Soul

Beatles, Detroit, Grammy, Motown, Pop, R&B, Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, Soul, United States, Voice December 2, 2023

“I still love being a Temp”: The last original Temptation, Otis Williams, on more than 60 years in the Motown supergroup

Otis Williams looks back as the musical “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” returns to Toronto. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Sixty-three years on, Otis Williams is still at the helm of one of the greatest Motown acts of all-time, The Temptations. Not only does the tenor and baritone vocalist continue to tour with the group into its seventh decade as its only original member, but…

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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…

Guitar, Indie, Rock, Songwriter, Soul, Toronto February 23, 2022

Brampton singer/songwriter AHI talks influences and the winding path that led him to music

His third album, Prospect, released late last year, with singles “Danger” and “Coldest Fire,” is an extraordinary folk-rooted effort. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star February 23, 2022 From a stranger outside Thunder Bay to Prospect Cemetery, to Bob Marley: Ahkinoah Habah Izarh — AHI for short — finds inspiration in all kinds of places and people. The Brampton-born singer and songwriter’s third album Prospect displays 10 songs of…

Arranger, Bob Dylan, Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, Composer, Emmylou Harris, Engineer, Grammy, Hamilton, JUNO, Los Angeles, Neil Young, Producer, Québec, Robbie Robertson, Songwriter, Soul, The Band, The Tragically Hip, Toronto, United States, Willie Nelson March 16, 2021

Choir Director Johnny Shepherd Brings Gospel-Infused Soul to Daniel Lanois Project Heavy Sun

By Nick Krewen Special to the Star For his new,  brilliant gospel-flavoured soul album Heavy Sun, seven-time Grammy winner Daniel Lanois had to convince a Shepherd to leave his flock. Describing himself as a “now-and-again” guitarist for the Hallelujah Train band at the Shreveport, Louisiana-based Zion Baptist Church run by Brady Blade Sr., the Hull, Québec-born artist and award-winning producer of blockbuster albums by Peter Gabriel, U2 and Robbie Robertson says…

Blues, Delta Blues, JUNO, Montréal, Polaris, Québec, R&B, Soul, Voice February 12, 2021

Singer Dominique Fils-Aimé finds inspiration by looking to Black history

By Nick Krewen Special to the Star There’s a reason every Dominique Fils-Aimé album has been released in February: Black History Month. “I wanted to underline the link between Black history and music genres,” the Juno Award winner and Polaris Music Prize finalist recently explained from her Montréal home.  It especially makes sense when you consider the trilogy of 2018’s Nameless, 2019’s Stay Tuned! and this year’s Three Little Words,…