Americana

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…

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Alt. Rock, Americana, Americana, Blues, Canada, Country, Country Rock, Folk, Guitar, Producer, Rock, Songwriter, Toronto, Vancouver February 23, 2017

Blackie & The Rodeo Kings see TV ties pay off on album and in concert

Long-running roots supergroup gets royal reward of guest stars, on new album and at Massey Hall on Saturday. Nick Krewen Music, Thu. Feb 23, 2017 Those Nashville connections continue to pay sweet dividends for Toronto-born Colin Linden and Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, who kick off a 14-date cross-Canada tour at Massey Hall Saturday. Linden, 56, who also resides in the town that the country-music business TV soap opera is…

Alt. Rock, Americana, Americana, Blues, Business, California, Folk, Grammy, Latino pop, Los Angeles, Pop, Rock 'N Roll, Songwriter, Tex-Mex/Tejano, Texas Blues, United States January 31, 2017

Rockin’ the suburbs with Los Lobos

New venues help bring Grammy winners — and many others — to Southern Ontarians’ backyards. Just don’t get them started about Donald Trump. Nick Krewen Music, Tues., Jan 31, 2017 Suburbanites: now you don’t necessarily have to go to Toronto to see the big shows — more than ever, they’re coming to you. This week, for example, four-time Grammy winners Los Lobos perform at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre on…

Americana, Banjo, Festivals, Folk, Nashville, Songwriter, Television, United States February 12, 2016

Life is pretty sweet for Mean Mary

Banjo-playing singer returns to Toronto for Winterfolk XIV festival. Nick Krewen Music, Fri., Feb. 12, 2016 You know you have a dedicated fan base when they’re willing to finance your barn. Nashville-based banjo-picking folkie Mean Mary recently conducted a $9,000 (U.S.) Indiegogo campaign to fund her soon-to-be-released album Sweet and build a shelter for her horses. Her loyal followers happily ponied up for both. “Yeah, that worked out pretty good,”…

Americana, Blues, Bob Dylan, Business, Canada, Country, Engineer, Folk, Grammy, Mixer, Music Industry (Trade), Producer, Record Labels, Robbie Robertson, Rock, Songwriter, Toronto, United States November 5, 2014

Bob Dylan and The Band’s complete Basement Tapes resurface at last

Toronto duo largely responsible for lifting the veil off “the most sought after and mysterious recordings from the post-nuclear, pre-digital era.” Nick Krewen Music, Published on Wed Nov 05 2014   Sitting at Johnny Rockets, a ’50s-style burger joint in Yonge-Dundas Square, my dining companion pulls out a cardboard envelope and hands it over. “Open it up and have a look. Have a little whiff,” he insists. Inside is a…