Kingsville Folk Music Festival Archives

Durham County Poets – Hand Me Down Blues – Folk Roots Radio Interview

Mar 10 2020

The Durham County Poets are having an absolutely fabulous year. They released the wonderful “Hand Me Down Blues” in 2019 – a celebration of all things blues and the artists that have inspired their music. Since then, they have received nominations for both the 2020 JUNO Blues Album of the Year & the 2019 Maple Blues Awards New Artist/Group of the Year. According to band front man and lead vocalist Kevin Harvey, the decision to make a full-on blues album brought back memories of catching the great Muddy Waters live in Montreal in 1981, when – front row and centre, a young Kevin Harvey was able to touch the great man’s shoe. “Muddy looked at me and winked, as if to say ‘welcome to the blues, son’. I didn’t know then, that I would have a life-altering spinal cord injury three months later that would place me in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. That experience made the blues come alive to me. The band and I – we have our own experiences and inspirations that lead to the creation of a dedicated ‘blues album’, paying homage to our favourite blues artists. Muddy Waters was just one of many who handed the genre down to us, and now we want to continue in that tradition by putting our own stamp on it and “Hand” the blues to the next generation.” Hand Me Down Blues which was produced by Bill Garrett, features compositions written by all four long-time members of the band: David Whyte, Neil Elsmore, Carl Rufh and Kevin Harvey alongside some well chosen covers. New boy Rob Couture joins them in the drum chair. The Durham County Poets continue to tour on a regular basis, and upcoming dates include Sharbot Lake ON (March 21, Sharbot Lake Inn), Oakville (March 26, The Moonshine Cafe), Kingsville ON (March 27, Road to Kingsville Folk Fest), Wallaceburg ON (March 28, Jeanne Gordon Theatre) and Wakefield QC (May 16, The Blacksheep Inn). For more information, visit durhamcountypoets.com. Music: Durham County Poets, “Hand Me Down Blues”, “Can’t Be Satisfied”, “If The Lid Don’t Fit” and “Evil In The Heart Of Man” from “Hand Me Down Blues” (2019, Self).

The Bombadils in Wheatley – January 12

Dec 16 2016

The Bombadils, featuring Sarah Frank (fiddle, banjo, vocals) and Luke Fraser (guitar, mandolin, vocals), will be bringing their kitchen party folk to Wheatley ON for a Kingsville Folk Music Festival fundraising concert at the the Car Barn Restaurant on Thursday January 12 2017 at 7:30 p.m. (Doors at 7:00 p.m.). Tickets are $20, and can be reserved at 519-825-7436. The Bombadils released their first album as a duo, “New Shoes” on Borealis Records earlier this year. Check out our interview recorded with Sarah and Luke at the recent Folk Music Ontario conference in Ottawa. For more information on the Bombadils visit thebombadils.com. Music: The Bombadils, Train In The Night from New Shoes (2016, Borealis Records).

Union Duke at The Bank Theatre – November 26

Nov 16 2016

On the back of rave reviews at this summer’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival, Toronto’s folk quintet Union Duke are heading back down into Ontario’s banana belt for a show at Leamington’s Bank Theatre on Saturday November 26 at 8 p.m. (Doors 7 p.m.) The band released their third album “Golden Days”, the follow-up to the very well received “Cash & Carry” earlier this year. With a lively alt.folk bluegrass pop sound, the band inhabit the same territory as Mumford & Sons and The Strumbellas. They have a fabulous live show, and are definitely worth checking out if you haven’t yet done so. Get your tickets online HERE. Check out Union Duke online at unionduke.com.

Karen Morand – In The Studio

Sep 07 2016

Windsor-based singer-songwriter Karen Morand writes beautiful songs with a wonderful warm earthy quality that beg you to want to spend time in her company. Equally comfortable as a solo artist with a guitar or playing with her wonderful band “Bosco”, named after the infamous chocolate syrup of Seinfeld fame, and featuring Aaron Verhulst on mandolin and guitars and Benny Santoro on cajon – her performances are not to be missed. Karen Morand was recently announced as the winner of the 1st Canada South Songwriting Competition at the Kingsville Folk Music Festival. For more information about her music, visit karenmorand.com. Music: Karen Morand “Carry On” from “Carry On” (2012, Self), “Big Muddy” (Live), “Junkyard Heart” (Live), “Arms of Love” (Live) and “Brighter Days” from “I Think I’ll Lose My Mind Today” (2014, Self)

Episode 274: Aengus Finnan & Union Duke

Aug 27 2016

This episode features our final two interviews recorded at the 2016 Kingsville Folk Music Festival. Aengus Finnan, the executive director of Folk Alliance International joins us to chat about their mission and annual conference, the world’s largest gathering of the folk industry and community. Matt Warry-Smith and Will Staunton from Union Duke also stop by to chat about the band’s third album “Golden Days”. Photo: Morten Fog.

Aug 24 2016

This episode features more interviews and artist music from the 2016 Kingsville Folk Music Festival. Kingsville, in South-Western Ontario, has a lovely little festival, and it’s well worth a visit if you get the chance. On this edition we talk to Rob Lutes, Jason Dennie, Luther Wright and Qristina & Quinn Bachand, and Jaxon Haldane joins us to chat about the Willie P Bennett Legacy Project. I’d again like to thank Gary Glass from Quantum Sound Productions for his help in recording these interviews. For more information about the Kingsville Folk Music Festival, visit kingsvillefolkfest.org. Photo: Michael Dick.

Aug 19 2016

This episode is the first of two that features interviews recorded at the 2016 Kingsville Folk Music Festival. Festival producers John and Michelle Law have brought a lovely festival to South-Western Ontario and despite some rain on the Saturday – which didn’t dampen spirits at all, we were all treated to a wonderful weekend of live music and community. Folk Roots Radio was very fortunate to have some artists stop by to chat about their music, and their festival experiences. This week we feature interviews with Connie Kaldor, Erika Kulnys, Gordie Tentrees, Jaxon Haldane, Karen Morand and a festival visitor coming all the way from Germany, Oliver Tamagnini alongside some music from festival artists. I think we’ve captured a little bit of the flavor of the festival and I hope you enjoy it. Special thanks to Gary Glass from Quantum Sound Productions for his help in recording these interviews. Photo: windsorite.ca.

Aug 06 2016

This episode of Folk Roots Radio is all about this year’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival which takes place the weekend of August 12-14 in beautiful Lakeside Park in Kingsville on the shore of Lake Erie. We feature interviews with artistic directors John & Michele Law, Leamington singer-songwriter Dale Butler and publicist Michelle Fortier, alongside music from some of the artists we’re excited to see in Kingsville this time around. Check out the full line-up HERE. For more information about the festival and to get tickets, visit kingsvillefolkfest.org.

Jul 28 2016

Leamington-based singer-songwriter Francine Leclair will be appearing at this summer’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival, taking place in beautiful Lakeside Park, in Kingsville, on the shore of Lake Erie from August 12-14. Francine joined us in the studio to chat about her music and also plays a couple of new songs live for us. We also include music from some of the other artists heading to Kingsville this summer. For more information about the Kingsville Folk Music Festival, visit kingsvillefolkfest.org.

Jul 21 2016

Ottawa-based Métis singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume joins us on Episode 265 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about her great new album “Holding Patterns”. As always, we also take a look at some of the latest new releases.

Jul 19 2016

Ottawa-based Métis singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume won a 2014 Canadian Folk Music Award for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year and was nominated for a Juno, for her 2014 album “Keep A Fire” which explored her Métis heritage. Her latest release “Holding Patterns” is a more personal record altogether, featuring folk-country-pop songs that reflect on aspects of her own life experience, alongside “Red Dress” (feat. vocals from Chantal Kreviazuk), a song to raise awareness about Canada’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. All proceeds from “Red Dress” will be donated to the Native Women’s Association of Canada. Amanda is heading to the UK on tour before returning to Canada for a show at the Bruce Wine Bar in Thornbury ON on August 5, and an appearance at this summer’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival. We caught up with Amanda at home to chat about the new album. Photo Credit: Jen Squires. For more information visit www.amandarheaume.com. Music: Amanda Rheaume “Get To The Part”, “Red Dress” and “Wolf Of Time” from “Holding Patterns” (2016, Self).

Episode 262: Danielle Miraglia

Jul 07 2016

Boston based singer/songwriter Danielle Miraglia is heading to this summer’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival, taking place in beautiful Lakeside Park, in Kingsville, on the shore of Lake Erie in South Western Ontario from August 12-14. We caught up with Danielle between gigs, and out on the road in Pennsylvania to chat about her music and latest album “Glory Junkies” (2015). We also include a tribute to the late great Ralph Stanley and take a look at some new releases.

Jul 04 2016

Boston based singer/songwriter Danielle Miraglia‘s latest album, her third long player, “Glory Junkies”, is an album of lyrically rich songs that finds time to poke fun at both reality TV and selfie culture alongside more personal subject material. We caught up with Danielle on the road to her next show. For more information visit daniellem.com. Photo: Caroline Alden. Music: Danielle Miraglia, “Carmella” and “Glory Junky” from “Glory Junkies” (2015, Self).

Episode 257: Kaia Kater

May 27 2016

We’re giving the whole of this episode of Folk Roots Radio over to an interview with banjo player and rising star Kaia Kater who has just released her sophomore recording “Nine Pin”. Nine Pin is a concept album that takes as its inspiration the Black Lives Matter movement and Kaia’s own experience growing up as a person of colour in North America. And it’s an album that gives Kaia free reign to push her own boundaries using her old-time Appalachian banjo as the leaping off point for powerful lyrical songs that show maturity way beyond her years. It really is a terrific album, and it’s a great interview. I hope you enjoy it.

May 24 2016

Kaia Kater has just released her sophomore recording “Nine Pin”. Recorded in just one day in Toronto, with Chris Bartos, the producer of Kaia’s debut album “Sorrow Bound”, Nine Pin is a concept album that takes as its inspiration the Black Lives Matter movement and Kaia’s own experience growing up as a person of colour in North America – but also touches on more personal source material such as love and loss. And it’s an album that gives Kaia free reign to push her own boundaries using her old-time Appalachian banjo as the leaping off point for powerful lyrical songs that show maturity way beyond her years. We caught up with Kaia at home in Toronto to chat about the new album. Kaia has a CD release concert in Toronto at the Burdock on June 12. She’ll also be appearing at the Kingsville Folk Music Festival, August 12-14. For more information, visit kaiakater.com. Music: Kaia Kater “Rising Down”, “Harlem’s Little Blackbird”, “Paradise Fell” and “Nine Pin” from “Nine Pin” (2016, Self).

Gordie Tentrees – Kingsville Folk Music Festival

May 24 2016

Gordie Tentrees is no stranger to Folk Roots Radio. We’ve interviewed him a couple of times before, and I think the last time was around the release of his great 2015 album “Less Is More”. Well, Gordie will be bringing what he describes as his ‘storytelling-based folk, country, blues thing‘ to this year’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival with support from Jaxon Haldane (who will be performing in his own right at the festival). This year’s festival takes place from August 12-14 2016 in the beautiful confines of Lakeside Park in Kingsville. Get your tickets HERE. We reached Gordie at home in the Yukon to chat about what’s new with his music and this year’s festival. Music: Gordie Tentrees “Somebody’s Child” from “Less Is more” (2015, Buckaroo Records).

Episode 255: Dale Butler

May 20 2016

We’re giving over the whole of this episode of Folk Roots Radio to the music of Leamington Ontario singer-songwriter Dale Butler. As well as his own career as a full-time musician, Dale also hosts a coffee house that helps nurture the careers of new performers. Dale joined us in the Folk Roots Radio studio to chat about his music and play a few songs live.

May 18 2016

Dale Butler has been making music in Essex County in South-Western Ontario for over forty years. A full time musician, singer-songwriter and storyteller Dale performs solo, as a duo with wife Judy and also with his band “Dale Butler & Friends”. He also hosts Dale’s Friday Coffee House, formerly known as the Last Friday Coffee House, a Leamington musical institution that takes place monthly at The Bank Theatre and helps nurture the careers of young and new performers. Dale is also known for a great folk festival workshop where he shows participants how to play a guitar in two minutes even if they’ve never ever held a guitar before – a hold over from his days as a music store proprietor in Leamington. Dale joined us in the Folk Roots Radio studio to chat about his music and play a few songs live. Music: Dale Butler “Love That Grows” from “Aiming For Left Field” (2014, Self), “My Life” (Live), “Let’s Write Our Song” (Live), “Question Marks on My Windshield” from “Now I See” (2013, Self), “Lonely Child” (Live), “Thirty Years On” (Live) and “Summertime” from “Butler Tunes 1” (2012, Self).

Episode 250: Kingsville Folk Music Festival

May 06 2016

This episode features an interview with John & Michele Law who joined us to chat about the line up for the 3rd Annual Kingsville Folk Music Festival, which takes place from August 12-14, in the beautiful confines of Lakeside Park in Kingsville on the shores of Lake Erie It’s a great festival and already gaining a great reputation for bringing fabulous folk, roots, blues and world music down into South-western Ontario. There’s also a lot of new music on this episode. I hope you’ll check it out.

May 04 2016

The performers for the 3rd Annual Kingsville Folk Music Festival, which takes place from August 12-14, have just been announced. This year, the festival, which takes place in the beautiful confines of Lakeside Park in Kingsville on the shore of Lake Erie, features Buffy Sainte-Marie, fresh from success at the Juno Awards with her Polaris Music Prize winning album “Power in the Blood”. Joining Buffy at this year’s festival are Alex Cuba, Quique Escamilla, Irish Mythen, Garnet Rogers, Alysha Brilla, Qristina & Quinn Bachand, Bill Bourne, The Boxcar Boys, Jason Dennie & Rochelle Clark, Tony Gouveia, Maneli Jamal, Connie Kaldor, Kaia Kater, The Laws, Rob Lutes, Danielle Miraglia, The O’Pears, Amanda Rheaume, Gordie Tentrees & Jaxon Haldane, Union Duke, Luther Wright, Dale Butler, Francine Leclair, Whoa Nellie! Vera & Johnny, Tribute to Willie P. Bennett and children’s performers: Jangles The Magical Clown, Butterfingers and Magoo alongside Todd Crowley’s Musical Petting Zoo. Artistic Directors John & Michele Law joined us to chat about this year’s festival. Weekend passes at Kingsville are still under $100 which sounds like a great deal and Children 16 and under are admitted FREE! Regular priced weekend – senior – student and single day passes are now available online HERE. For more information visit kingsvillefolkfest.org. Music: Buffy Sainte-Marie “Power In The Blood” from “Power In The Blood” (2015, True North Records).

Episode 244: Dave Gunning

Mar 31 2016

On this edition of Folk Roots Radio we talk to Pictou Nova Scotia singer-songwriter Dave Gunning about his upcoming Ontario tour and latest abum “Lift”. And, as always, we throw some interesting new music into the mix.

Mar 30 2016

Dave Gunning is back on tour in Ontario this April. Dave joined us to chat about the tour and his latest album (number eleven) “Lift”. For more information on Dave’s tour dates, visit davegunning.com. Music: Dave Gunning “I Robbed the Co. Store”, “They Don’t Do That No More” and “Sing It Louder” from “Lift” (2015, Wee House of Music).

Dave Gunning – April Ontario tour

Mar 23 2016

Acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Dave Gunning is back on tour in Ontario this April, including a stop off in Leamington for a Road to Kingsville Folk Fest show at The Bank Theatre (April 15), The Registry Theatre, Kitchener (April 16), Hugh’s Room, Toronto (April 21) and The Moonshine Cafe, Oakville (April 28). He’ll also be appearing at this summer’s Mariposa Folk Festival (July 7-10). Dave is fresh off a 13-date trip to Australia and the release of his 11th album “Lift” (2015, Wee House Of Music), a stellar collection of personal and character-driven songs featuring four Dave Gunning originals alongside co-writes with some other great Canadian songwriters including contributions from Matt Andersen, Catherine MacLellan, Thom Swift and the late Jim Dorie. There is also a fabulous tribute to the late great Pete Seeger, “Sing It Louder” co-written with North Carolina singer-songwriter Sally Spring. Check out all of Dave’s upcoming appearances at davegunning.com.

Fish & Bird on Tour

Feb 10 2016

Main Stage favourites from the 2014 Kingsville Folk Music Festival, alt. folk band Fish & Bird are back on tour in Ontario during February. Raised on a diet of Radiohead and classic roots music, Fish & Bird are a fabulous live band, and well worth checking out. Their fourth album, “Something in the Ether” was released in September 2014 on Fiddlehead Records to critical acclaim. Fish & Bird play Leamington (February 25), Guelph (February 26), Hamilton (February 27), Burdock (February 28), Owen Sound (February 29). The Leamington show, presented by the Sun Parlour Folk Music Society & The Sun Parlour Players Community Theatre, takes place at The Bank Theatre, 10 Erie South, Leamington on Thursday February 25 at 8 p.m (doors 7 p.m.). Advance tickets are $20 and available online HERE. In Guelph, they’re back at Silence for a Guelph Roots show on Friday February 26 at 8 p.m. (doors 7:30 p.m.). Tickets are $15 in advance ($20 at the door). Advanced tickets may be purchased online HERE. For more information about Fish & Bird visit fishandbird.ca.

Episode 206: Kingsville Folk Music Festival 2015

Jul 31 2015

John & Michelle Law, artistic directors at the Kingsville Folk Music Festival join us on this week’s show to talk about this year’s festival (year two) taking place from August 7-9 in beautiful Lakeside Park in Kingsville on the shores of Lake Erie. Later in the show, Southern Ontario roots songstress Allison Brown joins us to chat about her fabulous new album “Stitches and Incisions”. As usual, we also find time for our mystery theme and guilty pleasure alongside some great new releases.

Tag - Kingsville Folk Music Festival

Durham County Poets – Hand Me Down Blues – Folk Roots Radio Interview

The Bombadils in Wheatley – January 12

Union Duke at The Bank Theatre – November 26

Karen Morand – In The Studio

Episode 274: Aengus Finnan & Union Duke

Episode 273: More Kingsville Folk 2016

Episode 272: Kingsville Folk 2016

Episode 268: Kingsville Folk Music Festival Preview

Episode 267: Francine Leclair

Episode 265 – Amanda Rheaume

Amanda Rheaume – Folk Roots Radio Interview

Episode 262: Danielle Miraglia

Danielle Miraglia – The Interview

Episode 257: Kaia Kater

Kaia Kater – The Nine Pin Folk Roots Radio Interview