Roots Music Canada

28/07/2025

Folk group Lo & the High Road invite listeners into a twilight world of myth, music and magical ambiguity with their new single Lanterns in the Mist, out now. Weaving together Celtic instrumentation and modern folk storytelling, the track continues the ensemble’s tradition of grounding fantasy in emotional truth, set to a soundscape of bouzouki, bodhrán, fiddle and harmonized vocals that feel like they’ve wandered out of the fog between dreams and daybreak.

Led by Lauren Halász (vocals, bass, bodhrán, whistle) and Colin McMahon (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, production), the Cobourg-based project draws inspiration from folklore, fairy tales and the living tradition of Celtic music. “This song is from the perspective of a child who is being stolen away by fairies,” explained Lauren. “It’s a theme in stories from cultures all over the world. Sometimes they’re taken for sinister reasons, sometimes to be saved.
&theHighRoad

Folk group Lo & the High Road invite listeners into a twilight world of myth, music and magical ambiguity with their new single Lanterns in the Mist, out no

27/07/2025

Canadian singer-songwriter Samantha Hooey has emerged from a 12-year recording hiatus with a luminous, introspective new EP titled Silver, led by the radiant single “Red Skies.” A study in restraint, reverence and resilience, Silver is a collection of five soul-stirring songs that feel both timeless and startlingly present. With textures as gentle as moonlight and lyrics carved from deep personal renewal, the EP is Samantha’s most intimate and focused work to date.
“Red Skies” opens the project like a quiet meteor streaking across the morning — its lyrics evoke the image of birds lifting before a storm, revealing a truth that’s been waiting to be named: “Always thought that I was scared of dying / turns out I was just afraid to live.” That single line, repeated throughout the song, encapsulates the raw emotional clarity Samantha brings to her craft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZyUTHeKTtw
“These songs came out of a healing process,” Samantha shares.

Canadian singer-songwriter Samantha Hooey has emerged from a 12-year recording hiatus with a luminous, introspective new EP titled Silver, led by the radiant si

26/07/2025

Hazelridge, MB, country duo Banned & Outlawed — nominated for five Josie Music Awards, taking place Nov. 2, 2025, at the legendary Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, TN — are igniting summer playlists with their latest release, “Backyard Bar,” now spinning on country radio and streaming across platforms. Known for their hard-working prairie roots and gritty charm, brothers Jon and Daniel Hnatishin offer up a track that blends backyard storytelling with singalong spirit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDvAquQOsw8
Written with hitmaker Chris Buck in Nashville, “Backyard Bar” began as a high-energy party tune. Once in the studio, the band pulled the tempo back and leaned into their signature style—warm, melodic and grounded in real-life moments. “It became a drinkin’ tune,” they explain.

Hazelridge, MB, country duo Banned & Outlawed — nominated for five Josie Music Awards, taking place Nov. 2, 2025, at the legendary Grand Ole Opry House in

26/07/2025

From Newmarket, ON, songwriter and guitarist John Dawson releases his latest single, “Take the Time,” a beautifully reflective and emotionally grounded piece that reaffirms his place as one of Canada’s quietly brilliant voices in folk and roots music. With lyrical depth, warm arrangements and an honest vocal delivery, “Take the Time” reveals John’s rare ability to explore the human condition with clarity, humility and heart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVQrffgLBDA
Written and performed by John, the track is accompanied by a stellar rhythm section featuring Manny DeGrandis on bass and Anthony D’Angela on drums. It was produced by Mike Walsom and mastered by Justin Perkins, whose work helps bring out the song’s rich sonic texture without overwhelming its intimate message.
“When I take the time to look back as I should / I know that I have seen less bad than good / And I know that all I have is enough.”
The single was born from a place of introspection.

From Newmarket, ON, songwriter and guitarist John Dawson releases his latest single, “Take the Time,” a beautifully reflective and emotionally grounded piec

25/07/2025

Like flowers on a finely tailored cowboy shirt, Joe Ray McDonald’s music effortlessly weaves together melody, emotion and precise flatpicking guitar. You can hear it all on “First Rains of May,” the first single from his sophomore album Cowboy Cake, due out later in 2025.

Based in the Ottawa Valley, McDonald is a relatively new voice within the Americana scene, but one listen to “First Rains of May” should be enough to include him alongside the genre’s rising stars. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between Townes Van Zandt and Tyler Childers, the song projects the sort existential dread both of those artists are known for, through a narrator who couldn’t outrun his demons:

“The toil and the labour didn’t get my ass too far / Since now I sleep in the sliver of the moon and the stars”

McDonald says that he originally conceived “First Rains of May” as a classic outlaw ballad about a desperate man turning to crime to support his family, a scenario that ultimately leads to his demise.

Like flowers on a finely tailored cowboy shirt, Joe Ray McDonald’s music effortlessly weaves together melody, emotion and precise flatpicking guitar. You can

25/07/2025

NEW JOHN PRINE REISSUE INCLUDES UNRELEASED "HEY AH NOTHIN"

This year marks the 30th anniversary of John Prine’s Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings, and the late singer/songwriter's label Oh Boy Records is marking the occasion with a deluxe reissue out Sept. 12. The CD and digital versions of the reissue include the previously unreleased track "Hey Ah Nothin," which can be heard below, along with alternate takes of "Ain’t Hurting Nobody" and "Quit Hollerin At Me," acoustic versions of "All The Way With You" and "Humidity Built The Snowman," and a demo version of "Lake Marie." A 2LP vinyl version will also be available, but will not include the bonus tracks.

The original 14-track album was produced by Howie Epstein of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and was considered the official follow-up to Prine's Grammy-winning 1991 comeback album The Missing Years.
&MixedBlessings

NEW JOHN PRINE REISSUE INCLUDES UNRELEASED "HEY AH NOTHIN" This year marks the 30th anniversary of John Prine’s Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings, and the

24/07/2025

Toronto-based singer-songwriter, musician and performer Peter Verity passed away on June 25 at the age of 75. Tim Harrison was a long-time friend of Peters and shares these memories.

I was saddened last month to learn of the death of my friend and musical brother Peter Verity.

I met Peter late in our lives as we both were still seeking that elusive dream and compulsive necessity of making music.

It was in a little hangout on the Danforth, the Café Au Lait, that we first talked. Peter was hosting an Open Stage, and I was sitting at the bar when he came over and introduced himself. We had known of one another but had never met, and right off the bat it seemed we had lots to talk about. I remember our very first conversation was intense and spirited concerning SOCAN and royalty distribution and how it had affected songwriters whose work was not targeted at commercial radio play.

We raved on for many nights and many years.
/songwriter

Toronto-based singer-songwriter, musician and performer Peter Verity passed away on June 25 at the age of 75. Tim Harrison was a long-time friend of Peters and

24/07/2025

Mississauga-based troubadour Chase Stevens is back with “Songs In An Old Diner,” a feel-good country single soaked in nostalgia, memory and the magic of a melody.
Recorded in both Nashville, TN, and Toronto, ON, the track is a spirited follow-up to 2024’s “As Good As It Gets,” and previews the sound and soul of Chase’s forthcoming third album.
Chase calls his style “Troubadour Country” — a blend of New Country and classic singer-songwriter storytelling. Inspired early on by the timeless work of Jim Croce, Harry Chapin and Cat Stevens, Chase found his path in country after discovering Keith Urban and immersing himself in Nashville’s songwriter scene.

“It was a trip to Nashville that cemented my direction,” he says. “I realized I wanted to tell stories that felt real, that people could see in their own lives.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ovePSiKg8
“Songs In An Old Diner” is exactly that kind of song.

Mississauga-based troubadour Chase Stevens is back with “Songs In An Old Diner,” a feel-good country single soaked in nostalgia, memory and the magic of a m

23/07/2025

Cowessess First Nation singer-songwriter (Uncle) Trent Agecoutay has unveiled his latest single, “The Devil,” a hypnotic and emotionally rich track that captures the haunting beauty of forbidden connection.
Based in Calgary, AB, and raised in Red Deer, AB, Trent once again draws from his deep storytelling roots to deliver a song that echoes long after the final note.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LakufKyHrMM



“The Devil” is the newest release from Trent’s forthcoming project Uncle Trent and Friends – Legacy, a collection of songs produced with his brother Bryce to honour the musical gifts of their late father, Jim Agecoutay, a performer who spent more than 40 years entertaining across Western Canada.
While the previous single “Burn A Smudge” offered a redemptive tribute to heritage and healing, “The Devil” explores desire, danger and the magnetic pull of someone unforgettable.

Cowessess First Nation singer-songwriter (Uncle) Trent Agecoutay has unveiled his latest single, “The Devil,” a hypnotic and emotionally rich track that cap

23/07/2025

The last two days of Bluesfest were filled with exciting acts and special showcases.

Saturday’s headliners attracted a similar demographic to the previous night, with 2000’s modern rock groups Papa Roach and Daughtry on the docket.

Other acts that shined on Saturday were the likes of JW-Jones and Rubber Tire Peep Show.

Canadian JW has earned praises from Billboard and garnered a JUNO nomination with his blues spirit and sound. The singer-songwriter electrified the River stage, with impressive guitar work and charming stage presence.

Jam band Rubber Tire Peep Show blend their Toronto and Halifax musical influences into one big musical collective.

The last two days of Bluesfest were filled with exciting acts and special showcases. Saturday’s headliners attracted a similar demographic to the previou

22/07/2025

A look back at some of the great acts from the second week of Ottawa Bluesfest!

22/07/2025

It's the week after the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and you know what that means: The Rogue Folk Club has summer send-off show lined up.

This year, it's Ryan Young, a multi-award-winning fiddle player who is injecting fresh and innovative ideas into the realm of traditional Scottish music and earning international acclaim for his captivating fiddle interpretations.

Catch him Thursday night at Mel Lehan Hall at St. James or buy a ticket to stream the show online live.

Ryan's debut album, produced in collaboration with four-time Grammy winner Jesse Lewis (notable for his work with artists such as Bela Fleck and Yo Yo Ma), was unveiled at the Feakle Traditional Music Festival in County Clare.

He was accompanied by the renowned guitarist Dennis Cahill, known for his work with Martin Hayes and The Gloaming.

Ryan's musical focus revolves around traditional Scottish tunes, but he breathes new life into age-old and sometimes forgotten melodies through his unique approach.

It's the week after the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and you know what that means: The Rogue Folk Club has summer send-off show lined up. This year, it's R