Arranger

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…

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Arranger, Australia, Business, Composer, Dance, EDM, Electronic, Electronic, Pop, Producer, Songwriter, Synthesizer, Voice April 28, 2020

How ‘Dance Monkey’ took Toni Watson on a ‘roller-coaster’ ride

 Nick Krewen Special to the Star Toronto, Toni Watson feels your pain. The Australian native professionally known as Tones And I, the originator of the impossibly irresistible chart-topping smash “Dance Monkey,” was really looking forward to entertaining you at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in April when COVID-19 interrupted her plans. “Toronto was meant to be my biggest show of the whole tour, so that was really exciting,” said Watson last…

Arranger, Bob Dylan, Canada, Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame, Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, Composer, Country, Folk, Gordon Lightfoot, Guitar, JUNO, Songwriter, Toronto, Voice March 20, 2020

Gordon Lightfoot’s new album, like his recent biography, is a little too revealing for some

Nick Krewen Special To The Star “It ain’t gonna stop now!” a feisty Gordon Lightfoot declares at the conclusion of a 30-minute interview about the state of his six-decade-plus career. We’re sitting at a table at his record company headquarters north of the 401, and it’s obvious that at 81, the fire still rages in the Orillia-born troubadour’s belly. He’s not interested at slowing down in the slightest. Lightfoot, who resumes touring…

Arranger, Boston, Folk, Grammy, Guitar, Pop, Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, Therapeutic, United States, Voice February 21, 2020

12-step cured him, music kept him going: James Taylor looks back as his 19th album comes out

Nick Krewen Special to The Star Not only has he seen fire and rain: legendary singer and songwriter James Taylor has also seen more than his fair share of pain. Despite selling more than 100 million albums in a 54-year career that has earned him worldwide adulation, five Grammy Awards, inductions into the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Kennedy Center Honors…

Arranger, Canada, Composer, Education, Indie pop, Pop, Producer, R&B, Songwriter, Soul, Therapeutic, Toronto, Voice February 19, 2020

From opera trainee to sex worker to Juno-nominated artist: Storry’s tale isn’t ordinary

Nick Krewen Special to the Star   There aren’t many concept albums about working in the sex industry, but Storry is no ordinary singer and songwriter. So, when the Juno Award-nominated, Toronto-born, Mississauga-based artist debuts the performance of her new 11-song, R&B-flavoured album CH III: The Come Up at the Lula Lounge on February 20, it will come from a position of triumph. However, the adversity that Storry surmounted has…