Episode 281: Zachary Lucky

Zachary Lucky joins us on this episode to chat about his new album “Everywhere A Man Can Be”. We also continue our review of the nominees for the 2016 Canadian Folk Music Awards. This time around we take a look at the nominees for The Oliver Schroer Pushing The Boundaries Award, and, as every year, some great artists and albums have been nominated.

Kaia Kater has been nominated for her fabulous second album “Nine Pin” (2016, Self), one of our favourite albums of the year. You can check out our in-depth interview with Kaia on the website HERE.

Classically trained Jessica Deutsch and her band Ozere, who use violin, mandolin, cello, bass and vocals to bring together the worlds of folk and chamber music in glorious harmony, are also included for their album “Finding Anyplace” (2015, Self). As is Jim Bryson, for “Somewhere We Will Find Our Place” (2016, Fixed Hinge Recordings) – an album that details Jim’s personal struggle with depression. You can find a great interview with Jim recorded at the Folk Music Ontario conference on the website HERE.

Ten Strings and a Goat Skin from Prince Edward Island have been receiving some great buzz for both their high energy live show and recorded work. On this episode we played their version of Kay Sutcliffe’s “Coal Not Dole” – a song written at the time of the 1984 UK miner’s strike. Auprès du poêle, which translates as “around the woodstove”, is stuffed full of wonderful original and traditional songs that weave together old-school Franco-Canadian, Breton, Irish, and Scottish tunes, while adding a bit of a modern groove into the mix. The album is produced by Leonard Podolak of Grammy and Juno-winning eclectic roots faves The Duhks. It’s definitely worth checking out. Auprès du poêle is up for four awards this time around.

And finally… Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland as Whitehorse, are nominated for their Blues E.P. “The Northern South, Vol. 1” (2016, Six Shooter Records) which features songs by Willie Dixon and Jimmy Reed, among others. On this episode to listen to “Big Boss Man”, written by Willie Dixon with Al Smith and first recorded by Jimmy Reed in 1960.

We also found time to play Lotus Wight, from Sheesham and Lotus & ‘Son, with his version of traditional Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune “Cluck Old Hen” from his solo album “Ode To The Banjo” (2015, Self). Lotus Wight has been nominated in the “Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year” category. You can find an interview with Lotus on the website HERE, and another, with all the members of Sheesham and Lotus & ‘Son HERE.

The Canadian Folk Music Awards take place in Toronto December 2-3, the weekend of December 2-3. We’ll be reviewing the candidates on other categories on future editions of Folk Roots Radio. For more information visit folkawards.ca.

Zachary Lucky joins us on this episode to chat about  “Everywhere A Man Can Be”, the follow-up to 2013’s “The Ballad Of Losing You”. And where The Ballad of Losing you was introspective and reflective – focusing on some very personal themes, the new album is outward looking, expansive and optimistic featuring nine new songs written on the road, that name check people and places he visited while touring his last effort. The new album features stellar support from pedal steel virtuoso Aaron Goldstein, who also produced, and a band that includes Taylor Knox on drums, Dan Edmonds (Harlan Pepper) on piano, Darcy Yates (Flash Lightnin’, Bahamas) on bass, Rosalyn Dennett on fiddle, and Slocan Ramblers‘ Frank Evans on banjo. Nichol Robertson also guests on guitar, alongside vocalist Julie Fader, and pianist Jay Swinnerton. With a laid-back style that’s all his own, “Everywhere A Man Can Be” is clearly a step towards solidifying Zachary’s place in the vanguard of Canadian country music. We caught up with Zachary at home in Orillia to chat about the new album. You can listen to the full interview HERE. For more information visit zacharylucky.com.

And that’s all we have time for this time around. You can check out the full playlist with artist links below. Please share your love for all the great folk and roots music out there. Thanks to all the artists who share their music with us, and thank you for listening. We have a lot of great music to bring you on future shows. I hope you’ll join us!

You can listen to this episode again on Mixcloud by following the link below.

Nicolas & The Iceni (Theme)
Lucy She Rises (Demo)
Roll Right (expected 2016)

Kaia Kater
Rising Down
Nine Pin (2016, Self) CDN

Ozere
Keeper
Finding Anyplace (2015, Self) CDN

Jim Bryson
The Depression Dance
Somewhere We Will Find Our Place (2016, Fixed Hinge Recordings) CDN

Ten Strings and a Goat Skin
Coal Not Dole
Auprès du poêle (2016, Self) CDN

Whitehorse
Big Boss Man
The Northern South, Vol. 1 – EP (2016, Six Shooter Records) CDN

Lotus Wight
Cluck Old Hen
Ode to The Banjo (2015, Self) CDN

Zachary Lucky
Can’t Say Why
Everywhere A Man Can Be (2016, Self) CDN

Interview: Zachary Lucky

Zachary Lucky
Everywhere A Man Can Be
Everywhere A Man Can Be (2016, Self) CDN

Interview: Zachary Lucky

Zachary Lucky
Lost My Way (Now & Then)
Everywhere A Man Can Be (2016, Self) CDN

Martha Renaud
Fly
Time And Tide (2016, Self) CDN