Tag: Ottawa

Feature

David Francey teams up with collaborators old and new on ...

With the release of his new album, The Breath Between, singer-songwriter David Francey returns with more than just a collection of new songs. He returns with a changed voice. For a number of years David had been dealing with voice ...
Album review

David Francey – The Breath Between

By the time the COVID-19  pandemic hit in early 2020, Juno-winning Canadian folk singer David Francey was already battling the worst plague known to performers the world over: the loss of his singing voice. After 25 years of living the ...
Jason's Jukebox

The Chat Room: Johnny Eaton

When you’re an artist that hasn’t released new music in 18 years, it stands to reason you’re going to have a lot to say when the right moment comes around again. For Ottawa-based singer-songwriter Johnny Eaton, that moment is now. ...
Feature

5 things to check out at the Northern Lights Festival ...

Northern Lights Festival Boreal got underway yesterday in Sudbury, and Marcia McVean is out there now, watching and writing up reports for us. While she does that, allow me to step in and draw your attention to some fantastic stuff ...
News

Folk Music Ontario ends ‘popular voting’ for the Estelle Klein ...

Folk Music Ontario has just opened nominations for this year’s Estelle Klein Award, the closest thing Ontario has to a lifetime achievement award for people involved in the province’s folk scene. And this year, the board and not the membership ...
Feature

5 songs of empowerment for National Indigenous People’s Day

We were trying to decide how to celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day here at Roots Music Canada when that word “celebrate” kinda jumped out at us. Indigenous People’s Day is often described as a celebration of culture and resilience, so ...
Album review

Lynn Miles – Tumbleweedyworld

Lynn Miles is a triple threat, a world-class songwriter, musician and performer who has written more than 900 songs. The long-time Ottawa resident lures you in with her richly textured and distinctive voice. Her compelling lyrics and arrangements transport you ...
Feature

Dispatches from the Ottawa Grassroots Festival night three: Saturday

Night three of the Ottawa Grassroots Festival featured orchestral genius from the Alireza Tarviji Ensemble and Eastern European folk from Polky. The night marked the final evening at St. Michael’s Presbyterian church, as we move to Irene’s Pub on Sunday. ...
Feature

5 songs of spring from some Canadian roots music icons

Welcome to the first full day of spring, everyone! Phew!  We made it! The vernal equinox happened at around 5:30 ET yesterday afternoon, and we are now officially at the part of the year where the days are longer than ...
Feature

Lynn Miles’ new COVID-inspired album is all about uncertainty

During the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses, offices and factories were closed for safety concerns. The result was that normally bustling communities were almost turned into ghost towns. Ottawa singer-songwriter Lynn Miles lives on what is usually a ...