Country Rock

What do Blue Rodeo and Broken Social Scene have in common? Both are celebrated in new documentaries premiering in Toronto

Blue Rodeo: Lost Together and It’s All Gonna Break will screen at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star In the next 10 days, new documentaries on two beloved Canadian bands will have their Toronto premieres at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. They promise to be music to your eyes. On Jan. 24, Stephen Chung’s 89-minute It’s All Gonna Break, the story of Toronto indie collective…

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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…


Controversial and popular country music star Toby Keith dies age 62

“Most people think I’m a redneck patriot. I’m O.K. with that,” the musician from Oklahoma once said. He won a slew of awards and 32 chart-topping hits   By Nick Krewen Special to the Star For the first decade of his career, country music superstar Toby Keith philosophically commiserated with the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield: he felt he got no respect.  That changed by the end of his life, at least…


A look back at Blue Rodeo’s ‘Five Days in July’ — ‘We had no idea that it would be as important as it ended up being’

As Blue Rodeo’s bestselling album celebrates 30 years, Jim Cuddy recalls how it was made on Greg Keelor’s farm and what it meant. by Nick Krewen Special to the Star Hard to believe that the classic Blue Rodeo album Five Days In July has accumulated three decades of memories. Recorded in 1993 on band co-founder Greg Keelor’s Clarington farm, the effort ended up becoming the group’s all-time bestseller, moving 600,000 copies…


‘I just write, you know?’ Steve Earle has songwriting down pat. Next, a TV pilot, two books and a Broadway musical

The outspoken troubadour responsible for some of music’s most enduring Americana songs has a Massey Hall show Aug. 25. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Steve Earle, the outspoken troubadour responsible for some of music’s most enduring and sublime Americana songs, has a new goal in mind as he creeps toward the age of 70: a Broadway musical. “I’m writing a musical of Tender Mercies with Daisy Foote, whose…