Artist Spotlight

Americana, Arranger, Canada, Composer, Elton John, Emmylou Harris, Folk, Guitar, Hamilton, Nashville, Voice July 21, 2019

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…

Arranger, Composer, Dance, David Bowie, Engineer, Funk, Gaming, Grammy, Guitar, Madonna, New York, Pop, Producer, R&B, Rock, Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, Songwriter, United Kingdom, United States April 20, 2019

‘Unknown band’ is opening for Cher in Toronto — but their leader is not worried

Nick Krewen Special to the Star April 18, 2019 Nile Rodgers is discovering during the Cher opening slot that Chic’s relative anonymity is working to his advantage. “We’re an unknown band opening for a big star,” he says over the line from New York. “We walk out onstage — most people don’t know who we are — but by the end of the show they go, ‘Jesus Christ, I know…

Avant-garde, David Bowie, Drums, Experimental, Madonna, Pink Floyd, Progressive rock, Psychedelic, Rock, United Kingdom April 20, 2019

Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason delighted by his ‘sort of throwback’ band bound for Toronto

Nick Krewen Special to the Star April 12, 2019 Waiting for that Pink Floyd 55th anniversary reunion? Don’t hold your breath – founding drummer and percussionist Nick Mason isn’t. “There doesn’t seem to be any plan at the moment to put anything together,” Mason, 75, admits, referring to fellow Floyd members Roger Waters and David Gilmour. “Part of that is the reason for putting together the Saucerful of Secrets project. I…

Africa, Canada, Composer, Ed Sheeran, JUNO, Songwriter, Toronto, Voice, World Music April 20, 2019

Woman stuck in refugee camp sees album she co-wrote score Juno nomination

Nick Krewen Special to the Star March 11, 2019 When it came to recording Naath, the 2019 JUNO Award World Music Album of the Year contender by  former Sudanese child soldier Emmanuel Jal and his sister Nyaruach that was crowdfunded by what Jal calls “invisible angels,” there was also a very visible one who donated to the cause. Peter Gabriel. “That was a shock,” says dreadlocked rapper Jal, 39, during…

Alt. Rock, Americana, Bob Dylan, California, Canada, Country, Emmylou Harris, Engineer, Events, Los Angeles, Neil Young, Outlaw Country, Producer, Rock, The Tragically Hip, Toronto, United Kingdom, United States, Willie Nelson April 20, 2019

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…