Through five decades, Bruce Springsteen has served as a cultural phenomenon (twice, at least), a brittle and dark acoustic storyteller, a folk revivalist, a new Dylan, a working-class hero, "rock 'n roll future," a force for political and social change, an eloquent songwriter and unabashed party-rocker (often in the same song), a live performer of legendary energies, and a prodigy and preacher of the "majesty, the mystery and the ministry of rock ‘n roll."

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician, simply known as “The Boss”.

Photo Credits: Rebeka Slatter

Following the critical success of previous single Reef, which enjoyed support from Fresh On The Net, Essentially Pop, BBC Scotland, Ulster&Radio X, Scandinavian Singer-songwriter Malin Andersson kicks off 2023 with the release of Avalon – a song about misplaced empathy & a further taste of what’s to come on her upcoming album Space To Feel.

What a truly strange and stressful few years we have all experienced! COVID, wars, tragedies, hurricanes, tornados, short of locusts we have experienced it all. (Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned locusts and invited that one in!)

But throughout it all we have had music. There is a song for every moment, every memory we have had in our lives. Artists carried on providing us with new songs to keep us going. Legendary artists are touring reminding us about the soundtrack of our lives.

So with music always there – what else do we need? Love. It always ends up as important as breathing and our hearts beating.

What better way to celebrate February the month of love with Cashbox Canada and Cashbox Radio than to create a Pick Hit list of what we love as our favourite songs.

We kick it off with an amazing rendition of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David-penned song, What the World Needs Now is Love. Released in 2018 this cover features

Burt Bacharach, Steve Tyrell, Martina McBride, Rod Stewart, James Taylor & Dionne Warwick and truly is remarkable.

Check it out on YouTube here:

Fed up with lies from his partner, Oshawa, ON singer/songwriter Mark Wihlidal puts his faith in Karma on his new single “You and Me,” following his joyous debut single, “Life Can Be A Mystery” released in July 2022. Both songs were written and recorded collaboratively with his band, Mark Wihlidal and The Doctors of Music.

Check it out on YouTube here:

The band takes us on a “Bo Diddley bluesy” trip of a relationship that has gone wrong with the hope that Karma will balance everything out.

“You can run but, you can’t hide
Karma will get you every time
You can’t hide those little lies
It will catch you from behind”

Wintersong Music Festival has officially announced the headliners for their 4th edition, taking place January 20th - 21st, 2023 in Stouffville, ON. The annual festival draws thousands to the local area in the shoulder-season of Winter, giving a much-needed boost to the local economy.

Wintersong will be headlined by Montreal indie-pop band Stars; two-time JUNO award winning musician Dan Mangan; and 80’s new wave/synth-pop band Men Without Hats.

They will be joined by 2022 Polaris shortlisted OMBIIGIZI - a collaboration between Zoon’s Daniel Monkman and Status/Non Status’ Adam Sturgeon; and local indie-folk band Man Made Forest.

And so we now wind up the Year of 2022.

“Coming out of COVID” has certainly been a trying time and although restrictions were lifted, we all still had to adjust to a new way of working and living.

Especially in the live music sector, where the legendary artists were trying to honor bookings that were two years old, and the smaller artists were trying to get back to playing bars and venues, of which many closed, not being able to wait it out for things to return to ‘normal.'. In addition, I believe that creative folks are all 'sociable introverts' at heart, so trying to get back out there after almost to years of isolation has its own challenges.

For Cashbox Canada, as an online music magazine, our revenue stream is surely not built on ad support. With social media and so many other ways of promoting music, it seems like our magazine magically happens every week, and we do it out of the love for music.

But it truly is Team Cashbox that keeps it running. So my heartfelt thanks to my teammates:

Jain McMillan - who is our graphic guru and the one who creates those beautiful covers you see every week

From raising hell to singing for the Lord Joe Richard’s transition is complete. From his early days in music which occasionally took him of the chosen path and on to the garden path with drugs and partying the Loudonville, Ohio Native is finally and gratefully where he belongs. ” 

I was raised in a musical family. I was only seven years old when I joined my first band. My Dad had a country band, James Paul and The Blue Country. When I was about five I’d watch my Dad’s drummer and try to figure out what he was doing. . My Dad saw my interset and took notice bought me a drum set for my sixth birthday. A year later I joined my first band Iron Fist, playing Kiss, Peter Frampton, and other classi rock tunes . Years later in high school I was in a group called , The Ramblin Band. We got to open for established acts bands like Charlie Daniels, David Allan Coe and , Emmy Lou Harris, Tom T. Hall and Ray Stevens.” 

Alexander McLean Mair passed away in Toronto on November 25, 2022 at the age of 82. There are few involved in any facet of the Canadian music industry that didn’t know of Al Mair. There are none in the Canadian music industry that didn’t benefit from Al Mair.

In 1974, Al co-founded Attic Records, Canada’s largest and most successful independent record company before it was sold to The SONG Corporation in 1999. Through those 25 years, Attic’s sales exceeded $100 million in Canada. Prior to Attic, Al managed the career of Gordon Lightfoot, helping navigate the singer’s career to massive international success.

Singer-songwriter, actor and activist Tom Jackson is once again hitting the road for charity. The 74-year-old, whose philanthropic efforts have raised an estimated $250 million in cash and in-kind food banks and disaster relief since the 80s, will launch his national Stories, Songs & Santa Causes tour Nov. 24 in Edmonton and wrap up on Dec. 16 in St. John’s.

Sponsored by Canada Life — the 26th year of their support — the pre-holiday concerts feature an evening of original music, sing-along tunes, and signature Christmas music from master storyteller, Tom Jackson; BC Country Music Association hall-of-fame producer, Tom McKillip; and award-winning producer/multi-instrumentalist John MacArthur Ellis begins November 24.

“Stories, Songs & Santa Causes is about the why not the what. For us, the why is to make you happy, because healthy is happy, and happy is healthy. This show is designed to get you out of your funk, and for you to help us save lives. The ‘why’ is what separates us from others. Buy a ticket, save lives. Stories, Songs & Santa Causes is about giving a gift,” says Tom.

Vancouver-based band Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues, formed in 1978, are finally history, in the most literal sense. The National Canadian Museum of History has just completed an acquisition of Powder Blues artifacts that will become a part of the CMH permanent collection.

“We are incredibly honored that the National Canadian Museum of History has chosen to preserve our legacy. It is our hope the display will convey some of the joy, passion and energy that we have shared with and received from our great audiences over the past 44 years,” says Lavin. “It’s satisfying to know that these items will be protected and shared for years to come. I could not have asked for a more perfect home than this great and respected museum in Gatineau.”

Check ‘em out live on YouTube here:

Christmas is a difficult time for many – if not most – people, even if that isn’t the way it’s usually portrayed by retailers and in the media. With that in mind, alt-country artist Andrea England gets refreshingly, reassuringly honest about the bitter-sweetness of the holiday in her new single “Jolly Melancholy Christmas” – check it out on YouTube here:

A slow, thoughtful guitar ballad, “Jolly Melancholy Christmas” is introspective without being a complete tearjerker (although you’re absolutely allowed to cry). Like many people, England recently lost some people who were close to her, and the loss has tinged the holidays with sadness over the last few years.

Cover Photo Credit: Michael Spillane

Canadian treasure Lisa Hartt is back on the airwaves with a moving tribute to her late brother, Christopher, with a song entitled "Don't Tell Me How I Feel".

Watch and listen to "Don't Tell Me How I Feel" on YouTube here:

The Million Dollar Quartette is reunited in Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven as Jerry Lee Lewis joins Elvis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins in the great celestial band of brothers. Lewis, the hard livin', hard rockin' boogie-woogie piano innovator and bluesy, country, rock ‘n’ roll singer passed away on October 28, 2022 at his home in DeSoto County, Miss., south of Memphis at the age of 87.

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins MBE is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a record deal with XL Recordings. Her debut album, 19, was released in 2008 and spawned the UK top-five singles "Chasing Pavements" and "Make You Feel My Love" and the rest is history.

The singer dropped a lush new music video for her song "I Drink Wine" on Thursday in what was her first new video since January. The well-produced clip finds the 15-time Grammy winner, 34, drifting through a river while drinking a glass of wine.

Watch "I Drink Wine" on YouTube here:

Steve Addabbo has earned his stripes behind the board and behind the glass as a producer, session player, audio engineer and mixing and mastering ace working with likes of Bobby McFerrin, Bob Dylan, Eric Andersen, Loudon Wainwright III, Jeff Buckley, Suzanne Vega, Olivia Newton-John ans Shawn Colvin. As a  mix engineer he has mixed, among other projects, the Bob Dylan box sets Bootleg 10: Another Self Portrait and Bootleg 12: The Cutting Edge for which he received a Grammy Award.  More recently he has mixed the Dylan Bootleg 13, Trouble No More and Bootleg 14, More Blood, More Tracks and the most recent yet to be released: Tribute To a Songpoet, The Songs of Eric Andersen.

And now Steve has shown his skills on the other side of the glass with his 14-song solo album featuring self-penned and co-written gems that allow us a glimpse Steve Adddabbo, the artist.

From reciting books of the bible in a cult to headlining pride festivals, lead vocalist and fearless leader Lynx tours the world advocating a sense of belonging and a be who you are attitude. Their signature sound evolved through many late nights of watching Twin Peaks, James Bond and Tarantino films - injecting more than a hint of subversiveness into the sexy soundscapes of dangerous spy movies.

Lynx has a love of genre melding and pop culture maintaining their roots while bringing underground music to the mainstream.

After Kill, is Lynx Deans 2nd single, since jumping into the solo arena, ready for action!

Single Release Coming October 28, 2022 - just in time for Hallowe'en!

Speaking of action, who doesn't love a hot zombie/vampire love affair??

Previously, spearheading the band Random Order, Lynx often wrote with tongue in cheek humour of risque  relationships gone sour.

From Butcher Holler to the Grand Ole Opry to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Loretta has completed her earthly journey. Lynn passed away at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, on October 4^th, 2022.

Born Loretta Webb in a one-room rural Kentucky cabin in 1932, Lynn was one of eight siblings and the daughter of a coal miner – a fact that led to her signature song, 1970’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter”. Loretta got her first guitar in 1953 and started a band with her brother Jay Lee, Loretta and the Trailblazers. She began writing her own songs and her debut single, I’m a Honky-Tonk Girl, was released in 1960. She and Oliver marketed the single by themselves driving from one country radio station to another. “Because we were too poor to stay in hotels, we slept in the car and ate baloney and cheese sandwiches in the parks … we were on the road three months.” The song was a success, reaching the Country Top 20, and led to her being signed by a major label, Decca.

Iconic Canadian entertainer Dean Brody is closing out the biggest summer of his career by earning his eighth #1 at Canadian country radio on the BDS Country Chart with “Where’d You Learn How to Do That.” This monumental spot at the top of the charts follows-up Brody’s recent headlining show at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage.

“Big love and thanks to all my fans and country radio for this,” shared Brody when learning of his #1. “I’m so happy I get to make music for you all. What a year it has been!”

Raised in Los Angeles in a climate of respect for the arts, Quaker traditions, and a commitment to social activism. A Stella guitar given to her as a Christmas present launched Bonnie on her creative journey at the age of eight. While growing up, though passionate about music from the start, she never considered that it would play a greater role than as one of her many growing interests.

With Just Like That…, her twenty-first album and her first new release in more than six years, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bonnie Raitt continues to draw on the range of influences that have shaped her legendary career, while creating something that speaks to the circumstances and challenges of these unprecedented times.

The title comes from a line in one of her new original songs (“Just like that your life can change”), which seemed especially fitting “because there’s never been a time that made me look around and say, ‘Nobody saw this coming’—where all of a sudden, everything shifted.”