There are artists who make records. And then there are artists like Steve Poltz, who get tricked into making them and end up with something that sounds like a warm hug from a stranger at the end of a very long, very weird road trip.

That's JoyRide. And it is exactly what the title promises.

The story starts the way all the best ones do: two guys in East Nashville, living close enough that one of them just picks up the phone. Producer Dex Green, the kind of musical architect who's helped shape Grammy-nominated records for Shemekia Copeland, Elvis Costello, Margo Price, and Nicole Atkins, called Poltz up one morning and said, essentially, come on over. No grand plan. No concept album vision board. Just a home studio called 3Sirens and a standing invitation to make some noise.

Poltz, characteristically, almost didn't go.

Discoveries Vol. 10 with Host Jane Harbury

Hugh’s Room – 296 Broadview Avenue Toronto

Doors: 7pm Show: 8pm

Hamilton’s legendary recording studio announces five major initiatives — including a 50th Anniversary celebration, a JUNO partnership, the return of Road to Supercrawl, a museum exhibition, and the Grant Avenue Studio Presents concert series

HAMILTON, ON — Grant Avenue Studio, one of Canada’s most storied recording facilities, is entering its 50th year with a season that reflects everything the studio has always stood for: exceptional music, deep community roots, and an unwavering belief in the power of live performance and authentic artistry. From a landmark anniversary celebration to a national awards partnership, 2026 marks a milestone year for the Hamilton institution and the musicians and fans who have made it legendary.

The Canadian Blues Music Awards made history Monday night at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, crowning the first-ever winners of Canada's new national blues recognition programme across 16 competitive categories. The inaugural gala brought together the finest performers in Canadian blues for a landmark celebration that was more than an awards show. It was a statement about the depth, diversity, and resilience of blues music in this country.

Canadian independent artists to perform at Lilla By Festivalen in Rinkaby, Sweden - June 12-13, 2026 - in a landmark first for Canada-Sweden musical exchange

CANADA/SWEDEN - The inaugural North2North: The Artist Gateway competition has named its winners - and three extraordinary Canadian indie artists are heading to Sweden. Fresh Breath, Irish Millie, and Donita Large have each earned a spot in a Canadian contingent travelling to Lilla By Festivalen in Rinkaby, Sweden on June 12 and 13, 2026, where they will perform on the main stage and in the beloved festival's very own Canada Barn, where our Canadian flag is flown with pride. This is the first time a competition of this kind has opened a direct performance pipeline between Canadian indie artists and one of Sweden's most warmly regarded independent festivals.

Terry Gomes has been making waves for a few years now with diversified releases and this new single 'Tego Agogo' does not disappoint.

Check out the new lyric video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiPKJ8CCwAE&feature=youtu.be

IS THAT SO WRONG? EP by Canadian Country artist, Nick Hedden, showcases his best songs to date and revisited by Veteran Producer Dan McConomy and mastered by Randy Merril (Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift) at Sterling Sound.

Listen to “Is That So Wrong? On Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/track/1s1aZJdtoLHwrtIquZAScq?si=92fc503a08fc4001

Final Production by the Late, Great Chris Tsangarides

With its first week at radio in North America, the MORE – Destructor album debuts at #2 Most Added on both the NACC HEAVY 30 and Metal Contraband Chart while entering the chart itself at MCC at #44, as the road to redemption for the band MORE continues. Bassist Baz Nicholls reflects. “It has been a long journey since the heady days of “Warhead“and “Blood and Thunder,” but the entity that is MORE lives on. There have been many trials to overcome along the way, including the passing of three band members. The turning point came when Chris Tsangarides joined the band, bringing a new sense of optimism and purpose. The magic Chris brought, with his wizardry recording skills and vision, is evident in this production, and MORE has maintained that same integrity to have it as heavy and crushing as he intended. MORE are proud to present Chris Tsangarides’ last work, “DESTRUCTOR”.

After a four-year hiatus from the airwaves, the visceral rock and roll force The Mandevilles has officially returned with their brand-new single, “Every Bit Of Violence”. Out now via Snareguy Records, the track marks a high-stakes evolution for the Welland-based outfit, blending the raw energy of rock and roll with a modern, alternative edge. Built on a foundation of grit and cinematic intensity, the single arrives as a powerful reminder of why founding partners Serena Pryne and Nick Lesyk have remained a cornerstone of the Canadian rock scene for over a decade.

The genesis of “Every Bit Of Violence” is as legendary as the sound itself; the song was quite literally written live on stage during a low-key afternoon gig. When an impromptu riff from Lesyk sparked an immediate vocal melody from Pryne, the band mapped out the structure of the track in real-time, capturing the lightning-in-a-bottle moment via phone recordings. This spirit of total spontaneity carried into the studio, where the band—rounded out by guitarist/synthesist Taylor Laslo—collaborated with mixer and co-producer Russ Donohue to refine a sound that Pryne describes as "magical" and "harmonious".

In 2016, Bara Jonson and Free submitted the song Appetite to Melodifestivalen in Kristianstad, Sweden.  It didn’t make the cut. The song was released later that year anyway and went on to live a life of its own.

Now, almost exactly ten years later, it’s time again. “Appetite ANNO X” is released the same weekend Melodifestivalen returns to Kristianstad. Sometimes life and timing are magical, and this is no exception with the latest release from BjF.

Canadian/International Singer/Recording Artist JC Sol brings her signature smooth, sultry style — with a fresh twist. Join her on a fun, flirtatious musical romp as she unveils an upbeat new take on ‘Pillow Talk,’ arriving just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Originally recorded by Sylvia Robinson in 1973, the song draws the listener into a playful, lighthearted dance with temptation—an invitation delivered with a wink and very little left to the imagination.
JC says: “I love reintroducing vintage cover songs that once resonated so strongly. They give audiences—both young and old, a chance to experience these classics in fresh ways. For some, it’s a wave of nostalgia…for others, it’s the thrill of hearing a timeless song for the very first time.”

Watch on YouTube here:

# 1 in Biographies of Pop Musicians on Amazon
Top 100 on Memoirs on Amazon

“It's All Coming Back to Me..." Offers an Intimate Look at the Songs, Collaborations, and Shared Dreams That Defined an Era in Music

Following a string of prestigious accolades, 19-year-old fiddler, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Irish Millie continues her remarkable ascent in the Canadian roots scene with the release of her latest single, "WASTED". This landmark track serves as a centerpiece of her acclaimed EP 'Between Then and Now', a project that captures the space between two chapters of life and the quiet realization of how much growth happens in the in-between.

www.youtube.com/@IrishMillieFiddleTunes

We caught up with Millie in her hometown of Peterborough, Ontario and this spirited ginger had a lot to share with Cashbox Canada. She is only 19 years old but is an old soul through and through and is passionate about music, life and family.

I asked about her eclectic tastes in music, choosing the classic Devil Went Down to Georgia by the Charlie Daniels Band and Zappa’s Directly From my Heart to You on her live show performances.

Lisa Hartt is Montreal-born, Canadian singer/songwriter and a Juno Nominee in the 70’s when she as the lead singer of The Lisa Hartt Band, which garnished her a hit single with ‘Old Time Movie’, which put her name into the Canadian music industry archives for eternity. She was awarded the Cashbox Legacy Award in 2023 at the Canadian Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, while she was on tour there. 
Now Lisa Hartt is about to release her new heartfelt song dedicated to her “Best Friend”.

We caught up with Lisa Hartt at her home in Toronto, Canada.

"‘Best Friend’ began as a conversation I wasn’t yet ready to finish.”

Creative and Graphic Designs for Robert Priest:  Allen Booth

When speaking with poet and songwriter Robert Priest, you can’t help but think: wow — what a gentle, sweet, and interesting person, with an amazing head of hair. Over coffee, the kind words begin, the conversation shifts from light banter to the bizarre and the dark, and I sit back and listen — deeply intrigued by this poet’s mind as I jot down notes.

Often referred to as the People’s Poet, Priest’s body of work — fourteen books of poetry and eight CDs of music — beautifully captures the rainbow of emotions that comprise the human spirit. He has long had his share of admirers among the literati. Toronto Poet Laureate Lillian Allen, for instance, calls him “one of my favourite poets ever.”

“He is the people’s poet,” she says, “because he speaks to people about real-life situations and isn’t afraid to say what he feels. He is generous and has always supported other poets and artists, especially those who are breaking the rules.”

8BANGER Is a “festival style” rock act with half a century of combined rock and roll experience between members; having played the smallest of venues to the largest of stages.

Based in Dundas, Ontario, Canada. The band has been active since 2023. The new single “I Don’t Want To Go” was released in January of 2026. Recorded at Grant Avenue Studios, distributed by Current Records and Management, is capturing media and radio attention world-wide.

A music video has also been released to support the single:

Thank you all for a great year - Team Cashbox is grateful. We are taking a much needed break and we will see you back here on January 9, 2026.

Support live music and support the indies!

Sandy Graham: 2025 has been a year of political chaos and so much uncertainty but the one thing that always stays the same is the music. We can take ourselves back in time with the legendary hits that shaped our lives and also find new favourites that end up on repeat. I am also so impressed by all the new music that indie artists are releasing now. It gives me so much hope that the future of music is in safe hands with the younger new artists that are making huge leaps in creating great songs and great lyrics.

I get so many thank yous for the work Cashbox Canada does, but the truth is it is Team Cashbox that is responsible for keeping us out there every week.

Canada’s original disco queen has maintained a career that includes recording, acting on Broadway, London’s West End and on film, performing on some of the worlds biggest stages, has started creating her own documentary films and even contributed to a best-selling book featuring all the great disco era divas. From the late 70s through today, Claudja has enjoyed hits in every decade, thanks to loyal fans and supportive radio programmers. Her initial success was in Canada where she earned Juno awards and was the first inductee to the Black Music Hall of Fame, together with Oscar Peterson. She became a star throughout Europe, and in the States and was nominated for an American Music Award for Best Female Artist and appeared on NBC’s Seventh Annual Rhythm & Blues Awards.

Legendary Canadian rock band 54-40 return with their highly anticipated new album 'PORTO', set for release on January 23, 2026. The announcement follows the debut of four powerful new singles, "Running for the Fence," "Die To Heaven," "Time Will Tell," and "Virgil," released today, marking the beginning of a bold new chapter for one of Canada's most celebrated bands.

youtube.com/5440official

Frontman Neil Osborne describes the project as “an album about renewal and resilience — it’s about the work it takes to keep creating, to stay connected, and to keep loving what you do.” Bassist Brad Merritt adds, “We’ve always tried to write songs that feel honest and grounded in real life. These new tracks capture that — they sound like where we’ve been, but also where we’re going.”

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/07xfLJOcEumRZZ7mADSOnY