Christa Couture Archives | Folk Roots Radio

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.

Dec 31 2021

We have another wonderful interview to share with you on Episode 614 of Folk Roots Radio. Award-winning singer-songwriter, writer and broadcaster Christa Couture joins us for an in-depth conversation about her career. An artist who describes herself as queer, disabled and proudly indigenous (she’s mixed Cree and Scandinavian), Christa Couture has experienced more loss than most people can ever imagine: childhood cancer that led to the amputation of her left leg plus a second bout of cancer – this time of the thyroid (later in life). She’s also lived with the tragedies of abortion and the deaths of two sons in infancy, followed by divorce. Her life experience informed her very well-received memoir “How To Lose Everything” which came out in 2020, and has helped many, many people deal with loss and grief. Christa Couture continues to make great art in both music and literature, with a willingness to share her story and inspiring attitude to life through broadcasting, public speaking and now film. We wrap things up with her uplifting new single “To Us”, a song she describes as ‘a toast to resilience and survival’, with the hope that things will get better as we move into 2022. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 551: feat. The Fugitives - Trench Songs & More New Releases

Nov 15 2020

Brendan McLeod and Adrian Glynn from Vancouver based folk collective The Fugitives join us on Episode 551 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about their wonderful new album “Trench Songs”, which takes as its source material, lyrics from songs written by frontline soldiers during the First World War – set to new music from the band. It’s a great interview. We hope you’ll stay with us to check it out. As always, we wrap up the episode with more new releases, and this time around we hear from Christa Couture, Emily Rockarts, Karl Mullen, Ian Foster, The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc and James Gates. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 295: Folk Music Ontario 2016 Developing Artist Program (Photo: Mike Bourgeault)

Jan 20 2017

We’re all about the Folk Music Ontario (FMO) Developing Artist Program (formerly known as the FMO Youth Program) on Episode 295 of Folk Roots Radio. Each year during the annual conference, a group of youth performers are paired with mentors from the Ontario folk community to work on a showcase performance and participate in professional development activities. The programme is open to residents of Ontario and the National Capital Region, between the ages 15 and 21, who are chosen for their interest, ability and experience. This documentary features commentary and musical contributions from programme coordinator Treasa Levasseur; Mentors: Cécile Doo-Kingué, Christa Couture, Graydon James, Lynn Miles and Alysha Brilla; Youth: Brandon Girouard, Anita Cazzola, John Muirhead, Missy Bauman and Melina Hanke. The 31st annual FMO conference takes place October 19-22, 2017, at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites, 5875 Airport Road, Mississauga, ON. The closing date for the 2017 Folk Music Ontario Developing Artist Program is August 18. Learn more about the program HERE. Photo credit: Mike Bourgeault.

May 27 2016

This episode of Folk Roots Radio features two interviews. Banjo and fiddle playing singer-songwriter Hannah Shira Naiman joined us at the Folk Music Ontario conference to chat about her music, her new project involving shadow puppetry, and play a couple of songs live. We also check in with Gordie Tentrees who will be appearing at this year’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival which takes place in the beautiful confines of Lakeside Park in Kingsville from August 12-14. And as always, we include some of the best of the new releases we’ve received.

May 13 2016

Mike Hill, artistic director at the Mariposa Folk Festival joins us on this episode to chat about Mariposa’s 56th edition taking place the weekend of July 8-10 2016, in beautiful Tudhope Park in Orillia, on the shores of Lake Couchiching. Mariposa is always an early summer highlight for us and as usual they have a great line-up. As always, we also include some of the latest releases we’ve received in the mix.