"Meet the newly born Lynx Dean. This is his first single “coming out” under his name. Speaking of coming out, this uplifting “be who you are, take your power and seize the day” song, arrives on the same day as his gender confirming surgery.

He has teamed up with Platinum award winning producer Giampaolo Pasquile (Sony Music Publishing) to create this feisty universal dance anthem to bring World Domination to the globe.

I met Lynx when he performed at Live at Heart Music Festival on Burin Peninsula in Newfoundland. I had known the name for years as Cashbox Canada had been a huge supporter of his band Random Order. We were in the lobby of the only hotel in town. After a dangerous bus ride from the airport and soaking wet from a rainstorm, checking in Lynx ran up to me and said, “One of my goals was to come to Newfoundland to meet you.” I immediately knew I was in the presence of a huge talent just by the way he carried himself and his larger than life personality. We spent time together at the festival and beyond that fact, he is truly oozing with charisma, and inside that energy is a heart and soul that beats with talent and tenacity.

Myles Goodwyn’s body of work as a songwriter has him prominently woven into the fabric of Canadian pop music as the founder, lead singer and main songwriter of the legendary band, April Wine.

Songs such as You Won’t Dance With Me, Just Between You and Me, Lady Run, Lady Hide and Roller to name a few, are just a part of Myles’ catalogue that would enable him to sit back and enjoy his accomplishments.

But that’s not Goodwyn’s style.

April Wine is still an active performing band and Myles has two critically acclaimed blues albums released with a third, LongPants, ready to go. He continues to write songs and is very socially aware of current events. His take on the conflict in Ukraine is an example of what American writer William Faulkner was referring to when he said, "The poet's, the writer's, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honour and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.”

Lobo has recently release an set of albums on all major streaming platforms  “Let Me Leave You,” “That Shows You What I Know” and “Why is it Me.”  All three albums are fully-remastered compilations made up of previous recordings, some of which have never been available in the US before, and come just months after Time Life released four other digital albums by the pop/rock icon.

Rock sensation Laszlo Jones is bringing awareness to the masses with his hard-hitting latest single with Special Guest guitarist Alex Skolnick (Testament), on “Kill Myself” off his Beyond The Door EP Produced by Michael Buyens (Life of Agony, The Gathering) and Mixed by Kane Churko (5 Finger Death Punch, Ozzy Osbourne). In true Jones fashion, the song packs a variable punch - taking no prisoners in the process. Skolnick’s thunderous industrious metal axemanship shines throughout the track, as they deliver on their mission to tackle one of society’s most problematic issues - suicide.

Check out the video for “Kill Myself” on YouTube here:

Multi-million selling Canadian singer/songwriters Marc Jordan and Amy Sky are set to release their first-ever album duet collaboration, He Sang She Sang May 6, 2022, via Linus Entertainment.

A collection of fresh takes on beloved classics alongside newly original compositions, the 13-song release marks the first time this prolific duo — married for 34 years — have recorded an entire album together.

Check out Marc Jordan & Amy Sky - Free Fallin' (Tom Petty Cover)

In addition to enjoying hits and accolades all their own, the highly acclaimed singer/songwriters and producers have also penned songs for a teeming roster of A-list artists, including Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, Chicago, Olivia Newton-John, Heart, Reba McEntire, Joe Cocker, Bette Midler, Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Cyndi Lauper, and more.

Dolly Parton, Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett hosted the show. Miranda Lambert was named Entertainer of the Year, as top artists including Kelly Clarkson, The Brothers Osborne, Ashley McBride and Carly Pearce took the stage to perform. Here is the full list of nominees with winners in bold.

Entertainer of the Year:
Eric Church
Luke Combs
MIRANDA LAMBERT *WINNER
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood

Female Artist of the Year:
Gabby Barrett
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Maren Morris
CARLY PEARCE *WINNER

Male Artist of the Year:
Jimmie Allen
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
CHRIS STAPLETON *WINNER
Morgan Wallen

2022 is the year that Montreal goes completely country, with the very first edition of LASSO presented by Bell in collaboration with Coors Original hitting town August 12 and 13, along with LASSO in the City on August 11, 2022. The world class modern country music festival, taking place on beautiful Île Sainte-Hélène at Parc Jean-Drapeau (one of the top festival sites in North America) is sure to thrill country fans, old and new, with some of the most inspiring artists of the entire genre coming together for a multi-day high energy hoedown.

LASSO is an opportunity for fans to live an exceptional experience, watching their favourite country acts play on an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, overlooking the skyline of one of the greatest cities in the world, and the hotly anticipated lineup of artists booked for the festival's first edition is here!

The inaugural lineup of Montreal's newest country festival includes
Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Old Dominion, Kelsea Ballerini and more!
August 12-13, 2022 at Parc Jean-Drapeau
LASSO in the City - August 11, 2022

OSHEAGA has announced the lineup for the 15^th Anniversary Edition with Headliners Foo Fighters, Dua Lipa and A$AP Rocky. 

The iconic Montreal Festival celebrates milestone with an unprecedented gathering of superstars and exciting new voices including Machine Gun Kelly, The Kid Laroi, Kygo, Mitski, Burna Boy and more, scheduled for July 29-31, 2022 At Parc Jean-Drapeau.

Cover Photo Credit: Malin Landgren

As early as the 1970s, voices began to be raised in awareness of that "time is running out", to try to prevent future environmental and climate change. These early TIROs were followed by more and louder voices, generation after generation; x, y and z. Their voices created a chorus, then a new wave of influences and now it is a storm warning with this powerful expression that is heard from all possible directions, contexts and from all parts of our world!

Check out the video on YouTube here:

Bara Jonson and Free Raise Awareness with New Video and Single TIRO II (Time Is Running Out)

TIROs is a force of youth, our future, who are at the forefront on this mission, to the annoyance and self-pity of many adults.

Ringo Starr has revealed the updated All Starr Band itinerary and line up for his upcoming Spring tour this May and June 2022. The All Starrs will include Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Warren Ham, Gregg Bissonette, Hamish Stuart and welcome back Edgar Winter.

The tour will kick off in Ontario at Casino Rama, which will be the fifth time Starr has launched a tour from there (previous include: 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2014). It will then continue through New England including shows in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, then stopping in New York City for three consecutive shows at the Beacon Theater, onto New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland before heading south with shows in Atlanta and concluding the tour in Florida. (Full itinerary below).

Marshall Potts is blowing in with a fierce new single in “The Storm” from his forthcoming third album The Storm, to be released in March, 2022.

Check out the video for “The Storm” on YouTube here:

The country rocker from Canada’s West Coast is fusing Americana with classic rock on this heavyweight single – supercharged and ready to rip off the shingles and tear down the roof.

Potts, a rural songwriting superstar living on a 160-acre oasis in his native BC, treads the line on folk, country, and rousing rock and roll on an album drenched with his powerhouse vocals. Delivering on his commitment to convey the universal messages of positivity and optimism, Potts creates music he calls “moving beyond your past, taking back your power, embracing the moment and living in the here and now.”

What happens when you combine legendary songs with a legendary era all presented by a legendary artist? You get Micah Barnes with his offering of Vegas Breeze.

For an album that was released in 2020, the tracks still have legs, and the new release of the medley/video continues to develop a new musical offering with the release of “Welcome to the Club”.

“We released ‘Vegas Breeze’ right when the pandemic hit and all the scheduled gigs were gone. I spoke with my publicity and PR expert, Eric Alper, who recommended we do a series of virtual concerts. It was a brilliant idea and we immediately kicked into action to make it happen. My fans, friends and family were delighted and it was a great success,” says Micah Barnes.

Swedish pop outfit The Magnettes have created a “Monster” with the unleashing of their certifiable electro banger of a new single.

Check out the video and “Monster” on YouTube here:

With an 80s flair, mangled with a Dragonette-vibe, a rushing dance party pounds out of your speakers with experimental pop, exciting instrumentation, and a marching hook that will steal your heart.

“‘Monster’ is about that flirty, sexy, excruciating stage where it’s like ‘will-they-won’t-they?’,” singer Rebecka Digervall explains. “You’re a nervous wreck, trying to downplay your feelings but they’re growing and growing.”

“We’ve definitely been there,” adds Sanna Kalla. “The gushing, blood rushing, tingly thing that’s partly sweet, mostly unbearable.”

The Crickets will celebrate the 65^th anniversary of their very first hit song this year, “That’ll Be The Day,” the iconic rock and roll classic written by Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison (produced by Norman Petty, who also received songwriting credit).  Released in 1957, the track quickly became a worldwide hit, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and is ranked #39 in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

From the first time I met Elyse Saunders almost 10 years ago I knew she had something special. She hadn't blossomed yet, but the raw talent was there and most importantly so was the passion and the drive.

Elyse knew even then that it was a marathon not a sprint and I knew from just talking to her that she was ready, willing and able to roll up her sleeves and put in the 10,000 hours plus of hard work and discipline needed to reach her goal.

And now, almost 10 years in, the fruits of her labours are shining through. Elyse has taken all areas of her career and fine-tuned them to a high level, her songwriting, her vocal performance and stage presence are where they need to be to get to that next level.

2021 (and 2020 for that matter) reads like the famous quote:
 

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” - Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

As I post this, another year has come to a close here at Cashbox Canada, Cashbox Radio and our newest venture – Record World International.

It has been a year of change, disappointments, reconfiguring, live shows booked then cancelled, festivals postponed.

But on a positive note, I saw so many professionals and artists moving ahead with resilience and perpetual optimism. I witnessed creative people recreating themselves, finding ways to continue to hone their craft, release music, connecting with others.

We received more music submissions than ever before and some of it was like a breath of fresh air in production and content. We had more time to listen.

When The Band pulled into the unfinished Bearsville Sounds Studios in Bearsville, New York in early 1971 to record Cahoots, their fourth studio album in as many years, they were still basking in the success of and acclaim for their first three history-making records. The Band’s landmark debut album, July 1968’s Music From Big Pink, drew inspiration from the American roots music melting pot of country, blues, R&B, gospel, soul, rockabilly, the honking tenor sax tradition, hymns, funeral dirges, brass band music, folk and good ol’ rock ’n’ roll to foment a timeless new style that forever changed the course of popular music. When they released their seminal eponymous second album, The Band, the following year in September 1969 – or “The Brown Album,” as it would lovingly be called – not much more was known about the reclusive group.

Throughout his career, Tommy James has never stopped creating music and never stopped loving his fans. He loves to perform and his music has stood the test of time, garnering new fans all the time and keeping his old fans tuned into what he is doing today. 

With more than just the 23 gold albums, 9 platinum albums, 100 million records sold worldwide, 32 Billboard 'Hot 100' hits and, most impressive of all, the long string of hits heard on the radio over 21 million times, Tommy James has more than earned all his accolades and praises for music that is inextricably woven into people's memories and pop-culture DNA.

Some cool facts about Tommy James:
CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION, CRIMSON & CLOVER, MONY MONY, I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW, DRAGGIN' THE LINE, HANKY PANKY, SWEET CHERRY WINE, THREE TIMES IN LOVE and MIRAGE are just a few of the many hits - 23 GOLD RECORDS, 9 PLATINUM ALBUMS and over 100 MILLION RECORDS SOLD WORLDWIDE......and 32 BILLBOARD HOT 100 CHART HITS!

THE ANDY KIM CHRISTMAS returns to a live format at Massey Hall Featuring Billy Talent, The Sheepdogs, Ron Sexsmith, Alex Lifeson, Jully Black, Tyler Shaw, Sloan, William Prince, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Jake Clemons, Men Without Hats, Pursuit of Happiness, Theo Tams, Beverly Mahood, Georgia Harmer and Choir! Choir! Choir!

In addition to the actual concert, Mayor John Tory Proclaims December 8, 2021 as Andy Kim Day in the City of Toronto

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021
Concert in support of CAMH Gifts of Light
Tickets on sale NOW

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MasseyHall.com
Tickets (incl. HST) $37.50 - $97.50 (plus service charges)
All Ages / Reserved Seating

For the last 17 years, Andy Kim has been gathering friends and fans together for the Andy Kim Christmas Show to celebrate the spirit and generosity of the musical community with all proceeds going to CAMH Gifts of Light.

Available now, legendary 80s-electro new-wave Canadian outfit Spoons are back with two new epic releases: their coveted greatest hits album spanning 1980-2020 in Repeatable, and Echoes — a love letter of Spoons music recreated by artists the world over.

Spanning four decades of their beloved classics remastered, Repeatable cross-examines Spoons’ earliest successes and tracklists them alongside later works to create the ultimate testament to one of the country’s most beloved synth-pop groups.

In an initial run of CDs — also set to be accompanied by a double vinyl release — Spoons have carefully curated an incomparable walk down memory lane: From their big-haired licks like “Nova Heart,” “Romantic Traffic,” and “Old Emotions,” to their 2000s offerings in “You Light Up,” and “Escape With You,” Repeatable is a history lesson in the power and prowess of a few kids from a small city hamlet turned into remarkable staples of an entire generation of music fans.