Jamie Fine’s latest single, “like i do,” will be released on November 22 through Frostbyte Media, a boutique division of Virgin / Universal Music. Frostbyte is part of the internationally distributed SRG-ILS label group, home to celebrated artists like UB40, Saukrates, Chaka Khan, Brian McKnight, J. Brown, and Keke Palmer.

Advance Link here: https://srgils.lnk.to/likeido

Jamie Fine has always been refreshingly real. It’s her openness—her willingness to share her authentic self—that has endeared her to millions as a relatable, down-to-earth voice in pop today. In “like i do,” the Ottawa-born singer-songwriter celebrates her unique quirks, offering listeners a heartfelt glimpse into the complexities of love and self-acceptance. Fine acknowledges that she can be a handful to love but trusts that, beneath it all, her big heart shines through.

Get ready for the latest release from International Recording Artist JC Sol original track of “Take Me Home”, the latest from the renowned soul, smooth jazz vocalist.

Watch on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kMYzJg0F1Iy5R-bXAcxl8DaE2…

“My decision to go beyond the Canadian borders with part of this project was motivated by the many incredible musical connections I’ve made through social media over the past 5 years. The Smooth Jazz R & B market in LA and New York is thriving so I wanted to bring some Canadian soul to the genre.

Nova Scotia-via-Toronto singer-songwriter Sandy Bell’s debut solo album, Break of Day: Songs for Colin, was born out of heart-wrenching grief, after losing her only son Colin Bell in a tragic train accident. He died at age 20 while walking home one night, listening to music on his headphones, in Brantford, Ontario. (See below for greater detail.) Produced by Andrew Collins (five-time JUNO-nominated and seven-time Canadian Folk Music Awards winner).

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/2RyNNWvkxOCQ79xAfqyrDG

While Bell has sung and written music for much of her life, and co-founded country roots band The Wanted, for decades she was devoted to raising her boy and professionally promoting other music artists' dreams. But she kept her own dream alive to someday release a solo album. It took retiring and moving to Nova Scotia for Bell to finally do it, at age 63 – even though this was never the album she imagined recording.

“Candy Mountain,” the indie cult classic about a musician’s quest to find a legendary guitar craftsman, has been digitally restored in 2K and will be re-released to theaters on October 25. Originally released in 1987, the film stars Kevin J O’Conner and Harris Yulin, as well as French icon Bulle Ogier, with a supporting cast of real-life music legends Tom Waits, Leon Redbone, Joe Strummer, Dr. John, David Johansen and Arto Lindsay. Called “A wry, laid-back ‘Heart of Darkness’" (Chicago Reader), “Candy Mountain” combines the keen eye of the legendary photographer Robert Frank with novelist/screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer’s mythic American prose to produce the quintessential road movie.

Check out the trailer on YouTube here:

The indefatigable Tom Rush’s 6-decade career of crossing the continent is marching right along.

The pioneering troubadour/folksinger/songwriter/storyteller is currently on tour and scheduled to make a long overdue return to Hugh’s Room Live in Toronto, Ontario on October 25 and 26, 2024.

Rush’s impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the ’60s and the renaissance of the ’80s and ’90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone, “Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences.” Country music star Garth Brooks has credited Rush with being one of his top five musical influences. Rush has long championed emerging artists.

Tom Rush began his musical career in the early ’60s playing the Boston-area clubs while a Harvard student. The Club 47 was the flagship of the coffee house fleet, and he was soon holding down a weekly spot there, learning from the legendary artists who came to play, honing his skills and growing into his talent. He had released two albums by the time he graduated.

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.