Shelley Hamilton, Canada's Black Country Music Queen Makes History

Fri Sep 20, 2024

Photo Credits: Danielle Blancher

Shelley Hamilton's dynamic lead vocals are on full display in the single "Carry On" with a release date October 3rd, 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.

Bill King – Rhythms of a Lifetime

Fri Sep 13, 2024

"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)

Lee Underwood and Linda Ronstadt off to Rehearsal 1968 Photo Credit Bill King
Lee Underwood and Linda Ronstadt off to Rehearsal 1968 Photo Credit Bill King

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.

Toronto Classical Crossover Artist Elisa Rose Shines Light On Autism With Inspiring "You're My Everything" and Performs At Autism Benefit Concert Sept. 12

Sun Sep 08 2024
Autism Benefit Concert Sept. 12

Soprano vocalist Rose will perform alongside Songsbury and Elvis tribute artist Bruno Nesci at a benefit concert for Surrey Place on Sept. 12 at The Venetian Banquet Hall in Concord, Ontario; Tickets are $85 and include an open bar and l'antipasto bar.

Tickets Available here:  https://elisaroseofficial.com/

CJ Cooper - Crossing Borders Building Bridges

Fri Sep 06 2024
CJ Cooper Photo Credit Per Jahnke

CJ Cooper has packed a lot into her short 24 years on this planet. Reading her list of musical accomplishments you realize how far she’s already come in such a short period of time. She has already released two albums, has performed for companies like National Bank Open, Sportsnet, TD Bank, and the CFL. She has open for Biff Naked at Canadian Music Week and played at the London Music Hall.

And this summer CJ got to take it to the next level. As an award winner in the Music In Motion Canada contest she was invited to perform at the 4th Annual Lilla By Festivalen in Rinkaby, Sweden. This was an opportunity to perform in front of a global live audience and delegates from around the world and representatives of major events. Her performances included a main stage set and a set in the more intimate and personal setting in the Kanada Barn.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/artist/6HzCzSnCZEUNqSl8j6fMfz

“It was my first time performing overseas so I was excited and a little nervous. But more so a nervousness of anticipation rather than of fear.”

Deadline September 10th for the Special Offer to Register a .MUSIC Domain

Fri Sep 06 2024
global community

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Drake Jensen Releases Poignant Cover of Bruce Cockburn’s "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" Amid Rising Violence Against LGBTQ+ Communities

Fri Aug 30, 2024

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.

In Its 9th Year, Toronto’s Kensington Market Jazz Festival – Led By Molly Johnson – Back For September 27-29

Fri Aug 23 2024
Kensington Market Jazz Festival

Cue the scatted syllables and snapping fingers: The Kensington Market Jazz Festival is returning to the streets of Toronto the weekend of Sept. 27-29, 2024. And when it arrives, it won’t be as just a revered local tradition, but the embodiment of an enduring vision. This ninth edition of the annual salute to all that jazz will make good on legendary singer-songwriter and philanthropist Molly Johnson O.O.C.’s ongoing, dogged determination to fill the city’s beloved heritage district with the sounds and sensations of musical excellence—and to do it better each and every time.

youtube.com/channel/UCSlJBByVP0JA-8x2_IFrwzA

Last year’s KMJF saw more than 200 world-class players and vocal stylists taking the stage for a whopping 92 performances, in a best-yet showcase of the rich diversity of Canadian jazz. The 2024 schedule is poised to top even that landmark success, with a stunning assemblage of talent delivering a shot of musical adrenaline straight into the vibrant heart of Toronto.

Standby for artist announcement and details on times of performances!

COLIN JAMES Adds Heavy Hitters to the Line-Up on The Newly Released Album "Chasing the Sun"

Fri Aug 23, 2024

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.

Toronto’s Liss Gallery Celebrates The Rock Visions Of Legendary Photographer Bob Gruen

Fri Aug 16 2024
John Lennon

September 3, 2024 – October 5, 2024: Liss Gallery, 112 Cumberland Street, Toronto

If you’ve ever thumbed through a music magazine or gazed in admiration at a poster of a legendary rock star, the chances are good you were looking at the work of Bob Gruen. From his iconic portraits of John Lennon in New York to his seminal studies of the punk explosion of the late 1970s, Gruen has been at the forefront of capturing our culture heroes on camera for over half a century. And now the public gets to see the proof up close via a retrospective exhibit of his absolutely electric rock photography at Toronto’s Liss Gallery.

Guitar Legend Liona Boyd Shares Reimagined “Summer Dreams” Duet With Olivia Newton-John

Fri Aug 09 2024
Liona Boyd

Nostalgia has a poignant way of folding in upon itself. That’s what’s happened with “Summer Dreams,” the 2013 duet between Canadian guitar icon Liona Boyd and Australian pop superstar Olivia Newton-John.

When it was first released 11 years ago, the song was a simple, heartfelt ode to weekend vacations past. Now that it’s been rereleased in a remixed and updated production, the record has taken on the extra dimension of a moving tribute to a friendship not even death could dim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juDUrvK4Op0

“Back in 2013, I asked my dear girlfriend of many years, the late Olivia Newton-John, to be my guest on a song for an album I was releasing that year,” Boyd says. “She happily agreed, and I flew down with my producer, Peter Bond, to record her near her home in Jupiter, Florida.

Japanese-Canadian Alt-Rock Artist, Garrett Neiles, Shares 80's Pop-Infused Summer Anthem About the Daily Reminders of His Partner on "Lipstick"

Fri Aug 09, 2024

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. 

Legendary Rascal Flatts Frontman Gary LeVox To Perform at the 2024 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Thu Aug 01 2024
Songwriters Hall of Fame

Marie-Mai to Host Star-Studded Event Being Held on September 28 at Massey Hall in Toronto

AHI, Dallas Smith, Tenille Townes, Whitehorse, William Prince to Perform in Honour of Inductees Tom Cochrane, Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Sarah McLachlan and Diane Tell.

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is pleased to announce the host and initial lineup of artists confirmed to perform at the 2024 CSHF Induction Ceremony presented by Amazon Music, at Massey Hall in Toronto on September 28, 2024. Among the performers is Gary LeVox, the legendary vocalist and frontman of Rascal Flatts, one of country music’s most influential bands. Rascal Flatts famously recorded Cochrane’s iconic chart-topper “Life Is a Highway” in 2005, reviving the song’s popularity for a new generation.

The Canadians Are Coming to Lilla By Festivalen Sweden!

Thu Aug 01 2024
Lilla By Festivalen Celebrates ABBA 50 Years

Lilla By Festivalen, the festival located in the small village of Rinkaby, Sweden is entering its 4 year and this year looks to be their most successful one ever.

Rinkaby, a small village (Lilla By is Swedish for just that) is located close to Lake Hammarsjon and 12 kilometres from Kristianstad.

The event is the creative dream of Rinkaby residents Malin Osth and Jonas Tancred, who wanted to have a festival for the local village people to gather and for the folks in the vicinity to have an easily commutable destination and has now evolved into a global event, gathering the legendary Canadians as well as up and coming talent.

"We, as well as most other people, had our calendar basically erased during the COVID pandemic so when the restrictions were opening 2021 we thought we just had to create our own little festival. We thought, how hard can it be!? And when we got the opportunity to host our festival together with the music industry professionals showcasing ourselves and other fellow musicians we just had to go with it," explains Malin and Jonas.

Singer/Songwriter Don Graham Releases a Heartfelt Abum, My Old Guitar, My Old Boots and Me

Thu Jul 25, 2024

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:

Contemporary Roots-Folk Singer-Songwriter Howard Gladstone Releases New Single Crazy Talk

Sun Jul 21 2024
Howard Gladstone Photo Credit Rick Zolkower

Contemporary roots-folk singer-songwriter Howard Gladstone releases the first new single "Crazy Talk" (Sonic Peach Music) from his upcoming album of the same name, to-be-released in September, 2024. This will mark Gladstone’s eighth album to date. He is also publishing a book of his collected lyrics titled "Timepieces." The song is available now on all major platforms.

"Crazy Talk," the title track of Howard Gladstone's upcoming album, is a lighthearted, lazy, jazzy shuffle that pays lyrical homage to Patsy Cline, The Beatles, and Robbie Robertson. The song features delightful backing vocals from JAZZ-FM radio host and musician Laura Fernandez; a mellow bass solo from Bob Cohen; and a sprightly electric guitar solo from the great Tony Quarrington – who co-wrote the song (and four others on the album), and also produced the LP. Says Quarrington, "'Crazy Talk' is a loping, good-natured ramble through various topics: country music, love, revolution, and lots besides."

Neena Rose Unveils Bold New Single "Propaganda," Signaling a Powerful New Era in Her Music Career

Sun Jul 21, 2024

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.

NEENA ROSE PROPAGANDA COVER ART copy.jpgCatching 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?

AC/Pop Crossover Star Giorgia Fumanti Releases “Close To Your Heart” From Upcoming Expanded Edition Of The Cinema Collection

Fri Jul 12, 2024

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 Release New EP and Single Release Bankers Of Yonge

Fri Jul 05, 2024

"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

Bif Naked Returns with 'Champion': Her First Studio Album In 15 Years

Fri Jun 28 2024
Bif Naked

"I can think of no better gift that I could give to everyone to help me celebrate my birthday". June 15th was a response to the overwhelming feelings developed as the record started to take shape, and with the final mixes. graphics, mastering including the new hidden tracks and EDM dance mixes it took on a persona of its own.... THE CHAMPION

CHAMPION JUST FEELS SO EXCEPTIONAL NOW, SO PHENOMENAL for me- that there would be no better gift I could give to celebrate this time in my life.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/7nlTROOz1Wx9iwkGl2ZtC5

Johann Lowenberg The Pirate in Me

Fri Jun 28, 2024

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.