Artist Spotlight

Americana, Arranger, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Bob Dylan, Canada, Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, Grammy, In Memoriam, JUNO, Producer, Robbie Robertson, Rock, Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, Songwriter, Stratford, Toronto, United States January 23, 2025

Music insiders on the extraordinary legacy of Garth Hudson and the Band: ‘It was unlike any other music I’d ever heard’

Colin Linden, Rob Fraboni and John Simon, all of whom worked with the Band, offer remembrances. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star In 1968, when Colin Linden was eight years old, he heard a song on the radio that boggled his young mind. He was at Alexander’s department store in White Plains, N.Y., when rock radio station WNEW-FM played “The Weight” by a Canadian-American band simply called The Band….

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Accordion, Americana, Arranger, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Bob Dylan, Canada, Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, Engineer, Grammy, In Memoriam, JUNO, Piano, Robbie Robertson, Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, Saxophone, Stratford, The Band, Toronto January 21, 2025

Garth Hudson, founding member of the Band, dead at 87: ‘He was always all about the music’

The Windsor-born multi-instrumentalist was part of the Canadian contingent of the famous band. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star The last living charter member of The Band has died. Keyboardist, saxophonist and occasional trumpeter Garth Hudson, perhaps best known for his powerful, blasting Lowrey organ intro for the classic Band song “Chest Fever,” passed away peacefully in his sleep after a lengthy illness Tuesday morning at a nursing home…

Australia, Country, Country Pop, Country Rock, Grammy, Guitar, Keith Urban, Nashville, New Zealand, Producer, Rhianna, Songwriter, Voice January 14, 2025

Keith Urban brings his big show to Toronto’s tiny Horseshoe Tavern for a four-star concert

The country-music superstar also announced a major Canada tour, which will begin at Budweiser Stage on June 21. by Nick Krewen Special to the Star Country music superstar Keith Urban had the right idea. If you’re going to announce a major Canadian tour, do it in style: generate a buzz with a surprise show that turns out to be a glorious party at one of Toronto’s most storied and intimate venues. The…

Arranger, Aubrey "Drake" Graham, Beach Boys, Beatles, Canada, Composer, JUNO, Pop, Producer, Songwriter, Taylor Swift, Toronto, United States December 7, 2024

Former ‘Degrassi’ producer on becoming a recording artist at 76 and what Drake’s really like

Stephen Stohn will release The Orange Sessions with his group, GTA Rhythm Section. by Nick Krewen Special to the Star He’s the chancellor of Trent University, an Order of Canada member, a former top entertainment attorney to the stars and has served as executive producer for most of the run of the “Degrassi” TV franchise. And at 76, Stephen Stohn just added a new accomplishment to his impressive résumé: recording artist. As…

Banjo, Bob Dylan, Canada, Events, Experimental, Festivals, Jazz, Metallica, Music Industry (Trade), Prince, Punk, Rock 'N Roll, Rolling Stones, Toronto November 30, 2024

He helped bring the Ramones, the Police and the B-52’s to Toronto for the first time. Nearly 50 years later, he’s being celebrated in a new book

Nearly 100 key players, including performers, scenesters and other promoters, were interviewed for “He Hijacked My Brain: Gary Topp’s Toronto.”  By Nick Krewen Special to the Star In a career that has lasted nearly five decades and involved thousands of concerts, eminent Toronto promoter Gary Topp has but a few regrets. One of his biggest involved an act he and partner Gary Cormier (known collectively as the Garys) tried to book…