Alberta

Brain injury from Toronto crash derailed Kiesza’s pop career. Now she’s back.

Nick Krewen Special to the Star If you’re wondering where three-time Juno award winner Kiesza has been the past couple of years, don’t blame her – it’s not her fault. The Calgary-born singer and songwriter – best known for taking the world by storm by her house-influenced dance smash “Hideaway” and its accompanying album Sound of A Woman –  had just relocated to Toronto two years ago from the Big Apple…

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Country-music stalwart Brett Kissel says he’s done looking for U.S. breakthrough

Canadian hitmaker says his new album is utterly true to himself — but he’s sure it will put him on ‘big stages, big festivals and arenas’ somewhere. Nick Krewen, Music Sun., Dec. 17, 2017   There aren’t too many artists who can boast of an appearance by heavy metal guitarist Dave Mustaine and country music legend Charley Pride on the same album. In fact, Flat Lake, Alta.’s country music sensation…


Fred Penner grabs Basia Bulat, Bahamas, Ron Sexsmith for new album

Celebrated kids’ entertainer recruited a lot of well-known grown-up musicians for the easygoing creation of his new album. Nick Krewen Music, Thu., April 20, 2017 The cat is back — and he’s brought along some cool friends. At 70, beloved children’s entertainer Fred Penner, best known perhaps for his 1979 gem “The Cat Came Back” and his memorable Fred Penner’s Place TV series, has returned with album No. 13, Hear…


High Valley’s Brad Rempel Co-Writes Songs At The Beach

HIGH VALLEY’S BRAD REMPEL CO-WRITES SONGS AT THE BEACH Story by Nick Krewen | January 4, 2017 For SOCAN Words and Music.   Isolation has its advantages. Growing up in the tiny northern Mennonite hamlet of La Crete, Alberta, about 250 km south of the Northwest Territories border, Brad and Curtis Rempel were cut off from the type of media exposure the rest of us take for granted. For example,…


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…