July 2020 | Folk Roots Radio

Folk Roots Radio Episode 530: feat. Adrian Glynn – Ghostlight Sessions & More New Releases

Jul 31 2020

Singer-songwriter, member of fabulous Vancouver based folk collective The Fugitives and actor, Adrian Glynn joins us on Episode 530 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about his wonderful new lockdown recording “Ghostlight Sessions”, which was recorded on the stage of an empty theatre in Kamloops BC after the play he was about to star in was put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a great album, and an excellent, and wide-ranging interview that moves beyond the music to discuss the impact of the pandemic on people in the arts. We also take a look at more of the latest new releases, and this time around we hear from Emily Barker, Lizzy Hardingham, Kristen Grainger & True North, Monica Lee, Marie Fielding, Michael Barry and Red Wanting Blue. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 529: We're All About The Music! (Resilient Edition)

Jul 27 2020

Join us on Episode 529 of Folk Roots Radio for another all music edition of the show, with a few more Covid-19 lockdown songs thrown into the mix. There is loads of great music out there at the moment, and it’s our absolute pleasure to share more of it with you on this episode. This time around we feature new music from Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards, Kristen Grainger & True North, Ray Cardwell, Graham Lindsey, The Small Glories (Cara Luft & JD Edwards), April Verch, Joe Phillips, Ian Foster, James Lee Stanley, Michael Logen and Jennifer Hanson, Buddy & Julie Miller, Eliza Gilkyson, Silver Wolf Band, Crooked Weather, Elliott BROOD, Tragedy Ann, Death Party Playground and Sherman Downey. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 528: Guillaume Jabbour - A Sound Experience Programme at Sainte Agathe Academy

Jul 21 2020

Episode 528 of Folk Roots Radio features an in-depth conversation with Quebec folk musician, Guillaume Jabbour who was artist in residence for the ELAN ACE Sound Experience Programme at Sainte Agathe Academy in Sainte Agathe QC, this past winter. The programme took place at the school from December thru March, and then virtually from April to June, after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. Students in the programme were able to produce a variety of different audio pieces, including video soundscapes, soundscape poems, original songs and interviews. It’s a wonderful conversation – so much so, that we’ve decided to dedicate the whole episode to it. So, settle down and enjoy Guillaume Jabbour and the Sainte Agathe Academy Sound Experience programme on Folk Roots Radio. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 527: We're All About The Music! (Stay Strong Edition)

Jul 18 2020

We’re all about the music again on Episode 527 of Folk Roots Radio, as we hold back the interviews to bring you another hour of great new music, with some Covid lockdown tunes thrown into the mix. Stay with us as we bring you new releases from Francesca Blanchard, Mattie Leon, Byrd & Street, Big Little Lions, Stéafán & Saskia, The Burying Ground, Skydiggers, Tret Fure, Kris Paul, Twin Flames, Midnight Shine, The Jerry Cans, Logan and Nathan, Mallory Chipman & The Mystics and SONiA disappear fear. Check out the full playlist below.

Ol' Billy Bob Boy - Sweltering Sun - Folk Roots Radio Interview

Jul 14 2020

We included a portion of an interview with Ol’ Billy Bob Boy, discussing his debut album, “Sweltering Sun”, in Episode 523 of Folk Roots Radio. We’re now pleased to be able to bring you our full conversation. It’s definitely worth checking out. Enjoy!

Bill Simms has performed as a side musician on upright bass with a number of folk and roots musicians including Raine Hamilton, Abigail Lapell, Piper Hayes, Shawn Willian Clarke and Sarah Beatty. He’s now stepping into the limelight in his own right as his country music singing alter-ego Ol’ Billy Bob Boy and debut album “Sweltering Sun” which features 12 original songs and blends traditional country and bluegrass music together with some tongue in cheek humour and stories inspired by life in Newfoundland and beyond. An album release show for Sweltering Sun had originally been planned for late May at The Tranzac in Toronto with an opening performance by Sarah Beatty. However, due to COVID-19, that show was cancelled in favour of an online release, which also featured Sarah Beatty. A cross-Canada tour planned for this summer will be rescheduled for a later date. Ol’ Billy Bob Boy joined us from his home in Newfoundland to chat about the new album. For more information about the music of Ol’ Billy Bob Boy, visit olbillybobboy.com. Music: Ol’ Billy Bob Boy “Darlin’ You Look Great” (feat. Mallory Johnson), “Carrie Ann”, “Bathroom Floor” and “Canadian Currency Blues” from “Sweltering Sun” (2020, Self).

Adrian Glynn – Ghostlight Sessions – Folk Roots Radio interview

Jul 13 2020

Vancouver singer-songwriter and actor Adrian Glynn has just released his third solo recording, “Ghostlight Sessions” and it’s an album with a difference – it was recorded on an empty theatre stage in Kamloops BC at the start of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. At the time, Adrian was about to reprise his role as the ‘The Writer’ in Chelsea Hotel: The Songs of Leonard Cohen, which was being put on by the Western Canada Theatre. After Covid prevention protocols forced rehearsals to stop in mid-March, the theatre company generously paid out the actors’ full contracts and allowed them to remain in their Kamloops accommodation. With time on his hands, and no place to be, Adrian elected to start work on what he describes as a homemade album – nine songs from the vault recorded in a stripped down way without much more than a single mic and guitar. An introspective, acoustic folk record, the songs on the album move from a talkin’ blues about suicidal depression, to a modern satirical take on “If I Had A Hammer”, to an ode to slide-guitar guru Kelly Joe Phelps. Ghostlight Sessions is only available as a digital download from Bandcamp. A portion of the proceeds (25%) will go to the NAACP and BIPOC-Covid related organizations. Adrian Glynn (as Adrian Glynn McMorran) also takes the lead role in a new sci-fi psychological thriller, Volition (2019), from writing/directing team, the Smith Brothers. After screening at festivals worldwide and picking up many awards, including Best Feature at several festivals and a Best Actor win for Glynn at Italy’s Ostia festival, the movie is now available for on-demand viewing on streamings services. Adrian Glynn is also co-leader of Vancouver folk collective The Fugitives with Brendan McLeod. The Fugitives have just recorded a new album, “Trench Songs”, a re-imagining of songs and poems from the First World War period. Another album of original songs is also in the works. The release dates for both new projects have yet to be determined. For more information about Adrian Glynn, visit adrianglynn.com. Music: Adrian Glynn “Acting My Age”, “Hammer”, “Kelly Joe, I Heard You Sold Your Last Guitar” and “Talkin’ Suicidal Depression Blues” from “Ghostlight Sessions” (2020, Self) CDN.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 526: We’re All About The Music! (Get Together Safely Edition)

Jul 13 2020

We’re all about the music on Episode 526 of Folk Roots Radio as we hold back the interviews to bring you another hour of great new music. We still can’t get over how much wonderful music is being produced at the moment – much of it while in lockdown. We may be in the midst of some really strange times during the Covid-19 pandemic, but artistic creativity continues to flourish. We’re subtitling this one the Get Together Safely edition, as things are slowly starting to open up again in Canada. Join us for new music from Grace Potter, Ultan Conlon, Glen MacNeil, Gathering Time, ConChie, Steel Rail, Dan Penn, The Strange Valentines, Joe Nolan, Dione Taylor, Sultans Of String, The War and Treaty, Avi Kaplan and The Long War. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 525: feat. Stan Simon - Songs From Strange Places & More New Releases

Jul 12 2020

Toronto based singer-songwriter Stan Simon joins us on Episode 525 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about his third album, “Songs From Strange Places”, a lovely new country folk recording that takes its lead from the great singer-songwriters and balladeers of our time, on a reflective collection of songs that explore themes of love, loss and spiritual exploration. We also check out more of the latest new releases and this time around hear from Sarah Jarosz, Chalk Horse Music, The SteelDrivers, Jake Blount, Josh Kimbrough, Lynn Jackson, Mark Erelli and Ken Tizzard & Music For Goats. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 524: We're All About The Music! (One Day At A Time Edition)

Jul 11 2020

Join us on Episode 524 of Folk Roots Radio for more of the latest new releases, with some great Covid tunes thrown into the mix. There is just so much great music being produced at the moment, and much of it from lockdown – it’s great to be able to share it with you on this show. Coming up on this episode we’re featuring new music from Big Little Lions, T Bear, The Promise Is Hope, John McCutcheon, David Foley & Jack Smedley, Lucinda Williams, Scott Cook, Kim Moberg, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Dead South, Lee Harvey Osmond, Dawn Tyler Watson, Kathleen Edwards, Sherman Downey, Keats Conlon and Dennis Ellsworth. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 523: feat. Ol Billy Bob Boy & More New Releases

Jul 11 2020

Cornerbrook NF based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ol’ Billy Bob Boy joins us on Episode 523 of Folk Roots Radio for a fun conversation about his debut album “Sweltering Sun”, which blends traditional country and bluegrass music together with some tongue in cheek humour and stories inspired by life in Newfoundland and beyond. You may not recognize the name Ol’ Billy Bob Boy, but as Bill Simms he’s performed on upright bass with many other folk musicians. Now, with a new on-stage persona, he’s just released a great debut album, and it’s an excellent interview – we hope you’ll stay with us to check it out. As always, we wrap up the rest of this episode with more of the latest new releases, and this time around we hear from The Avenoir Project, Zaac Pick, ConChie, Turkeyfoot, Vi Wickam and Paul Anastasio, Gretchen Peters and The Treeline. Check out the full playlist below.

Stan Simon - Songs From Strange Places - Folk Roots Radio Interview

Jul 08 2020

Toronto singer-songwriter Stan Simon is getting set to release his third album, “Songs From Strange Places”, a lovely new country folk recording that takes its lead from the great singer-songwriters and balladeers of our time, on a reflective collection of songs that explore themes of love, loss and spiritual exploration. The new 10 song recording, produced by Dennis Patterson at Big Smoke Audio, features Stan Simon on vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica with support from Nathan Gray (pedal steel), Sebastian Shinwell (bass, tambourine, electric guitar, piano and harmony vocals), Max Trefler (drums) and Jackie Mohr (vocals on “Visceral”). Folk Roots Radio caught up with Stan Simon at home in Toronto for an in-depth conversation about the new album, that also touches on songwriting, live performance and coping with Covid times. For more information about the music of Stan Simon, visit stansimonmusic.com. Music: Stan Simon “Only The Moon”, “Everlasting Love”, “Eternal Maze” and “Rest Well In The Blue Night” from “Songs From Strange Places” (2020, Slammin Media).

Ken Yates – Quiet Talkers – Folk Roots Radio Interview

Jul 07 2020

We recently included a portion of an interview with acclaimed singer-songwriter Ken Yates, discussing his latest album “Quiet Talkers”, in Episode 521 of Folk Roots Radio. We’re now pleased to be able to share our full conversation. It’s definitely worth checking out. Enjoy!

Toronto based singer-songwriter Ken Yates has just released “Quiet Talkers”, the follow up to his critically acclaimed album “Huntsville” from 2016, which picked up Canadian Folk Music Awards for both Songwriter of the Year and New Artist of the Year. Ken Yates describes the new album, which was again produced by Jim Bryson at Fixed Hinge Recording, as his most personal to date – with a more introspective feel on songs that reflect on home life, and the impact of mental health issues on interpersonal relationships. “This is by far my most personal album to date. I’ve always been better at observing than being a part of the action, so I like to think of this collection of songs as “thoughts from the quietest person in the room”. If Huntsville was about my experiences on the road, ‘Quiet Talkers’ is about coming home, facing the monsters hiding under the bed – or in some cases, the monsters hiding in plain sight.” Ken Yates joined us on Folk Roots Radio for an in-depth conversation about the new album. Our interview also touches on life in lockdown, for an artist, who was touring extensively before the enforced break – as we all continue to weather the coronavirus pandemic. For more information about the music of Ken Yates visit kenyates.com. Photo: Kate Jaczko. Music: Ken Yates “Grey County Blues”, “Safe From Yourself”, “Evangeline” and “Surviving is Easy” from “Quiet Talkers” (2020, Self) CDN.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 522: We’re All About The Music! (Blendsday Edition)

Jul 05 2020

We’re holding back the interviews on Episode 522 of Folk Roots Radio as we bring you another hour of great new music. We’re subtitling this one the ‘Blendsday’ edition as we’re fairly sure that we’re not the only ones who have trouble working out what day it is – as we all try to cope with endless days at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. We don’t know who came up with the name Blendsday but it does seem to be the perfect way to describe the strange days we’re now living through. So join us for Covid tunes, songs about social justice and tracks taken from some fine scheduled album releases, with music by Fred Arcoleo, Don Bray, Owen Paul, Judy Collins & The Global Virtual Choir, Kevin K Gagnon, Skinner & T’witch, Tim Readman, Mike Glick, Don Johnston, Chastity Brown, Raye Zaragoza, Colleen Kattau, Carissa Kimbell, Katie Ditschun and Paul Kelly & Paul Grabowsky. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 521: feat. Ken Yates - Quiet Talkers & More New Releases

Jul 03 2020

Toronto based singer-songwriter Ken Yates picked up a couple of Canadian Folk Music Awards for his critically acclaimed 2016 album “Huntsville”. He’s just released the follow-up, “Quiet Talkers” – an album Ken describes as his most personal to date, which is equally as wonderful and already picking up some critical buzz. Ken Yates joins us on Episode 521 of Folk Roots Radio for a great in-depth conversation about the new album, and life in lockdown – as we all continue to weather the coronavirus pandemic. We also hear from some other great songwriters as we check out new music from Glen MacNeil, Michael Logen, Barbara Jo Kammer, John Moreland, Graham Lindsey, Jason Wilber, John Prine and Gretchen Peters. Check out the full playlist below.