Burlington has a rich history of arts and culture that has played a key role in the city’s success, dating back to the historical Brant Inn that featured jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. For years, Burlington artists and community leaders have upheld this tradition while laying the groundwork for the next generation of cultural innovators.

The Burlington Performing Arts Centre (‘BPAC’) established its Hall of Fame in 2013. Every year since then, the Hall of Fame has recognized artists who have made significant contributions to the performing arts in Burlington, including the internationally acclaimed conductor Boris Brott, and legendary Canadian comedian and broadcaster Gordie Tapp.

The latest addition to this list is Burlington-based singer-songwriter Chris McKhool. McKhool is a 7-time winner of the Canadian Folk Music Awards and a 4-time JUNO Award nominee for both his music for young people and his involvement in the band Sultans of String. He is a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient, and has received numerous awards from Folk Music Ontario, Canadian Independent Music Association and SiriusXM.

Lost and Found is the new video off the album Walking Through the Fire by Sultans of String. Ts’msyen Elder Shannon Thunderbird wrote and sings the song. She is originally from the Pacific Northwest coast of British Columbia: Gilut'sau Band of the Royal House of Niis'gumiik, Gispudwada (Orca) Clan. The music is arranged and supported by Sultans of String, and the epic strings of the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

“On May 27, 2021, the bones of 215 Indigenous children were found in a mass grave on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, BC” says Shannon. “I wrote 'Lost and Found' several days later to acknowledge the fact that with tangible evidence Canadians could no longer deny what we have been saying for over a century”

The wind raced through the trees,
Dying children on their knees
Where have you gone, I love you,
Please come home to me.

Sultans of String & Indigenous Collaborators across Turtle Island Create Trailblazing Musical Response to the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action

Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 8:00pm

Hugh’s Room Live presents
‘Walking Through the Fire’ – Indigenous Collaborations with Sultans of String

Featuring Dr. Duke Redbird, The North Sound, Shannon Thunderbird, Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk, Marc Meriläinen (Nadjiwan), and a multimedia extravaganza including Northern Cree, Kendra Tagoona, Tracy Sarazin, and more!

Hugh’s Room Live
296 Broadview Avenue,
Toronto ON M4M 2G7

TIX: $45 in advance, $50 at the door, 647-347-4769

showpass.com/sultans-of-string-walking-through-the-fire/

“Sweet Alberta” is the new single off the Sultans of String album entitled Walking Through the Fire, the most ambitious and important project of their career, a CD and concert of collaborations with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island. The song started as a poem penned by Grammy nominated and legendary Chippewa/Anishinaabe Elder Dr. Duke Redbird, set to music by Chris McKhool and Sultans of String.

This track features the gorgeous vocals of The North Sound, formed in 2014 by lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Forrest Eaglespeaker along with his wife Nevada Eaglespeaker who composes and provides vocal harmonies.

Keeping true to the traditions of Forrest’s heritage, The North Sound was created to share stories of Forrest’s Blackfoot identity and traditions from Treaty 7 Territory. This track was perfectly suited to these award-winning artists, with their connection to the land.

Black Winged Raven is the new single off the album Walking Through the Fire by Sultans of String. It is a foot-stomping barn burner of a song that celebrates the project with Ts’msyen artist Shannon Thunderbird, who is originally from the Pacific Northwest coast of British Columbia: Gilut'sau Band of the Royal House of Niis'gumiik, Gispudwada (Orca) Clan. The lyrics are sung in Sm'algyax, with the music beautifully arranged with Sultans of String and the epic strings of the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

“Raven is the culture hero of the Pacific Northwest Indigenous People” explains Shannon, whose fireside chats, lectures, and original music open the minds and hearts of audiences to the rich culture and history of Canada's Indigenous people. “My sister Kate and I grew up with the stories of Raven. He is a very robust character that our people, the Coast Ts’msyen love and respect – to this day we listen to these stories.”

“The Rez” is a collaboration between 2x JUNO Award winning blues and country music artist Crystal Shawanda and 3x JUNO nominated, 6x CFMA winning Sultans of String. Crystal is an Ojibwe Potawatomi Indigenous singer, born in Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, is also decorated with multiple Aboriginal People’s Choice Awards, Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, a CCMA, a Canadian Radio Music Award, and too many JUNO nominations to list.

Watch and listen to this beautiful piece of music here on YouTube here:

‘Take Off The Crown’ is a collaboration between Raven Kanatakta of 2x JUNO Award winning Digging Roots, and 3x JUNO nominated, 6x CFMA winning Sultans of String, with bed tracks recorded at Jukasa Studios, an Indigenous-owned world-class recording facility on the Six Nations reserve south of Hamilton, Ontario. It is the fourth single off the upcoming Sultans album entitled ‘Walking Through the Fire’ (Sept 22, 2023 release), a CD and concert of collaborations with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island.

The lyrics are penned by Raven Kanatakta Polson-Lahache and Sho-Shona Kish, and the music created with Sultans of String.\

Smudge burning in the morning
Makes a healing cloud
News blackout on the lost ones
100,000 souls singing loud

Global Ambassadors of Musical Diversity, SULTANS OF STRING, will shine a light on the Plight of Refugees with its Cannes World Film Festival Winning Documentary, Sultans of String: The Refuge Project - Visual Album, at the 18^th Annual CANADIAN FOLK MUSIC AWARDS on Sat April 1, 2023 @ 3pm).

Leading with four nominations for their “Sanctuary” album (Contemporary, Global Roots, Pushing the Boundaries, and Producer of the Year), this Billboard charting band’s film features music and interviews from “Sanctuary” as well as sister album “Refuge”, both served up under lockdown.

This 1.5 hour screening will be followed by a fun Q&A with bandleader and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient Chris McKhool and co-producer John “Beetle” Bailey, hosted by Michael Tymchuk.

Sultans of String: The Refuge Project - Visual Album OFFICIAL TRAILER

A Beautiful Darkness is a collaboration between 3x JUNO nominated, 4x CFMA winning Sultans of String and Marc Meriläinen, the creative force also known as Nadjiwan, who has been recognized in many corners, including Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, the Native American Music Awards, the Indigenous Music Awards, along with invitations to perform at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto.

Watch A Beautiful Darkness - Sultans of String feat. Marc Meriläinen (Nadjiwan) on YouTube here:

It is the second single off the upcoming Sultans of String album entitled Walking Through the Fire (Sept 22, 2023 release), the most ambitious and important project of their career, a CD and concert of collaborations with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island.

“Nîmihito (Dance)”is a collaboration between 3x JUNO nominated, 4x CFMA winning Sultans of String and Northern Cree, a nine-time Grammy nominated pow wow and round dance group from Treaty 6 territory in Canada, who have released more than 50 albums over their 40-year history.

Check out “Nîmihito (Dance)” on YouTube here:

 It is the first single off the upcoming Sultans of String album entitledWalking Through the Fire(Sept 22, 2023 release), the most ambitious and important project of their career, a CD and concert of collaborations with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island. 

Support the future of music this holiday season! Own Holiday Tracks from Jessica Moskaluke, Myles Goodwyn, Chris Hadfield, Olivia Penalva, And More

Lemmon Entertainment is releasing the Lemmon Holiday Mixtape – available now – featuring a wide variety of Canadian artists spreading Holiday cheer for an excellent cause. 100 percent of the mixtape’s proceeds will go to the MusiCounts Band Aid program.

Available from Dec. 9 through Dec. 30, the mixtape features Jessica Moskaluke, Bif Naked, Josh Bogert, Olivia Penalva, Andrew Allen, Maggie Szabo, Jim Bryson, Pavlo, Zach Oliver, Ellen Doty, Chris Hadfield, Cassie Dasilva, The O’Pears, Helix, Chris McKhool (Sultans of String), Myles Goodwyn (April Wine) and more. The compilation will be available for purchase on S!NG (LINK) for $9.99 CDN.

Billboard-charting world music supergroup Sultans of String are excited about the launch of their feature length film "Sultans of String: The Refuge Project - Visual Album" – their pandemic project that just won at the Cannes World Film Festival, Best Istanbul Film Festival, and selected for the Vancouver Independent, Scarab, and Folk in Film Festivals.

Come join their Cast and Crew party, and celebrate their recent wins with a film screening, as well as another birthday “year around the sun” for bandleader Chris McKhool, all while raising donations for a good cause!

TORONTO: Sunday November 20
Doors at 6 pm, Film at 7 pm sharp.
Tranzac Main Hall, 292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto, ON M5S 2M7
Tix: https://sultansofstringfilm.eventbrite.ca

All admission proceeds of Toronto show after hall rental cost are donated to the UN Refugee Agency for their life-saving programming. Sultans of String have raised more than $10,000 so far!

Canadian 3x JUNO Award-nominees and 4x Canadian Folk Music Award-winners Sultans of String & Friends are now embarking on the most ambitious and essential project of their career: Their ninth album entitled “Walking through the Fire”, which will be a beautiful collection of collaborations with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island/Canada. The band has launched an INDIEGOGO campaign to raise funds and they would love your support. With your help they we can make this recording a reality! 

Visit Sultans of String's INDIEGOGO page: indiegogo.com/projects/indigenous-collabs-w-sultans-of-string-friends#/

Canadian 3x JUNO Award-nominees and 4x Canadian Folk Music Award-winners Sultans of String release their latest single, “Hurricane”; featuring Turkish pop superstar Suat Suna recording English vocals for the first time.

Watch and listen to “Hurricane” on YouTube here:

The NY Times and BILLBOARD charting world music supergroup collaborated with Suat Suna for the new song fresh from their eighth and most recent album, Sanctuary: The Refugee Project.

Suat Suna has released 12 studio albums selling millions of copies in his native Turkey. Born in Istanbul to a master violin father, he started learning the violin at the age of four. Suat graduated from Istanbul University Conservatory and started winning many awards, leading to becoming a giant of Turkish pop music, touring endlessly across the country.

Featuring Ojibway Elder Dr. Duke Rebird and Indigenous artists Twin Flames, NY Times and BILLBOARD charting band Sultans of String have released their collaborative new single, “The Power of the Land” – check it out on YouTube here:

The orchestral version of the song is the latest to land from the multi-award-winning and JUNO-nominated group’s most recent album, 2021’s Sanctuary — an 11-track offering featuring a broad range of incredible talents from the USA/Canada, many of whom arrived as recent immigrants and refugees, and essential Indigenous voices.

Dubbed by Maverick Music Magazine as the “very epitome of world music: no boundaries, no rules,” NY Times and BILLBOARD charting Canadian supergroup Sultans of String have released their brand-new single, “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” — available now!

The song features the four core Sultans, as well as incredibly talented and inspiring special guests Tara Salah Moneka and Ahmed Moneka, and arrives ahead of this November’s upcoming album, Sanctuary.

Check out the YouTube here:

Originally written by Sonny Bono, and sung by Cher and Nancy Sinatra, this is a new take on the song that speaks to people from the perspective of marginalized voices; it is a benchmark of how the world has changed with the Black Lives Matter movement, and the thirst for equality around the world.