Folk

Beatles, Bob Dylan, Canada, Elton John, Emmylou Harris, Folk, Gordon Lightfoot, Guitar, JUNO, k.d. lang, Piano, Pop, Ron Sexsmith, Songwriter, Toronto, Voice February 24, 2024

‘I’m proud of the contribution that I’ve made to the Canadian songbook’: Ron Sexsmith on his Massey Hall retrospective

‘Sexsmith at Sixty’: The singer-songwriter has never had a top 40 hit, but he’s earned the admiration of some of the biggest names in the music business. by Nick Krewen Special to the Star Even Ron Sexsmith would admit he’s a bit of an anomaly. On Thursday, as he performs his career retrospective “Sexsmith at Sixty” while headlining Massey Hall for the sixth time, it’s worth noting that the mellifluously…

Americana, Cinema, Country, Emmy, Grammy, In Memoriam, Nashville, Songwriter, United States, Voice, Willie Nelson January 16, 2024

The woman beside the Man in Black: documentary gives June Carter Cash her due

New documentary ‘June’ celebrates country music matriarch who had a career apart from her famous husband, Johnny Cash. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Over his career, country music legend Johnny Cash always had some interesting Canadian ties. Who can forget those Johnny Cash bank machines, ATM forerunners that the Man in Black was hired by Canada Trust to flog in a TV, radio and print advertising campaign? But there was…

Americana, Arranger, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Bob Dylan, Canada, Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame, Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, Composer, Country, Folk, Guitar, JUNO, Music Industry (Trade), Neil Young, New York, Producer, Record Labels, Robbie Robertson, Songwriter, Television, The Band, Toronto, Video, Voice, Willie Nelson November 4, 2023

‘I just thought it was time’ — Sylvia Tyson on ‘At the End of the Day,’ her (maybe) final album

If anyone thinks Sylvia Tyson at 83 is any less authoritative an artist, hearing “At the End of the Day” will quickly quell that notion. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Her singing voice is a little more weathered, but no less formidable; her lyrics are incisively sharp. If anyone thinks the legendary Sylvia Tyson at 83 is any less authoritative an artist, hearing her newly released 12-song album At…

Americana, Canada, Folk, Grammy, Joni Mitchell, JUNO, LGBTQ, Nashville, Pop, Prince, Québec, Songwriter, Soul, United States, Voice September 10, 2023

Her first album was about escaping sexual abuse. Her second leans into the ongoing work of survival

“There are days when you feel the triumphant, nothing can bring you down. And then there are days when you struggle,” says Allison Russell. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star They say you shouldn’t meet your heroes, but becoming acquainted with Joni Mitchell more than met the expectations of Allison Russell. The Montreal-born Americana singer-songwriter, who released her second solo album, The Returner, on Friday and plays Venus Fest…

Alt. Rock, Canada, Folk, Indie, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Producer, Rock, Songwriter, Toronto May 26, 2023

Hayden’s first solo album since 2015, Are We Good, was worth the wait.

‘Packed with several gems of emotional nuance and sly wit and humour, the album doesn’t stray too far fromthe low-fi, grassroots charm that Hayden first established. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Even when you enjoy a career as low key as Paul Hayden Desser and his music, eight years between albums is quite the delay. For the artist who plies his trade by his middle name –  Hayden –…