Emmylou Harris

Choir Director Johnny Shepherd Brings Gospel-Infused Soul to Daniel Lanois Project Heavy Sun

By Nick Krewen Special to the Star For his new,  brilliant gospel-flavoured soul album Heavy Sun, seven-time Grammy winner Daniel Lanois had to convince a Shepherd to leave his flock. Describing himself as a “now-and-again” guitarist for the Hallelujah Train band at the Shreveport, Louisiana-based Zion Baptist Church run by Brady Blade Sr., the Hull, Québec-born artist and award-winning producer of blockbuster albums by Peter Gabriel, U2 and Robbie Robertson says…

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Ariana Gillis: Hamilton singer-songwriter spent years overcoming a concussion and her new album is a triumphant comeback

On the Buddy Miller-produced The Maze, her first album in six years, Ariana Gillis has finally found her sound. This may not seem like such a big deal, but for a time, there was a question whether the 28-year-old singer-songwriter from Hamilton, Ontario, would ever play any of her riveting, self-described “Canadiana Americana; edgy pop with steel guitars” again due to a debilitating accident she suffered four years ago. “We…


U2, Dylan, Hip Producer Talks Melanoma, Breakthrough Immunotherapy, and A-List Benefit

Aug 17, 2018 Nick Krewen Mark Howard, the Grammy-winning and Juno-nominated producer and engineer who has worked with everyone from Bob Dylan and U2 to The Tragically Hip and Willie Nelson, has organized a benefit concert featuring Sarah McLachlan, Randy Bachman, Sass Jordan, Sam Roberts and Ian Thornley, and more,  to be held at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall on Oct. 6. The Mark Howard & Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Grand…


Blackie & the Rodeo Kings have queens up their sleeve

Blackie & the Rodeo Kings have queens up their sleeve | Toronto Star Guest vocalists make for a full house at Massey Hall show on March 21.    Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are, from left, Tom Wilson, Colin Linden and Stephen Fearing. Nick Krewen Special to the Star Published on Tue Mar 20 2012 Blackie & The Rodeo Kings will have a few of their queens on hand with…


Daniel Lanois on recording

PUBLISHED IN CANADIAN MUSICIAN IN OCTOBER ’97 DANIEL LANOIS ON RECORDING Nick Krewen   Over the years, Daniel Lanois has chosen some pretty exotic locales to conduct his business: a New Orleans mansion, a Mexican cliff side dwelling, and a converted Californian porn theatre among them. The reason for his choices, however, isn’t as scientific as one might presume. “Hey, you’ve got to keep yourself amused,” chuckles Lanois, whose multifaceted…