If you had to assign the music business to a literary category, you’d have lots of options: horror, true crime, maybe science fiction. But none of those possibilities has the storytelling potential of a good romance. Enter Rock Crush and Roll, an amorous potboiler from author Hunter Snow that shows what happens behind the scenes can be even spicier than what goes on in the lyrics.

The plot in a nutshell: A female artist manager named Tyler Robertson works at a company that represents the biggest rock star in the world, Cary Kingston. But when their relationship becomes more than professional, she has a lot of soul-searching to do. For one thing, she’s violating her hard-earned policy against dating musicians. (Ever been in or around a band? Good call!) And his lifestyle is hardly conducive to having a serious relationship. Now she must navigate a precarious courtship while trying to figure out if her attraction is really to him, or merely to what he represents.

“This book, at its core, is about navigating relationships,” says author Snow. “Friends, families, partners, colleagues, and what truly makes you happy at the end of the day.”

11:00am - Sunday, February 18th 2024
11:00am Worship Service at Verity Centre For Better Living - 449 Vaughan Road, Toronto
Guest Speakers: Eddie Bullen ~ Jazz Pianist; Dani Elwell and John Devenish ~ JAZZ.FM91
Guest Performers Drummers From The Community Verity Community Choir, Derrick Sweet & Son, and Kolette Easy

Jay Douglas first appeared on stage in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Throughout his time of entertaining, Jay has developed into an Internationally idolized musical renaissance man thanks to his wide-ranging repertoire of Reggae, American blues, West Indian rhythms, and jazz standards — including the Light in the Attic’s “From Jamaica to Toronto” concert series. In the late ’60s,

RnB powerhouse Neena Rose has a “Secret” to share and it comes in the form of her newest single, a hot n’ fresh collab with NorthSideBenji.

The new track features the two Canadian RnB and hip hop luminaries, each currently making their marks on the industry both at home and abroad.

With over 325,000+ streams and upwards of 135,000 views this year, “Secret” lands fresh off a summer of sound for Rose, having released her latest double feature “Mannequin” and “(You A) Machine Gun.”

The next single off her forthcoming EP, 333, “Secret (feat. NorthSideBenji)” serves as a preview to her upcoming performance at this winter’s Indie Week in Toronto, and a follow-up to her recent performance blitz at Hamilton’s Supercrawl.

“I love it all, but writing lyrics is my favourite part of the process,” muses the Hamilton-based teen, reflecting on previous toe dips into nu-country, emo rock, and lofty pop bops before finding her most authentic self in R&B. “It’s always been a thing I love to do. Any time I feel any type of way, I’m writing a song. If I’m happy, I’m writing… If I’m sad, I’m writing…

As the year 2017 comes to an end, I am still amazed by the fact that I get to work with such an incredible staff at Cashbox Canada.

To my tireless Editor, Lenny Stoute, thank you for always sticking by me and being such a creative force every week.  His column BTW celebrates so many diversified artists and gives the indies a chance to shine. Lenny has an incredible background in journalism and I am grateful to have him.

To Don Graham, who somehow in between his own musical career as a recording artist, songwriter and performer, takes the time to do the personal interviews with fellow country artists and beyond to get some of the most memorable stories we have on CB. I truly believe his own career and background is what makes even the most wary artists feel comfortable in their interviews.

Cashbox Canada is offering a place in Santa’s Christmas bag – with a winner every day for the twelve days of Christmas starting December 1st through December 12. On December 13 we will be donating to Q107 John Derringer’s campaign for Derringer’s Thirteen Days of Christmas to raise funds for AbuseHurts.ca.

How it works:

Each day we ask readers on the Cashbox Canada Facebook page to answer a Holiday Question to win the prize of the day.

Artists/Products will be donated to the campaign. The winner’s information will be sent to you and you can personalize/autograph the prize and develop a new fan.

Artwork for Santa’s Got a Brand New Bag will be created and provided by graphic designer Jain MacMillan (CASHBOX CANADA, ONES) and your ‘gift’ will be in Santa’s Bag for the 12 Day Campaign

A cover story with all 12 artists background and a personal quote will be posted on December 18, 2017, and will remain in our archives.

Canadian music business veteran, Sandy Graham, has been involved in the entertainment industry for more decades than she cares to admit. “I can’t remember not being involved in music or dance my whole adult life,” she said from her home/office in Toronto’s Beach neighbourhood. And a quick check of her history backs that up.

A dazzling roster of musical, literary and stage talent is set to host an uplifting evening while raising funds for a dementia support program.

A marquee Canadian line-up – iconic folk singer/songwriter Murray McLauchlan, best-selling author Margaret Atwood, East Coast fiddle sensation Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, Soulpepper Theatre Company founder, actor/director Albert Schultz, acclaimed Canadian tenor Ben Heppner, dancer Travis Knights and blues singer/guitarist Matt Andersen, will appear at Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio on Friday, May 5, 2017 for Voices That Care, a concert benefiting the Room 217 Foundation.

Proceeds from Voices That Care support Room 217’s dementia singing program, which vastly enriches the lives of Canadians suffering with dementia, while providing education to caregivers wishing to integrate music into their care practice. Click here to watch a video of the program in action.

The little village square in my hood has a small stage at one end, so the sound of live music providing counterpoint to the omnipresent traffic thunder, is often and welcome. 'Twas early summer, the city air still soft , the greenery new and full of promise, a fresh crop of toddlers duking it out with the pigeons for fountain space when I heard the subtly turbulent chromatics and cascading arpeggios of Debussy rushing like a springtime stream from a keyboard.  Behind the keys, an elfin brunette young woman just getting started on a set that referenced Brubeck, Fatha Hines, Oscar Peterson, some delicate etudes from Beethoven, Burton Cummings and Diana Krall, among the stuff I recognised.

Come break time, I'm right over there curious to hear what else she can do. So she played me some show tunes, some Elton John, and when I called out for New Orleans sounds, she dropped some Dr. John, some Professor Longhair and her Fats Domino medley had the rugrats rompin'. All layered with numerous to me, unknown pieces, some of which were gorgeous and celebratory in tone, with a persistent flow of challenge and struggles informing the dynamic.

It’s pretty obvious Justin Trudeau mined for young votes an untapped source and got ahead of his feeble opponents who by all counts knew the plant was drying in the dorm stalls of their youth.
It truly is about time we legalize and savor the profits from the forbidden plant. Sucking families dry through gambling to me seems downright evil yet governments rely heavily on the faith of the weak, downfallen and underpaid to fill the coffers.

People smoke everywhere – who hasn’t. Hardly a day passes when I don’t recognize the sweet pungent smell of herb – it’s in and around. In fact, I see more people smoking freely on Main Street than at festivals.

It’s been decades since I last inhaled but I must admit I miss lighting up in cinemas and near the bandstand. Oh, the follies of youth!

Fall has just arrived with the first ‘Full Harvest Moon” in over 20 years; this tops off a record breaking heatwave that occurred across Canada and a summer with lots of events and excitement for locals and tourists alike in Toronto, Ontario. One of the jewels of our city is our Harbourfront, the Islands and the boating, from sailboats, tall ships to the ever popular day tours: Toronto has them all. One of the most popular is the Mariposa Cruises, the jewels of our harbourfront. Mariposa Cruises (Lines) was incorporated in 1987,with the purchase of The Mariposa Belle, adding it to the beginning fleet of The Rosemary. Canadian owned and operated, Mariposa Cruises next acquired the spectacular Captain Matthew Flinders and sailed her from Australia to Toronto in 1989. In the early 90’s- The Showboat,Tthe Northern Spirit and The Oriole were all added to Mariposa’s current fleet of six uniquely styled and well maintained vessels. Stability, quality, customer service and excellence are the foundations of Mariposa Cruises - the leader in the hospitality cruise industry.