The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) celebrated its 2024 class of inductees with an unforgettable evening at Toronto’s legendary Massey Hall. Tom Cochrane, 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Stoddard

Has it ever struck you that this planet we all share might be getting … well, meaner? Colder? Less conducive to a rewarding, peaceful time for everybody who has to live here? Peter Foldy has certainly noticed. And on the lead track from his new EP entitled “Toxic World (Remastered),” the iconic Canadian singer-songwriter declares his dismay over the situation in no uncertain terms. 

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” he sings, over a deceptively skipping rhythm and a rolling acoustic-guitar figure that make for a perfectly ironic counterpoint to the grave subject matter. “People talking hate, they don’t know right from wrong.”

Photo Credits: Danielle Blancher

Shelley Hamilton's dynamic lead vocals are on full display in the single "Carry On" with a release date October 3^rd, 2024. This reconversion of the song creates an entirely new space for the historically rooted music genre of country reggae.

The new rendition of "Carry On" is produced by Canadian reggae band Reggaddiction and is featured on their latest album "Reggae Rodeo". It's an exciting collaboration and a ground-breaking part of Canadian music history. "Carry On" blends country music with Jamaican reggae to create a unique genre: Canadian Country Reggae.

Shelley Hamilton can’t be pigeonholed into a specific sound or category; her talent is all-encompassing with a sound and style all of her own.

I caught up with her manager Lynx Dean at his home here in Toronto, Canada.

“Talent like Shelley comes along once in a lifetime. Honestly, she could sing the phone book and the audience would love it.”

Lynx Dean is no stranger to success, being the lead of the popular band, Random Order, who broke into the scene in the 90’s and have a huge following to this day.

"Rhythms of a Lifetime" is the only way to describe Bill King's multifaceted career, from his beginnings as a musician, (which he still is to this day) his transition into writing, mentoring and his passion for photography. ((First Photo Credit Bill King Vintage photo says it all)

Bill's creative journey has been marked by exploration, innovation, and a willingness to constantly change with the times. His experiences offer valuable insights into the artistic process, the music industry, and the power of reinvention, combined with his ongoing passion, curiosity and tenacity.

Drake Jensen Releases Poignant Cover of Bruce Cockburn’s "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" Amid Rising Violence Against LGBTQ+ Communities

Acclaimed LGBTQ+ artist Drake Jensen is set to release his powerful new single, "Lovers in a Dangerous Time," a cover of the iconic Bruce Cockburn song, on August 14, 2024.  This release comes at a critical moment as the world witnesses a troubling surge in violence against LGBTQ+ communities across the globe.

A Timely Anthem for Resilience and Love:
"Lovers In a Dangerous Time" is more than just a cover; it is a deeply resonant anthem that speaks to the fears, struggles, and unwavering resilience of LGBTQ+ individuals facing increased hostility and violence.  Originally penned by Bruce Cockburn in the 1980s during a period of social unrest, the song’s message of love and resistance is as relevant today as it was then.

To a recording artist, having a bunch of big-name guests on your album can be a double-edged sword: It’ll get you some attention, sure, but there’s always the danger you’ll find yourself pushed out of the limelight—a supporting player in your own production.

Fortunately, no one elbows Colin James into the wings. With nearly four decades in the business—and an armload of sales records and peer accolades to show for it—the Vancouver blues-rocker has thrown open the door to welcome a house party’s worth of friends and mentors on his 21st and latest, Chasing the Sun. Appearances by the legendary likes of Charlie Musselwhite, Lucinda Williams, Darryl Jones and Charley Drayton energize an album that cooks with the intensity of a thousand spotless reputations. But the formula remains 100-proof James throughout—a distillation of the singular and passionate vision that’s enshrined him in the hearts of millions of record buyers worldwide as a musician’s musician.

Japanese-Canadian Alternative-Rock artist, Garrett Neiles, has just released a colourful, upbeat, and positive California Pop-Rock single titled "Lipstick", about the little tube that leaves its contents behind on coffee cups, napkins and elsewhere, and the joy those little reminders bring. Neiles has just released his video for the song so check it out here on YouTube:

A sunny and upbeat California Pop-Rock homage to the colourful glimpses that remind Neiles of his girlfriend, "Lipstick" shares the cheerful joy of the little reminders of the ones we love. 

Veteran roots singer/songwriter Don Graham has just released a new album of original tunes, stripped down and acoustic, just the song and a couple of guitars. "I wanted to make an album without a band and all the trimmings, just me, my guitar and another stringed instrument, the way I wrote them and the way I perform them live these days.“

Going back to his roots musically Graham decided to go back to his old friend and guitar player George Bowser in Montreal to make it happen. 

Check out the title track "My Old Guitar, My Old Boots and Me" on YouTube here:

Neena Rose is a wonderful example how tenacity and talent truly pays off in this business. With the dedication and business accumen of Tina Cole (aka Mama Swag as known in the business) the full circle is finally coming around.

Catching up with Neena Rose in her hometown of Toronto, Canada it is obvious this artist is focused and driven and is on the road to success with this new release. She shared the story of when she realized that she wanted to perform for people and become an artist.

"We are Italian, and as Italians we always have big affairs and get togethers. I was at a family function when I was 3 years old and there was a pianist performing who I followed around for the whole time. I was asked if I wanted to sing and I said yes! So at the tender age of 3, I made my debut by singing "Twinkle, Twinkle." I never looked back."

Early influences?

Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in your own head. That’s when you need someone like Giorgia Fumanti to remind you there’s a certain other organ you could be listening to instead.

Listen on YouTube here:

On her new single, “Close To Your Heart,” the Italian-born, Montreal-based pop/classical crossover artist urges us all to never stray too far from our emotional core. Her immaculate soprano soaring over lush orchestration, Fumanti lays out the reasons to always heed that most frequently name-dropped yet perennially underestimated of strengths: the power of love.

"Mr! Mouray: A man of impeccable 1950s style and taste, Mr! Mouray has been reborn a half-century later through modern words and music"

Bankers Of Yonge is one of three blast-from-the-past masters on the John Critchley-produced Lady Rock And Roll EP, which celebrates Mr! Mouray’s sixth anniversary. The video for the T.Rex-fueled title track and first single has racked up nearly 3,000 views and found a home on multiple playlists, while the brooding, Cramps-inspired Then & Now displays the breadth of the quartet’s sound and influences. Lady Rock And Roll also marked the debut of new drummer Craig Adams, who replaced the late David Otanez in 2022, minutes before the release of the band’s second album What’s The Stouray…

Check out Bankers Of Yonge on YouTube here - MR! MOURAY

Toronto based folk/roots veteran Johann Lowenberg has just released a new album, his 5th, and it’s arguably his best to date. “The Pirate in Me” is a 10 song collection of original tunes that are well crafted, tastefully produced and performed with a warm and personal authenticity. 

Johann didn’t parachute into the folk genre but rather was there when the boom was booming which is where the honesty and authenticity comes from. Johann was born in Yorkville Village, which would become the folk music mecca of Canada mirroring New York City’s Greenwich Village, in the spring of 1950. 

Within her newest musical effort, JUNO award-winning singer, songwriter and motivational speaker Kellylee Evans expresses a newfound level of self-reflection. Through addicting jazz compositions and her powerful expression of soul, Evans’ new six-track EP Show Love exemplifies her signature sound while taking her artistry to new heights.

Over the course of 18 months, Evans worked with producer and collaborator Michael Shand. According to Evans, Show Love displays a lesson in patience and taking life as it comes. Regarding the EP’s recording process with Shand, Evans says, “Different things would arise for each of us, requiring us to put aside the project and tend to what was most important in our lives. But we would each keep coming back to the project with a renewed sense of passion and wonder for what we were working on.”

Photo Credits Marlen James

Singer/ Songwriter Rick Marshall was born in Newfoundland, Canada, lived in Libertyville, Illinois and now hangs his cowboy hat in Neuvo Vallarta, México a good part of his time.

He has found his true love south of two borders. We caught up with Rick at his home n México, “How I got here and what led to me writing the song, Viva México, is an interesting story. I moved to Hollywood, California in 1988 for a few years and worked in the film industry. During this period, my friends and I traveled many times down into México. Each time I did, I felt a familiarity, a kinship, a wanting. Over the following decades, this would continue. Every time I would visit, part of me longed to stay, to the point, I would joke with my friends and say: “If you ever find yourself down in México one day, take a good look at the guy napping under the sombrero, because it might just be me. And here I am, although I don’t do much napping! I love it here.”

Marshall Potts is a singer/songwriter from Kamloops B.C. where he lives on 160 acres. His crossover writing style has found acceptance in the Americana, Country Rock and Rock formats. Marshall not only writes inspiring music and lyrics, he mixes in ringing, interwoven guitar lines and buoyant arena-rock beats. Combine Potts’ powerful, yet tender insistent vocals that share the experience of saving himself deliver a universal message of positivity and optimism. His music is about moving beyond your past, taking back your power, embracing the moment and living in the here and now.

Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum-selling artist John Ford Coley (best known for his early career work as one-half of the ‘70s duo England Dan & John Ford Coley whose hits included “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight,” “We’ll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again” and “Love is the Answer”) announces his album, Sketches Vol. 1, will be available for streaming today for the first time ever. Hand-selected by Coley from his personal archives, the songs on Sketches Vol. 1 were recorded throughout his storied career but never released until 2021 and includes “Falling,” which he wrote with former bandmate Dan Seals before his death in 2009.

For nearly six decades, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Coley has thrilled audiences around the globe with his timeless and compelling music. Best known for his early work as half of the Grammy-nominated duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, Coley has topped the charts in Japan and Israel and generated six Top-20s in the United States (four of them charting in the Top 10). He was recently named one of the “Top-10 Artists of All Time” (Rock Justice Award, 2019).

In the ongoing race to predict the next teen craze, give yourself 10 points if you had … Celtic/Latin/jazz fusion fiddle?

Hey, in a world where Lindsey Stirling has made the violin commercial again, anything can happen. And just one listen to First Light, the debut album from 18-year-old Ontario wunderkind Mary Frances Leahy, will convince you that she’s next in line. Its nine original instrumentals are ironclad proof that composer/multi-instrumentalist Leahy has carved out a wholly unique and captivating musical identity that rings as natural to the ear as it might look peculiar on paper.

‘Shark Mission’ the first single, released on April 26, 2024, from the forthcoming Endangered Spirits Volume 2 from deejay Shawn Barry, features world-renowned shark expert and advocate Paul De Gelder, adding his ominous voice on a UK-styled Liquid/Electronic track.

Rock N Roll Legend Andy Kim is celebrating another milestone this year, the 50th  anniversary of the release of one of his best-known songs and biggest hits, ”Rock Me Gently”.

Check it out on YouTube here:

The Canadian singer, who charted hits from 1968 to 1971, starting with “How’d We Ever Get This Way” which went Top 20 on both sides of the border followed by “ So Good Together” and a cover of The Ronettes hit “ Baby, I Love You” had not had a top 100 single since September of 1971, and had been looking for a record label since early 1973.

Brantford, Ontario native and Canadian treasure Ray Materick is set to return to Ontario for a night of music and memories at Toronto’s legendary venue, Hugh’s Room Live on Saturday May 25th.

The show will be an incredible musical trip through Ray’s impressive catalogue of songs through the years as he and his band, The Midnight Matinees take the audience on a journey of his life through music.

RAY MATERICK & MIDNIGHT MATINEE / HUGH’S ROOM, 296 BROADVIEW

SATURDAY, MAY 25 • DOORS 7PM / CONCERT 8PM

“The show will feature songs from all my albums from Sidestreets that we released in 1972 on Kanata Records to my first album on Warner/Asylum Records, Neon Rain, in 1974, that include our first big hit, “Linda Put The Coffee On.”

Check out the hit song , “Linda Put The Coffee On” on YouTube here: