Big Little Lions Archives | Folk Roots Radio

Folk Roots Radio Episode 666: feat. Big Little Lions – AMPM & More New Releases

Jul 10 2023

Helen Austin and Paul Otten, who make music as the transcontinental songwriting partnership Big Little Lions, join us on Episode 666 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about “AMPM” – their first concept recording, and an album of songs based around a day in the life. As always with Helen and Paul, it’s a great conversation – and lots of fun! We wrap up the episode with more of the latest new releases, and this time around we check out new music from Sousou & Maher Cissoko, Aspen Jacobsen, Terra Spencer with Ben Caplan, Bruce Cockburn, Reg Meuross and Mary Gauthier. Remember, If you like the artists you hear on this show and want to support them, don’t just stream their music – BUY their music, and then you’ll really make a difference to their income at a time when it is becoming much more difficult to make a living as a musician. Check out the full playlist below.

Big Little Lions - AMPM - Folk Roots Radio Interview

Jun 05 2023

Long-distance songwriting partners Helen Austin and Paul Otten, who make music together as folk/pop duo Big Little Lions, are no strangers to Folk Roots Radio. Despite being based nearly three thousand miles apart, Helen (from Vancouver Island) and Paul (from Springboro, OH) are prolific songwriters. In fact, during the recent pandemic they released a new song a month, before wrapping everything up as their excellent 2022 album “Happy Accident”. They are now back with their seventh long player and first concept album, “AMPM” – which is based around a day in the life and the challenges we all face; and features songs about anxiety and self-hate, the grind of daily life, the perils of parenting, and the value of community and forgiveness. AMPM comes with all the hallmarks of their music – playful and thought-provoking lyrics, tight harmonies and catchy tunes. Helen Austin and Paul Otten joined us on Folk Roots Radio for a fun conversation about this creative new project. Visit Big Little Lions online at biglittlelions.com. Music: Big Little Lions “Oh It’s You Again”, “Worth The Time”, “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere”, “Almost” and “Why Won’t My Brain Stop” from “AMPM” (2023, Fallen Tree Records).

Folk Roots Radio Episode 639: We’re All About The Music! (Deeply Connected Edition)

Aug 07 2022

Join us on Episode 639 of Folk Roots Radio for another hour of great new releases that sound just so good together. This time around we check out new music from Noah Reid, Jenny Colquitt, Allison Moorer, Ian Lake, Wolf & Clover, Big Little Lions, Lunar Bloom, Kellie Loder, Sweet Alibi, Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder, Dodi Kallick, David Olney, Kim Beggs, The Slocan Ramblers and Kyle McKearney & Don Amero. Remember, if you like what you hear on Folk Roots Radio… and want to support the artists… don’t just stream their music, BUY their music and then you’ll really make a difference to their income during this difficult time, when live show opportunities are harder to come by. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 629: We're All About The Music! (Good To Be Back Edition)

Apr 30 2022

We’re back with another hour of great new releases on Episode 629 of Folk Roots Radio. This time around we hear from Keb’ Mo’, The Strange Valentines, Le Vent Du Nord, Just A Season, Kenneth I Mackenzie, Jerry Leger, Big Little Lions, Kathy Mattea, Tim O’Brien, Cara Dillon, Katie Spencer and Yola. We also include musical tributes to two artists we sadly lost recently: Alberta based roots and blues artist Bill Bourne and Pastelle LeBlanc from Prince Edward Island Acadian folk trio Vishtèn. Remember, if you like what you hear on Folk Roots Radio… and want to support the artists… don’t just stream their music, BUY their music and then you’ll really make a difference to their income during this difficult time, when live show opportunities are harder to come by. Check out the full playlist below.

Mar 07 2022

We have another hour of the great new releases to share with you on Episode 625 of Folk Roots Radio. Join us for new music from Jane Mathew, Big Little Lions, Sam Weber, Graham Ko, Max Allard, HuDost, Ben Sures, Keb’ Mo’, Jake Blount, The Pine Hearts, Bryan McPherson and Lynne Hanson. We wrap things up with three songs from folk singer Norma Waterson who sadly passed away recently, and was widely regarded as English folk royalty for her beautiful voice, and work with family bands The Watersons and Waterson: Carthy. Remember, if you like what you hear on Folk Roots Radio… and want to support the artists… don’t just stream their music, BUY their music and then you’ll really make a difference to their income during this difficult time, when live show opportunities are harder to come by. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 616: We're All About The Music! (The Turning Year Edition)

Jan 15 2022

Join us on Episode 616 of Folk Roots Radio for another hour of great new music, and a selection of songs that have a little bit of a new start feeling about them. As we settle into a new year, we wanted this episode to feel reflective, but also optimistic. Despite the challenging times, things will get better. This time around we hear from Lucy MacNeil (from The Barra McNeils), Sarah McQuaid, Michael Logen, Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra, Tony McManus, Sophia Tice, Dar Williams, Sanctuary Song Project (feat. Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno), Big Little Lions, Gurf Morlix, Moira Smiley & Piers Faccini, Joe Nolan , Dizzy & Fay, Melanie Peterson and Christa Couture. Remember, if you like what you hear on Folk Roots Radio… and want to support the artists… don’t just stream their music, BUY their music and then you’ll really make a difference to their income during this difficult time, when it’s really hard to find live show opportunities. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 603: feat. The Independent Songwriting Competition & More New Releases

Oct 25 2021

We’re pleased to bring you another hour of great new music on Episode 603 of Folk Roots Radio. This episode is a little different though, as all the music is by Canadian artists and we’re also including a short interview with Shane Whalen, Director of Marketing at the International Songwriting Competition who are celebrating their 20th anniversary with the launch of a brand new annual prize, the Spotlight Award which focuses on talent from a specific region of the world. This time around, in collaboration with Canada’s music licensing organization SOCAN, the prize will go to a Canadian songwriter. We wrap up the episode with new releases from Canadian artists T. Buckley, Pat Chessell, Sophie Lukacs, The Fretless, Yves Desrosiers, Big Little Lions, Slow Leaves, Born On A Wednesday, Luke Michielsen, Joe Nolan, Daniel James McFadyen and Alanna Gurr.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 598: We're All About The Music! (Superpower Edition)

Sep 30 2021

We’re holding back the interviews again on Episode 598 of Folk Roots Radio to bring you another hour of the best new releases. There is just so much great new music out there and, sadly, so little time to play it – but we’ll do our bit again on this episode. This time around we hear from Jordana Talsky, Matt Patershuk, Caroline Wiles, Efrat, Eli West, John McCutcheon, John Gage and Aaron Bibelhauser, John Wort Hannam, Red Dirt Skinners, Chris Coole, Big Little Lions, Craig Robertson, Jabbour, T. Buckley and Finny McConnell. Remember, if you like what you hear on Folk Roots Radio… and want to support the artists… don’t just stream their music, BUY their music and then you’ll really make a difference to their income during this difficult time, when it’s really hard to find live show opportunities. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 564: We're All About The Music! (All Wrapped Up & Nowhere To Go Edition)

Feb 07 2021

We’re heading into the midst of a Canadian winter in the middle of a pandemic lockdown, so it seems a perfect time to bring you another hour of great new music to warm the heart, and hopefully make these challenging times a little easier to bear. Join us on Episode 564 of Folk Roots Radio for some wonderful new releases with a few topical songs and Covid tunes thrown into the mix. This time around we feature music from Darlingside, Aaron Nathans & Michael G Ronstadt, Big Little Lions, Buffalo Gals Band, Andrea Bettger, Jessie & The Leonards, Colleen Kattau, Mark Dvorak, Cosy Sheridan, War & Pierce, Dan Hill, Tret Fure, Bill Bourne, Peach & Quiet, Maria Dunn and Francine Honey. Enjoy! Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 560: Our Favourite Albums of 2020

Dec 27 2020

We’re getting close to the end of 2020, which means it’s time to announce our favourite albums of the year. After the challenging year we’ve all had, it’s tempting to just want to put 2020 behind us and move on to 2021 to what will, hopefully, be a much better year for everyone. And yet, despite everything, 2020 has actually been a great year for recorded music – especially for those us who tend to focus on music that artists release independently, or via small and boutique record labels. Many artists have actually been making excellent use of the lockdown time forced on them by the coronavirus pandemic to record some wonderful ‘Covid Tune’ singles, EPs and in some case, even full albums. We’ve had great fun sharing them with you this year. We’ve also been doing our best to keep up with regularly scheduled releases. It gives us great pleasure each year, once we have put holiday radio episodes to bed, to consider our favourite albums of the year. One of the best things about doing a radio show is getting loads of great music to listen to each week. One of the hardest things to do is to take all that fabulous music and narrow it down to your ten favourite recordings of the year. You can check out The Top 10 on Episode 560 of Folk Roots Radio. We’ll be playing more of our favourite albums on upcoming episodes of Folk Roots Radio. If you don’t see an album you really loved, that’s likely because it didn’t make it up on our radar because we didn’t receive a copy. Please consider sharing your favourite albums in the comments – we might even spin them on a future episode of the show. Listen to The Top 10 on this episode, and check out the full playlist and the rest of our long list below. Enjoy!

Big Little Lions – Covid Times Edition – Sun Parlour Coffee House Sessions

Nov 28 2020

Helen Austin and Paul Otten are two fabulous songwriters who make music together as Big Little Lions. 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?”. They join us on a special ‘Covid Times’ edition of our video sister show, the Sun Parlour Coffee House Sessions, for a fun in-depth conversation about how their lives and their music have been changed by the on-going emergency, while sharing some of the great videos they have been producing in lockdown. Unfortunately because of the ongoing pandemic, we haven’t been able to record any more video sessions, so we’ve switched to a socially distanced interview format similar to Folk Roots Radio. Since we started the Sun Parlour Coffee House Sessions, we’ve had 50 different artists/bands join us in the studio. Check them out online at sunparloursessions.com. Enjoy!.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 553: We’re All About The Music! (The Keep Going Edition)

Nov 22 2020

We’re holding back the interviews on Episode 553 of Folk Roots Radio to bring you another hour of great new music to help you get through these strange Covid times. This time around we hear from The Bengsons, Gillian Tuite, Moira & Claire, Beppe Gambetta, Big Little Lions, Michael Lane, River North, Reid Jamieson, The Avenoir Project, Flo Perlin & Pilgrims’ Dream, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, iskwē & Tom Wilson (Lee Harvey Osmond), Tomato Tomato, Langhorne Slim and Ricky Green & Danny Traves. Remember, if you like the artists you hear on this show, don’t just stream their music – BUY their music and then you’ll really make a difference to their 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 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 538: We're All About The Music! (This Too Shall Pass Edition)

Sep 14 2020

We’re going all about the music again on Episode 538 of Folk Roots Radio as we hold back the interviews to bring you more great new releases, and this time around we throw some excellent new political songs into the mix. Join us for new music from Big Little Lions, James Lee Baker, Ian Gill, Shaye Zadravec, Westward The Light, Robert Cray Band, Si Kahn, Spook Handy, Richard Garvey, Raye Zaragoza, Melanie Brulée, Isabel Fryszberg, Andrea Nixon, Joe Nolan, Dirk Powell, Midnight Shine and Kari Lynn Hewett (with Roger Hewett). 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.

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 516: We're All About The Music! (Seeds of Reflection Edition)

Jun 06 2020

We have another hour of great new music to bring you on Episode 516 of Folk Roots Radio. We’ve heard people say that new releases have slowed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. That may very well be the case for the major labels, but fantastic independent music just keeps on coming – including many brand spanking new songs recorded in lockdown. Join us for great new music from Big Little Lions, David Berkeley (from Son of Town Hall), Richard Garvey, Cheshire Carr, Project Smok, Michael McDermott, Kim Moberg, Lynn Harrison, John & Sheila Ludgate, SONiA disappear fear, Lynn Jackson, Joshua Wood Orchestra and Eliza Gilkyson alongside a great spoken word piece from poet Bob Jensen. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 513: We're All About The Music! (Social Distancing Edition)

May 16 2020

We’re holding back the interviews on Episode 513 of Folk Roots Radio as we bring you another hour of great new music. We’re including more Covid-19 tunes and songs from isolation alongside some great new releases. Live performances may have been curtailed by the current crisis, but the new music just keeps on coming. Join us for great new songs from Big Little Lions, Sofia Talvik, Stan Simon, Liona Boyd, Westward The Light, Sherman Downey, Kristen Martell, 100 Mile House, Peter Rowan & Don Edwards, The Hello Darlins, Christina Hutt, Elles Bailey, Danny Schmidt and Noah Reid. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 486: Our Favourite Albums of 2019

Dec 31 2019

It’s that time of year… we’re holding back the interviews on Episode 486 of Folk Roots Radio as we check out our ten favourite albums of 2019. One of the best things about doing a radio show is getting loads of great music to listen to each week. One of the hardest things to do is to take all that fabulous music and narrow it down to your ten favourite recordings of the year. You can check out The Top 10 on this episode. We’ll be playing more of our favourite albums on upcoming episodes of Folk Roots Radio. If you don’t see an album you really loved, maybe it didn’t make it up on to our radar, or perhaps we never received a copy. Please consider sharing your favourite albums in the comments – we might even spin them on a future episode of the show. Listen to The Top 10 and check out the full playlist below. Enjoy!

Big Little Lions - Inside Voice - Folk Roots Radio Interview

Dec 03 2019

Big Little Lions, the wonderfully prolific folk pop duo featuring Helen Austin from Vancouver Island, and Paul Otten from Cincinnati, have just released their sixth album “Inside Voice” – fourteen new songs that take their theme from issues in relation to our mental health, that while thoughtful and reflective, still leave the listener feeling optimistic and hopeful for the future. Helen and Paul consistently crank out amazingly addictive folk pop songs – jam-packed with emotion and tight harmonies, that really sound like they are produced by two people working closely side-by-side, rather than thousands of miles apart. Big Little Lions picked up a JUNO for their music in 2014, and the Canadian Folk Music Award for Ensemble of the Year in 2015. They also have a fabulous live show, that always sounds much bigger than the two multi-instrumentalists on stage – Paul on drums, bass, keyboard and vocals; Helen on guitar, foot percussion and vocals. For more information about the Big Little Lions and upcoming tour dates, visit biglittlelions.com. Music: Big Little Lions “Here We Go Again”, “Lonely Blue” and “I Can Have It All” from “Inside Voice” (2019, AntiFragile).

Folk Roots Radio Episode 469: feat. Big Little Lions & More New Releases

Oct 26 2019

Helen Austin and Paul Otten make music together as Big Little Lions. They join us on Episode 469 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about their sixth album “Inside Voice” – fourteen songs that take as their theme the issue of mental health with songs about dementia, depression and anxiety. It’s a great album, and Helen and Paul are always a great interview. We also check out new music from Hannah Connolly, Lizanne Knott, Lori Lynne Johnson, Anna Ludlow, The Fitzgeralds and Don Brownrigg. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 463: feat. Tim Moxam and Stop Gap On Tour & More New Releases

Oct 04 2019

Toronto singer-songwriter and carpenter Tim Moxam joins us on Episode 463 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about his music, latest album “Marlborough Hall” and the StopGap on Tour initiative – building and delivering StopGap wooden accessibility ramps to inaccessible music venues he visits while on tour. It’s a very inspirational interview, and definitely worth checking out. We also take a look at more of the new music we’ve received, and this time around we hear from Big Little Lions, Daniel Norgren, Jeremy Voltz, Linda McRae, Darling Cora, Rising Appalachia, Kevin Mitchell, Ian Reid, Peter Light and Gathering Sparks. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 421: feat. Big Little Lions & More New Releases

Jan 11 2019

We catch up with Big Little Lions on Episode 421 of Folk Roots Radio. It’s at least a couple of years since we last sat down with Helen Austin and Paul Otten from the band to chat about their music. Always a great conversation, Big Little Lions released their very well-received third full length album “Alive And Well” earlier in 2018. Full of clever hooks and great harmonies, and, in some cases, a distinct message – it’s definitely worth checking out. We also check out more of the latest new releases and this time round we include new music from Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage, Lennie Gallant, Jane Yolen & 3 Ravens, Bob MacLean and Caribou Run. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 418: The Best of 2018 - The Next 15

Dec 28 2018

There are no interviews on Episode 418 of Folk Roots Radio as we check out more of our favourite albums of the year. We’ve already released The Top 10 on Episode 417 of Folk Roots Radio. This time around we check out The Next 15, featuring some of our favourite tracks from those albums. It’s a great privilege to bring lots of great music and interviews to you each week on Folk Roots Radio, something we’re looking forward to continuing throughout the next year. Listen to tracks from The Next 15 and check out the full playlist below.

Big Little Lions - Folk Roots Radio at FMO

Dec 02 2018

The Big Little Lions are Helen Austin and Paul Otten. A remarkable songwriting duo, they actually live in two different places – Helen on Vancouver Island, and Paul in Cincinnati OH, and send song ideas back and forward as they work on them, individually and together. Big Little Lions released their latest album “Alive And Well” in February 2018 – a very well received folk pop recording chock full of poppy songs with clever hooks and great harmonies, and, in some cases, a distinct message. Helen and Paul from Big Little Lions sat down with Jan Hall from Folk Roots Radio at the 2018 Folk Music Ontario conference to chat about their music. Visit Big Little Lions online at biglittlelions.com. Music: Big Little Lions “Against The Wall”, “Static” and “Find Your Tribe” from “Alive And Well” (2018, Self) CDN.

Tag - Big Little Lions

Folk Roots Radio Episode 666: feat. Big Little Lions – AMPM & More New Releases

Big Little Lions – AMPM – Folk Roots Radio Interview

Folk Roots Radio Episode 639: We’re All About The Music! (Deeply Connected Edition)

Folk Roots Radio Episode 629: We’re All About The Music! (Good To Be Back Edition)

Folk Roots Radio Episode 625: We’re All About The Music! (One Step Forward Edition)

Folk Roots Radio Episode 616: We’re All About The Music! (The Turning Year Edition)

Folk Roots Radio Episode 603: feat. The International Songwriting Competition & More New Releases

Folk Roots Radio Episode 598: We’re All About The Music! (Superpower Edition)

Folk Roots Radio Episode 564: We’re All About The Music! (All Wrapped Up & Nowhere To Go Edition)

Folk Roots Radio Episode 560: Our Favourite Albums of 2020

Big Little Lions – Covid Times Edition – Sun Parlour Coffee House Sessions

Folk Roots Radio Episode 553: We’re All About The Music! (The Keep Going Edition)

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

Folk Roots Radio Episode 538: We’re All About The Music! (This Too Shall Pass Edition)

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

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

Folk Roots Radio Episode 516: We’re All About The Music! (Seeds of Reflection Edition)

Folk Roots Radio Episode 513: We’re All About The Music! (Social Distancing Edition)

Folk Roots Radio Episode 486: Our Favourite Albums of 2019

Big Little Lions – Inside Voice – Folk Roots Radio Interview

Folk Roots Radio Episode 469: feat. Big Little Lions & More New Releases

Folk Roots Radio Episode 463: feat. Tim Moxam, StopGap On Tour & More New Releases

Folk Roots Radio Episode 421: feat. Big Little Lions & More New Releases

Folk Roots Radio Episode 418: The Best of 2018 – The Next 15

Big Little Lions – Folk Roots Radio at FMO