Folks, it’s Gordy the Moose here. 

As I write this, there’s a bright sun shining over moose country, and I’m getting a little misty thinking about what we’re doing here today.

Folks, Roots Music Canada is back.

I’m not going to say too much here about the history of the site, or anything like that.  I wrote you all a story about it over here.

I mostly just want to say thank you to a whole lot of people and organizations who got us here today.  Chances are, you’ve heard of lots of them.

Thank you!  

Borealis Records, Bottom Line Productions/Festival Place, LW Communications, Sarah French Publicity, Sisu Productions, Speak Music, The Rogue Folk Club, True North Records,  Tom Coxworth, Andy Frank, Bachel Barreca, Eve Goldberg, Rick Fines, Bernie Finkelstein, Richard Flohil, Jane Harbury, Lenka Lichtenberg, Manitoba Hal, Arthur McGregor, Joanna Mills, The Northern Lights Folk Club, Lisa Patterson, Ian Tamblyn, Shari Ulrich, Watson Entertainment, Pascal Gemme, Paul Jorgenson, and Tannis Slimmon.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  Me and Heather are humbled by your support.  I am down on my moose knees bowing before you in gratitude.  She’s getting a little choked up as I’m dictating this list to her.

We also want to say thank you to David Newland, Andy Frank, Meghan Sheffield, Candace Shaw, Trevor Mills, and all of the folks who created Roots Music Canada back in 2009.  You created a brand that people still believe in three years after you shut it down.  You built a community for Canadian roots music online.   And you did it all out of love for this music. 

Gigantic moose thanks also to Amanda Rheaume and Jessica Wong who built and designed this here site.  I seriously can’t believe how awesome it looks.  I’m a moose, and technology eludes me sometimes, but I still can’t get over how they got my ecstatic moose mug to sit right in the menu bar like that.  That is so cool.   

And speaking of my ecstatic moose mug, that was Michael Hepher that drew that logo.  Talk about capturing my good side.  

Finally, we want to say thank you to the amazing writers who have already lined up to contribute to this site.  Honestly, I thought this might be the hard part.  I’m a true music fan.  I don’t like asking people to work for free.  But then you all started emailing me story ideas:  Paul Corby, Linda McRae, Elizabeth Szekeres, B.A. Markus, Richard Flohil, Christophe Elie, and Lenka Lichtenberg.  Others have promised stories in the future. 

And here’s the crazy thing, every time one of you sends me something, I can’t believe how great it is!   It’s like you’re professionals or something.  Oh wait!  Some of you are!  And yet, here you are volunteering for us anyway.   A thousand moose hugs to every one of you.

Look, folks,  I’ve made it clear in my posts on social media that we’re going to continue to need all of your help and then some to keep Roots Music Canada alive long term.  You can find out more by clicking on the Patreon buttons you see around the site. 

But today is a day for celebration and gratitude so I won’t get into that right now.

I just want to say thank you all for making this happen, and enjoy the site!

If you are enjoying this content, please take a second to support Roots Music Canada on Patreon!