Folk

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 –…

Award Winners, Canada, Dance, EDM, Folk, Indigenous (Native), Jazz, JUNO March 3, 2023

Why the Juno Awards matter to artists: Just ask William Prince, Caity Gyorgy or Loud Luxury

Being nominated, winning or just being on the televised awards show can have tangible benefits, but even off-camera moments can have an impact. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Have you ever wondered about the impact of being nominated for – or winning – a Juno Award has on an artist’s career? Well, wonder no more: it turns out it can be quite substantial. For example, when Caity Gyorgy…

Canada, Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame, Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, Country, Folk, Gordon Lightfoot, Guitar, JUNO, Songwriter, The Tragically Hip, Toronto, Voice November 12, 2021

Gordon Lightfoot, 82, thrilled to be reopening Toronto’s Massey Hall

The 13-time Juno Award winner who has entertained more than 165 audiences at the venue says he would have been in the building for the reopening regardless of whether he was performing. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Well, we almost had a Massey Hall reopening without a Gordon Lightfoot concert. Reached at home by phone on Monday, Lightfoot admits that  even though his Nov 25-27 dates to welcome patrons…

Alberta, Arranger, Art Rock, Canada, Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, Experimental, Folk, Fusion, Grammy, Guitar, Herbie Hancock, Jazz, Joni Mitchell, JUNO, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Pop, Producer, Rock, Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, Songwriter, Taylor Swift, Voice October 18, 2020

Before she went to New York and became famous, Joni Mitchell played the Half Beat in Yorkville

     Nick Krewen Special to the Star John McHugh remembers the time he accidentally became Joni Mitchell’s matchmaker. McHugh, who owned the Yorkville-era clubs The Penny Farthing and The Half Beat back in the ‘60s, recalls meeting “Joanna Anderson” when she came around to one of his venues around 1963-64. “It was at the Penny Farthing that (singer) Cathy Young brought this young lady in with her,” McHugh recalled recently…