I first met D.O. Gibson over 10 years ago in Cannes, France during MIDEM, where he was hosting CIMA’S Canadian Blast Showcase. His love of music and people, along with his extreme professionalism made him the perfect choice year after year to introduce Canadian talent to the global community.

His enthusiasm and a big smile makes him a magnet for positivity in a business that can so easily crush your dreams. But not D.O. Gibson, he is the true persona of tenacity and passion for music is what makes him indefatigable.

In 2001, D.O. Gibson, was asked to speak to a class of students about how he could be a rapper and also earn a University degree. In a few short months, Gibson was fielding similar requests to speak and perform at dozens of schools, leading him to create the Stay Driven program that addresses subjects including anti-bullying, peer pressure and literacy, based on his own life experiences. Gibson has since spoken and performed at over 1,000 schools to hundreds of thousands of students.

Following last year’s 50th anniversaries of the era-defining albums ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ and ‘Mona Bone Jakon’,  Yusuf / Cat Stevens is releasing a new extended version of the 1971 multi-platinum selling follow-up ‘Teaser and the Firecat’, due on November 12th 2021 via UMC / Island Records. You can listen to a previously unheard recording of his classic ‘Moonshadow’ below. Recorded at Olympic before the release of the two 1970 albums, this version provides a new insight into the origins of one of the most enduring songs of the 1970s.

Cat Stevens broke on to the radio airwaves with Tea for the Tillerman:

Dion is following up his critically acclaimed and commercially successful 2020 album release Blues With Friends with Stomping Ground, a new album that finds him collaborating yet again with music greats with whom he shares mutual admiration. Set for release November 5, Stomping Ground was produced by Wayne Hood with Dion and will be released through Joe Bonamassa and Roy Weisman’s KTBA Records. The album will be available digitally as well as on CD and as a two LP set.  

Check out the single release of “I’ve Got to Get To You’ ft. Boz Scaggs here:

Kindness! Sounds so simple and easy but is not as common as you would think, or as it should be, in today's world.

Award-winning Canadian artist Julian Taylor has released a new single that speaks right to that issue. The song "100 Proof," was written by Julian's good friend and occasional co-writer Tyler Ellis. Julian first met Tyler while performing at various open stages around Toronto. In 2016, both musicians took over the hosting duties at Dora Keogh Irish Pub’s “Riverboat Mondays” until Julian’s exodus a few years ago. During the pandemic, the open stage continued online.

Check out “100 Proof” by Julian Taylor on YouTube here:

Maria Muldaur is a name firmly rooted in the musical history from the the 1970’s. She broke out on the charts in 1973 with her #1 song “Midnight and the Oasis” and continued to record for all the years after that smash hit broke her name to radio.

And now six-time Grammy nominee Maria Muldaur, who’s been dubbed “The First Lady of Roots Music” for previous albums touching on her wide-ranging influences from blues, country, folk, jazz and even jug band music, released her new  single on October 8th, ‘I’m Vaccinated and Ready for Love!,” on Stony Plain Records.

Described as “one of the most innovative of their era,” iconic Canadian artists Martha and the Muffins have announced the release of their new album, Marthology: In and Outtakes set to release November 5^th, 2021.

Check out the New Single "Do You Ever Wonder" here:

We caught up with Martha and Mark at their home in Ontario, Canada to talk about the release of their first album in 11 years.   I asked them both how does it feel have the name Martha and the Muffins called iconic legends and the innovative artists from the 80's punk era.

Colin James is truly a musical treasure and has been able to release album after album, each one with its own unique blend of retro and rock, and he never disappoints. I have personally been a fan for years and with the release of “Open Road”, this one is sure to be a playlist repeat in my library. If you are a true music fan you need to add it to your library as well.

And now from the rolling prairies of Saskatchewan to the Open Road of a storied career, multi-award-winning, chart-topping, and multi-Platinum selling guitarist Colin James releases his 20th studio album on November 5, 2021, via Stony Plain Records and available for pre-order HERE.

Following this summer’s track, “Down On The Bottom,” the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Famer has revealed the release’s video:

Eric Clapton, rock and blues guitarist, singer, songwriter is referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time.

Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and fourth in Gibson’s “Top 50 Guitarists of All Time. He was also named number 5 in Time magazine’s list of “The Best Electric Players” in 2009.

For my generation, Eric Clapton is part of our musical scrapbooks, from The Yardbirds hits to the iconic album and single release “Layla”. His solo career with so many blues covers and then, of course, his heart-wrenching tribute to his son, “Tears in Heaven”. The list goes on and on as do the memories of where we all were when we heard all his songs.

Catching up with Tom Jackson at his home in Western Canada, you can feel his heart, soul and commitment to telling the story of ‘215’ just by his voice.

“This story has to be not only told but told over and over again. We need to keep the momentum and movement going in order to find a way to heal and find reconciliation. This is a bittersweet and poignant time in history for the Indigenous First Nations people. This time has to be a lesson for all Canadians – and we need to forgive but not forget.’

Jackson is talking, of course, about the horrifying event in the Summer of 2021, the discovery of 215 unmarked graves near Kamloops, of Residential School children. The Nation was shocked but it is a story many of us knew about but it somehow has been buried in the past. Since then, thousands of more graves have been discovered.

Eric Alper, a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week, a 19-time JUNO Award winner overseeing PR campaigns including 3 in 2021, and over 50 Maple Blues Award winners, over 40 Canadian Folk Music Award winners – makes Eric one of the hardest working members of the music community.

If you work with Eric don't be surprised to get an email from him at 6:45am, all through the day and then at 10:45pm. He is a busy guy but somehow through his drive and dedication, he manages to keep all the balls in the air and all the plates spinning.

Donny Osmond has been a singer, actor, triple-threat television series host (talk show, game show, variety show), best-selling author (his autobiography entered the UK bestseller chart at #1), commercial spokesman, motivational speaker, and even a racecar driver.

Throughout his illustrious career, Donny has earned 33 gold records; selling over 100 million albums becoming a worldwide music legend. He  made history by celebrating almost 6 decades in show business with the release of his 61st album, One Night Only: a live album accompanied by a DVD of his sold out UK tour in January, 2017. The Flamingo Las Vegas show with Marie, began back in September 2008 and was originally scheduled to run for six weeks. The audience response was so overwhelming that the Flamingo renamed their showroom, “The Donny & Marie Showroom.” The Donny and Marie show has receiving many accolades during their run. They've been awarded “Best Show,” "Best Singer,” "Best Band," and "Best Dancers” throughout the years according to the Las Vegas Review Journal.

I can distinctly remembered hearing ‘Your Song’ for the very first time, and now decades later, Elton John has once more released a hit single, keeping himself current with a duet offering with Dua Lipa of “Cold Heart”.

I recently watched the 2019 biopic ‘Rocketman’, the musical documentary of Elton John’s life. Although I will admit I fast-forwarded past the spontaneous song and dance numbers that seemed to erupt from nowhere in the script, I really did learn more about this talented and when he was younger troubled artist.

It is hard to fathom that a boy who grew up in Oklahoma City would have much knowledge of hockey, let alone be a passionate fan of the game, but that is the story of Vince Gill, country music superstar now residing in Nashville with his wife, Amy Grant.

Vince has a special affinity for Canada. “Canada accepted me long before the States did as an artist, no matter what I was doing,” he said. “I have always had a fondness for Canada.”

The personable star sat down during the pandemic that put a hiatus on his touring and talked about a myriad of things, including two of his passions: music and hockey.

Kevin: How does a little boy growing up in Oklahoma ever dream about the incredible musical success that you have enjoyed – 22 Grammy Awards, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame?

Legendary singer songwriter Jesse Colin Young is set to release his rousing rendition of Van Morrison’s “These Dreams of You” on Friday, August 20. The single, which will be available on all streaming platforms, will be accompanied by a new music video.

I have been a fan and follower of Jesse Colin Young since my early days in radio since the mid-70’s when I had the opportunity to play his solo career albums, with songs like ‘It’s a Lovely Day’, ‘Song for Juli’,  and his amazing medley of Marvin Gaye’s classic ‘What’s Goin’ On/Mercy Mercy Me’ to name  a few.

There’s a trend happening right now in the recording industry that I really like. The legacy artists that have been the soundtrack for some of us for 40 or even 50 years are coming out with new music! And not remakes of their old hits but new, vibrant and current songs. Rodney Crowell with his latest album 'Triage' singing “Something Has To Change”and John Fogerty singing about “Weeping in the Promised Land”. And now most recently the perennial favourite West Coast troubadour Jackson Browne, the latest release “My Cleveland Heart” from the album “Downhill From Everywhere.” Browne’s place in music history was cemented with his brilliant co-write with Glen Frey on "Take It Easy", a song that catapulted Eagles into the stratosphere of superstardom and Browne's breakout solo career song, "Doctor My Eyes".

Take a classic song, play it on a classical guitar and you create the opportunity for magic to happen. And that's exactly what Canadian guitarist Emma Rush has done. Rush took the renowned classic, "Both Sides Now", written by fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell, a version that she is now releasing as her new single.

"I recorded an album called "Canadiana", where I had performed my heartfelt tribute to some of the great Canadian songwriters and performers such as Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers. One song I did not include was an iconic ballad. I had always loved "Both Sides Now", so I thought I'd record it as a single release in a sensitive and melancholy way to interpret the song the way I felt it," Emma Rush explains with the choice of her song. 

A big, bright sun, plus soft sand, warm ocean breeze, and falling madly in love under a Mexican moon... Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Especially now?  During our long COVID winter, idyllic scenes like this have been just a dream for most… But now, Canadian singer/songwriter Don Graham is set to turn your summer day into a romantic tropical getaway with his new single and video, “Como Te Amo”.

Inspired by a last-minute holiday Graham took to Guyabitos, Mexico, “Come Te Amo” recalls a beautiful but bittersweet moment in time in an equally beautiful place set to a rollicking country-rock soundscape.

Check out 'Como Te Amo' here on YouTube:

Rodney Crowell, The Houston Kid, has released his 18^th album and it’s a winner.

“Triage” is an introspective look into the mind and heart of one of the finest songwriters to ever put pen to paper. We caught up with Rodney for a brief chat as he was preparing to head to out Georgia to perform before a live audience, post lockdown.

“A call from the Great White North” is how the conversation started. “You know I spent some time up there in Toronto way back. A bass player named Skip Beckwith was passing through Nashville and suggested I head up there. He said Brian Ahern was working with Emmy Lou Harris and they were putting a band together and he thought I should look into it.” Rodney, of course, worked with Emmy Lou as a member of The Hot Band.

John Fogerty, the 75-year-old Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer, is at it again, releasing his first single in eight years and making a political statement and stirring the pot as he did with CCR and “Fortunate Son".

Remember not long ago he issued a Cease and Desist Order to the Trump team to stop using that song at their rallies, which of course they ignored. His new song,  “Weeping In The Promised Land” is rife with commentary and reflection of the current times. Although John found the title in an old journal where he’d written the words weeping in the promised land twenty-five years ago, it wasn’t until 2020 that this version of the song was actually written.

Check out the video for “Weeping In The Promised Land” here:

When a legendary artist like Murray McLauchlan releases a new album of new songs it’s exciting. Exciting and a just a little bit scary at the same time. I first heard of Murray McLauchlan was when my friend John Williams was at CBS/Columbia Records. We were sitting in his car when he put a cassette in the deck and said “You gotta hear this kid!” That kid, of course, was Murray McLauchlan.

Every song on that album was first class, all killer, no filler as they say. So that was album #1 and here in the mail is album #20. And this where the scary part comes in.  Because the bar is so high with Murray’s body of work, you hope that anything new will rise to that level. And rise it did. From the first track, “The One Percent”, to the closing track, “Wishes”, Murray McLauchlan’s creative light shines as bright as it ever did. Listening to this album I felt like I was listening to the energy and the insight of a young Murray McLauchlan but with the wisdom and polish of a wise and mature sage.