing on American influences such as Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Tom Waits, and field recordings of traditional balladry which she maintains was necessary for her to find her voice. However, Suzie now says, “In order to grow and feel inspired, I have to open up my field of vision. The drawback is that people still want to define you somehow. At the same time, whatever music I make will always have similar themes of people at the crossroads, trying to cope with the situations they’re in.”
In that respect, Namedropper is vintage Oh Susanna, in spite of the songs coming from other sources. Interpreting those words with her unique combination of grit and subtlety has made them her own, while also providing ample proof that Canada’s songwriting tradition is in safe hands with this generation of artists. Being a member of that community has even moved Suzie to pursue her Canadian citizenship, and now that she’s healthy, she fully expects to have new material ready to record in the not too distant future.
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
• 1998 – Genie Award for Best Original Song “River Blue”
• 2003 – Juno Nomination for Best Roots and Traditional Album for Solo Artist For Oh Susanna
• 2007 – Juno Nomination for Best Roots and Traditional Album for Solo Artist for Short Stories
• 2007 – Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Songwriter in English
• 2007 – Canadian Folk Music Award Nomination for Best Album Short Stories
• 2009 – CBC Great Canadian Song Quest winner
• 2011 – Juno Nomination for Best Producer for Soon The Birds
“Our Shotgun Wedding a duo with an infectious energy, clever, well-written songs and a ton of charisma. On festival workshops they are a great spark-plug who can kick start an onstage jam and make everybody feel welcome.” -James Keelaghan, Artistic Director, Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival
Our Shotgun Wedding was conceived when singer/songwriter Dylan McMullin and multi-instrumentalist Lauren Jewell crossed paths on the dance floor at Summerfolk Music Festival in 2010. The couple have been making music together ever since.
Entertaining crowds with their infectious, folky jams and catchy hooks, they share their influences like John Prine, Ian & Sylvia and Gillian Welch.
Songs from both their E.P.’s “Ghost’s of the Bury Road” and “The Honeymoon Sessions” have been played on the CBC radio, and the duo received honourable mention in Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
Now married, Lauren and Dylan live in Owen Sound, Ontario and have a strong following in the Grey-Bruce. Their music is like a home-cooked meal; simple, satisfying and made with love.
Rob Elder has traveled the Ontario back roads and navigated the city streets on his lifelong musical quest. His energy and on stage presence draw people in and keep them like dinner guests at a Muskoka cottage! His songwriting and live solo looping have attracted audiences all over this great land.
Rob’s song writing has progressed and refined over the years to the point that anyone caught in their path is unwillingly taken on an emotional trip though his life stories!
His style is simple and easy to love. Rob likes to keep it real and focus on emotion, dynamics and passion!
If music be romance, then Drew’s music just might be the first date: playful, chatty, honestly yearning to connect.
Elements of acoustic soul, folk, world, and jazz meld into a tapestry of catchy, smartly crafted tunes that fit like your favorite jeans, and soothe like a warm summer breeze.
His latest LP Porchlight garnered rave reviews, getting rotation with CBC, pop and college radio across the country.
Larry Jensen, a lifelong resident of Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada has released 14 albums over the years featuring all original songs.
In October 2009, Larry was awarded the very first “Owen Sound Cultural Award” given in recognition of his long standing musical contributions to his home community.
In 2010, 22 artists compiled the CD “Demons and Saints” featuring 19 of Jensen’s original songs.
Larry has now released a self-published book entitled “Some Are Songs: A Book of Words.” The book consists of poems and song lyrics spanning Larry’s career.
In 2015, Larry was chosen Owen Sound Poet Laureate 2015 – 2017.
