October 2020 | Folk Roots Radio

Folk Roots Radio Episode 547: feat. Steve Poltz (Covid Times) & More Releases

Oct 26 2020

We’re pleased to bring you another one of our Covid Times interviews on Episode 547 of Folk Roots Radio. As you know, the coronavirus pandemic has completely upended the lives of people who make their living through music. This time around we catch up with zany singer-songwriter and humorist Steve Poltz to learn more about his life during these strange, strange times – while checking out a wonderful new lockdown single, appropriately entitled “Quarantine Blues”. As always, it’s a great conversation. We wrap up the episode with new music from Rick Fines, Rube & Rake, Clare Follett, Carmanah, Hamish Napier, Aoife Scott, Terra Lightfoot and Dione Taylor. If you like the music you hear on Folk Roots Radio, don’t just stream the music – BUY the music, and then you’ll really make a difference to artists income during a period when live shows are hard to find. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 546: feat. Gordie Tentrees in Conversation - A Tribute to Aylie Sparkes

Oct 26 2020

Yukon based folk-roots singer-songwriter Gordie Tentrees joins us on Episode 546 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about the life, music and legacy of Aylie Sparkes, a Manitoba born singer-songwriter who arrived in the Yukon in 2001 with a truck full of guitars and barely a penny to his name. Finding his community, Aylie Sparkes built such a fabulous reputation for his live performances and slide guitar play that he had people queuing around the block to get into his shows. Passing away from cancer in 2005 and close to his 39th birthday, Aylie Sparkes recorded only one full length album, the recently re-released “Beautiful & Deranged” from 2003 which was nominated for Blues Album of the Year at the 2004 Western Canadian Music Awards. Beautiful & Deranged is a truly awesome album, and this is a great interview. So, settle down and enjoy Gordie Tentrees in Conversation – a tribute to Aylie Sparkes, on Folk Roots Radio. Check out the full playlist below.

Steve Poltz - Covid Times - Folk Roots Radio Interview

Oct 25 2020

Singer-songwriter and humorist Steve Poltz is an absolutely fabulous live performer. There is just no two ways about it. See one show, you’ll become a fan for life – and like everyone else, you’ll be revelling in the power of being in the moment for a performance where anything can happen, and often does. Steve Poltz was born in Canada (Halifax NS) and raised in San Diego where he spent much of his life before he moved to Nashville in 2016. After a series of well-received albums, the release of “Shine On” in 2019 really started to move Steve’s career up to another level – and then COVID hit. As a touring artist, Steve works exceptionally hard and plays more than 150 dates a year across North America, Europe and Australia. To see all his 2020 plans evaporate almost overnight was disappointing to say the least. Steve Poltz joined us on Folk Roots Radio to chat about how he has been spending his time off the road, including the release of a wonderful new lockdown single, appropriately entitled “Quarantine Blues”. Watch the video version of this interview on our sister show the Sun Parlour Coffee House Sessions HERE. For more information about the music of Steve Poltz visit poltz.com. Music: Steve Poltz “Quarantine Blues” (single) (2020, 98 Pounder Records / Compass Records), “Ballin’ On A Wednesday” from “Shine On” (2019, 98 Pounder Records / Red House Records) and Hey God I’ll Trade You Donald Trump For Leonard Cohen (single) (2017, 98 Pounder Records)

Shaye Zadravec – Now & Then – Folk Roots Radio Interview

Oct 20 2020

We included a portion of our interview with Shaye Zadravec in Episode 523 of Folk Roots Radio. We’re now pleased to be able to bring you the full conversation. It’s definitely worth checking out. Enjoy!

Shaye Zadravec, a young vocalist from Calgary Alberta, has been creating quite a buzz for her ability to interpret other people’s songs. Shaye, who describes herself as a singer and only occasionally a songwriter, started out her career in dance before moving into musical theatre and then on to a full music career. Her first full-length album, “Now & Then”, features ten tracks, and includes fine versions of songs by Jay Farrar (Windfall), Jesse Winchester (Biloxi), Paul Westerberg (Skyway), Lawrence Russell Brown & Pat McLaughlin (The Whispering Wind), Lynn Miles (Night Drive), Roy Forbes (The Slider), Joan Besen (Did You Fall In Love With Me) and Ian Tyson (Summer’s Gone, Silver Bell) alongside a beautiful instrumental by (her producer) Goran Grini (East Longview Serenade) that uses samples from four songs on the album. Now & Then was recorded over five days at OCL Studios (just outside Calgary) and produced by Norwegian musician Goran Grini (who also plays some acoustic guitar / Wurlitzer piano) with support from Mike Lent (bass), Chris Nordquist (drums), Tim Leacock (guitars / mandolin), Russell Broom – guitars, Bruce Bouton (steel guitar), Denis Dufresne (fiddle) and Sydney Zadravec (background vocals). Shaye Zadravec’s first EP “Norway” (also produced by Goran Grini) is also worth checking out. It features an absolutely gorgeous cover of Chip Taylor’s “I’ll Carry For You” alongside spine-tingling versions of “Lilac Wine”, made famous by Nina Simone and Elkie Brooks and Cris Cuddy’s “Dear Elvis”, as well as an excellent version of Shelby Lynne’s “If I Were Smart”. Although Shaye Zadravec has not really been able to perform live since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, in the past she has opened shows for William Prince, Dan Mangan, David Francey, Chip Taylor, and pop opera sensations Il Divo. If you want to check out Shaye Zadravec’s live work, take a look at this fantastic performance of Mary Margaret O’Hara’s “To Cry About” (with support from Tim Leacock) at the Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg, Manitoba, in March 2019 while she was on the Il Divo tour. For more information about the music of Shaye Zadravec, visit shayezadravec.com. Music: Shaye Zadravec “Biloxi”, “Skyway”, “Summers Gone” and “Night Drive” from “Now & Then” (2020, Indelible Music) CDN.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 545: We’re All About The Music! (Surf The Bad Times Edition)

Oct 19 2020

We’re all about the music again on Episode 545 of Folk Roots Radio as we hold back the interviews to bring you a great selection of new releases. Join us for new music from Last Birds, Shaye Zadravec, Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche, Jesse Brint, Chairmen Of The Boards, Allison Lupton & Craig Werth, Sinead O’Connor, Laura Mulcahy, Rachel Garlin, Tim Grimm, Harry Shearer, Loudon Wainwright III, Max Marshall and Caribou Run. Remember, if you like what you hear on this show… don’t just stream the music – BUY the music and the you’ll really make a difference to artists income during this difficult time when it’s much more challenging to find live shows. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 544: feat. Sultans of String - Refuge (Covid Times) & More New Releases

Oct 17 2020

We’re bringing another of our Covid Times interviews to Episode 544 of Folk Roots Radio – an opportunity for artists to chat about how the coronavirus pandemic has upended their music careers. This time around we are joined by Chris McKhool, violinist and band leader of world folk combo, Sultans of String, who released a fabulous new recording “Refuge” earlier this year – an album that highlights the extraordinary contributions that indigenous people, immigrants and refugees make to culture and life in North America. Sultans of String were supposed to be out on tour across both North America and the UK this year. None of that has been able to happen which is why we encourage all our listeners – if you like the music you hear on this show, buy the music, don’t just stream it! That way, you can really make a difference in artists lives during a period that they can’t be out on the road. We also check out more of the latest new releases, and this time around we hear from Ruston Kelly, Will Kimbrough, The Bodarks and Vi Wickam and Paul Anastasio. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 543: feat. Big Little Lions (Covid Times) & More New Releases

Oct 12 2020

Helen Austin and Paul Otten are two fabulous songwriters who make music together as Big Little Lions, even though they are actually based over two thousand miles apart. They were on tour as the coronavirus pandemic hit, and despite having to head home and into lockdown, they have continued to make great music – including the release of a pandemic inspired album “Are We there Yet?”. Big Little Lions join us on Episode 543 of Folk Roots Radio for a fun in-depth conversation about how their lives and their music have been changed by the on-going emergency. The pandemic has hit the artistic community hard, which is why we all need to do what we can to ensure it is supported during these strange Covid Times – and why we encourage our listeners to… buy the music, don’t just stream it! As always, we wrap up the episode with more new releases, and this time around we hear from Emily Barker, Lizzy Hardingham, Gillian Welch, Mo Kenney, Hauler and Mike Plume. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 542: feat. Shaye Zadravec - Now And Then & More New Releases

Oct 05 2020

We’re pleased to bring you a great interview with another artist who is new to our radar – Shaye Zadravec from Calgary Alberta, who has been creating quite a buzz for her ability to interpret other people’s songs. Shaye joins us to chat about her brilliant first full length album “Now & Then”, which covers songs by fabulous songwriters like Jesse Winchester, Ian Tyson, Lynn Miles & more. As always, we also take a look at more of the latest new releases, and this time around we hear from Piper & Carson, Ian Gill, Bill Bourne, Jeremy Gignoux and Joe Nolan. It’s a great episode. We hope you’ll take a listen. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 541: We're All About The Music! (Be Grateful Edition)

Oct 02 2020

We’re all about the music on Episode 541 of Folk Roots Radio as we step back from the interviews once again to bring you another hour of great new releases. We’re subtitling this one the “Be Grateful Edition”, because despite everything – an on-going pandemic and a lunatic in the White House, there is still much to be thankful for. Join us for new music from Brennen Leigh, Piper & Carson, Andrea Bettger, 100 mile house, Simone Romei, Twin Flames, David Leask, Kevin California, Ian Reid, Gillian Welch, Bruce T. Carroll, Chris Smither, Dione Taylor and Laila Biali. Check out the full playlist below.