As the season is upon us, Cashbox Radio, like most stations at this time, is busy putting the rotation list together of the old standards as well as the 2023 Indie Releases that we feel deserve airplay and attention.

The first Cashbox Radio Christmas Pick Hits are:

(in alphabetical order)

Bara Jonson and Free – Say Merry Christmas

Collette Cooper – Dark Side of Christmas

Cashbox Canada participated in our first Indie Week Canada and oh what a week it was!

Continuing our journey of the Cashbox Caravan, (recently performing in France and Sweden) we had two official showcases and both were met with resounding success. In addition, our acts performed at other venues throughout Indie Week, all to great reviews and accolades.

The first Cashbox Caravan Showcase was Thursday, November 14 at the B-Side Lounge, a cozy gem of a venue with a great stage and friendly staff. A cocktail hour show from 5-7pm featured Toronto’s newest shining star Ventresca, followed up by veteran singer-songwriters Barry Stagg and Don Graham.

The Cashbox Caravan continues its journey, having stopped in France (MIDEM in Cannes, France) and Orebro, Sweden (Live at Heart Sweden) and ending our year back here in Canada at the ever-popular Indie Week 2019.

“The idea behind the travelling Cashbox Canada Caravan was to give indie artists a chance to showcase at major events and have the opportunity to perform for agents, pr people, and labels with first-class sound and on professional stages all on a global level,” says organizer Sandy Graham. “We are proud to be able to offer an alternative way of showcasing at major events where the competition for submission is so high.”

Now the third event this year of the Cashbox Caravan will be back in the country of origin for the magazine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

“Indie Week has given us the opportunity to bring talent from other areas in the world so we will be able to have acts from not just Canada, but Sweden, Spain and the USA,” Graham says.

The first CASHBOX CARAVAN SHOWCASE is at the cocktail hours of:
5 pm – 8 pm
Thursday November 14
B-Side Lounge (669 College St)
Doors: 5:00pm

How does an act from Sweden take a chance and go to a Live at Heart Festival on a Peninsula named Burin in Canada’s Newfoundland, write a song and end up on the Swedish Independent Music Chart 10 weeks in a row in a # 1 position, thanks to the fans (who are now friends) that they met there?

This is what Bara Jonson and Free did. “We rented a car, drove through torrential rain, landed in the middle of nowhere at the Marystown Hotel and suddenly you feel like you came ‘home’? There is no explaining it, but that is what happened to us.”

So they went back to Sweden and immediately wrote “Hello Newfoundland” and their newly found friends embraced it. The release of the video included all of the amazing people who forged the road to these lifetime memories and also featured Tale The Rapper.

From there lifelong friendships were forged with the lovely people of Newfoundland and in addition the global delegates who attended became friends and fans, leading to being part of a sanctioned Showcase in Cannes, France at MIDEM 2019, attending Canadian Music Week in 2019,a return to Live at Heart Newfoundland 2019 and Cashbox Canada Showcase at CMW 2020.

How does an act from Sweden take a chance and go to a Live at Heart Festival on a Peninsula named Burin in Canada’s Newfoundland, write a song and end up on the Swedish Independent Music Chart 10 weeks in a row in a # 1 position, thanks to the fans (who are now friends) that they met there?

This is what Bara Jonson and Free did. “We rented a car, drove through torrential rain, landed in the middle of nowhere at the Marystown Hotel and suddenly you feel like you came ‘home’? There is no explaining it, but that is what happened to us.”

So they went back to Sweden and immediately wrote “Hello Newfoundland” and their newly found friends embraced it.

The release of the video included all of the amazing people who forged the road to these lifetime memories and also featured Tale The Rapper.

Watch ‘Hello Newfoundland’ here: https://youtu.be/Lg1FiA8jCZM

They say that music is the language of the soul, and nothing could be truer for this Crockpop (country/rock/pop) band from south of Sweden. Composed of a dynamic duo together with inspirational musicians and skillful performers, Bara Jonson and Free are a band like no other. From live gigs to streaming sessions and more, they continue to touch fans around the world with their blend of heartfelt lyrics, strong music, and soulful messages.

The duo has played at most of southern Sweden's festivals and also had tours in Denmark, Germany and Holland. 

Bara Jonson and Free recently attended Live at Heart Newfoundland and came back from the island of the rock inspired by the welcoming community of Burin Peninsula NL. Performing at the Live at Heart in Örebro, Sweden earlier this year Bara Jonson and Free received an invitation from organizer Evan Murray to be one of only 30 acts to participate at Live At Heart Newfoundland, Marystown on the Burin Peninsula, this past October. It was to be an appearance that inspired them on many levels, and it touched the hearts of all who attended.