Country

Calgary’s JJ Shiplett Offers Something to Believe In

Story by Nick Krewen | November 15, 2016 For SOCAN Words and Music.   Guardian angels sometimes arrive in unusual forms. For Calgary singer-and-songwriter JJ Shiplett, after 12 years of constant slogging on the club circuit, his cherub arrived unexpectedly in the guise of Johnny Reid, the multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter who has the ability to pack arenas across Canada. After hearing Shiplett sing harmony on some Joni Delaurier songs, Reid called…


Dean Brody: Cinematic Country Flair

Story by Nick Krewen | November 2, 2016 For SOCAN Words and Music. Meet the Quentin Tarantino of country music – without all the blood, gore and violence, of course. Dean Brody, the 13-time Canadian Country Music Association Award, four-time SOCAN Award, and two-time JUNO Award winner, name-checks the renegade Pulp Fiction and Hateful Eight Hollywood filmmaker on the title track of his sixth and newest album, Beautiful Freakshow, and…


Taylor Swift delivers flawless performance in Toronto

  During 1989 tour stop at Rogers Centre Swift gives shout out to the Jays, sings with guest Keith Urban.   Nick Krewen Music, Published on Sat Oct 03 2015 When it comes to giving stellar performances, Taylor Swift is in a league of her own. The 25-year-old singer and songwriter delivered another flawless gem of a concert at Rogers Centre Friday for the first of two sold-out nights, a…


30 Years of Farm Aid: Why Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp are still at it

By Nick Krewen | www.samaritanmag.com Posted on September 23, 2015 CHICAGO — To say that Farm Aid, the annual music festival fundraiser for family farms and farmers, “celebrated” its 30th anniversary this month at Northerly Island would be a bit of a misnomer. Certainly, there were some festivities, as an impressive lineup of top musicians including Farm Aid founders Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, Farm Aid board member…