Mario Lepage represented Saskatchewan in the International Song Festival of Granby (FICG), one of 24 candidates participating in the semi-finals September 3-6 in Granby PQ. The Mario Lepage project (Mario with Adam Logan, Danny Hanson and Kyle Grimsrud Manz) has recently rebranded themselves under the name Ponteix and will be performing shows this summer under the new name.
The Grid Pickers are a traditionally untraditional husband and wife folk duo from the deep backwoods of rural Saskatchewan. Formally charged with grand pickery, their songs of long hard travelled roads and living off the land and making a bold entrance into the Canadian folk scene. From hand broadcasted seeds of ragtime and country music grow lush crops of untamed bluegrass, Celtic and old-time. With haunting harmonies and foot-stomping tunes, The Grid Pickers are sure to keep your bread rising and the wood stove crackling. Their brand new album, “Cheap Kazoos and Bad Tattoos,” was celebrated with a release party May 29 at Vangelis in Saskatoon, followed by a Canadian tour, with a new entry into the !earshot National Folk/Roots/Blues Chart.
Bastard Poetry spent the winter gigging, taking photos of other bands, and creating a blog that hopefully will one day become a book before joyfully releasing their new album, “Something that makes it beautiful to live.” The first single, accompanying music video, and Bandcamp/iTunes presales went live on April 17. The Saskatoon based acoustic rock band is currently booking 30+ dates across Canada this summer, spanning from Halifax to Vancouver to promote their art as organically as possible.
Codie Prevost was thrilled to be nominated for a 2014 CCMA for “Album of the Year” for “All Kinds of Crazy.” Codie performed numerous time during the CCMAs including a spot in the Songwriter’s Café. Next it was off to the Western Canadian Music Awards where he took home “Country Album of the Year” He completed his first Australian tour in January, with more than a dozen shows including the Tamworth Country Music Festival, first Australian single “All Kinds of Crazy” and debuting in the Top 20 most downloaded songs in Australia. The single was also released in New Zealand and Europe and the music video released to Country Music Television Australia. While there he had the opportunity to write with local artists and signed a deal with Ceol Entertainment. At the 2015 Sask. Country Music Awards, Codie was happy to receive both “Male Vocalist of the Year” and “Song of the Year” for “Someday”, a co-write with Adam Wheeler. In May, Codie travelled to Nashville TN on a writing trip, and shot a music video in Las Vegas for new duet with Samara Yung, “You Brought the Party.” In addition to performing at several benefit events recently, he’ll be onstage this summer at events including Dauphin Countryfest, as well as writing for a new album. Meanwhile new single/video for “Down The Line” was released March 4 (filmed by Saskatoon’s Electric Umbrella). His song “Someday” was also named a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. PLUS, big congrats to Codie and wife Ashley on the arrival of baby girl Lyriq!! (www.codieprevost.com).
Bob King’s upbeat winter tune “Snow Shovelin’ Man” resulted in a fun video, shot in Regina. The twenty one song album from which it came is called “King Sized Hits”.
Belle Plaine and longtime collaborators Jeremy Sauer and Elizabeth Curry take their classic country, swing and folk music performance on the road at the end of May for a month-long, 21-show tour to urban and rural communities on the Canadian East Coast. The trio toured parts of the region last year and were enamored with the people, the culture, and the crustaceans. They want to return to play music, share the Saskatchewan culture and of course to eat a lot of fresh in-season lobster and mussels. Belle has released two albums to date: “Hello From Belle Plaine” and “Notes From A Waitress.” 2015 will see the release of “The Unrequited Love,” a live album recorded with her 8-piece band on Valentine’s Day, and the release of a 7” vinyl of Zachary Lucky covers with Blake Berglund. Congratulations also to Belle on receiving the award for Emerging Artist at the 2014 Mayor’s Arts & Business Awards, Regina (www.belleplainemusic.com).
Keiffer Mclean’s video “Headful of Diamonds” was picked up by Pulse Records U.S.A. and selected by their producers for rotation in over 8500 retail and broadcast outlets. Keiffer & the Curiosity Club headed south of the border and toured through from Washington to New York City - stopping to play at one of the largest free music festivals in North America, “Musikfest”. Keiffer was nominated as “Young Performer of the Year” at the Canadian Folk Music Awards for his release “Drama in the Attic,” and also received a nomination as Emerging Artist at the Regina Mayor’s Arts and Business Awards. He licensed song “Jive Turkey” into feature film “Basic Human Needs” recently, and got a shout from CBC Music in their “Songs You Need to Hear” in March. In May, he set out on his first Canadian west coast tour including SK, AB and BC, accompanied by bassist Danny Jones (Regina Jazz Orchestra, Regina Symphony Orchestra, Tim Vaughn
Pop Montreal 2014 performances, September 17-21 included Def 3 & Factor, Economics and Slow Down Molasses. This year’s event runs September 16-20 (www.popmontreal.com).
Jeffery Straker performed through Peru in December 2014 as a follow up to winning the Vina del Mar Song Competition in Chile earlier in the year. Media across the country followed the tour, generating strong press coverage including a live performance on prime time Radio Nacional (national public radio). In early November, Straker was invited to participate in a 2-night tribute concert to Elton John and Billy Joel at Toronto’s Koerner Hall: a thrill performing for the 1100 seat sold-out theatre. His new studio album, “North Star Falling,” came out on March 10. Leading up to it he performed a sold-out concert with the Regina Symphony Chamber Players in Swift Current’s Living Sky Theatre and a six-show tour of Mexico in February including a concert with members of the Guadalajara Symphony. Jeffery once again joined the national cast of Kinsmen Telemiracle for the live CTV telethon broadcast from TCU Place, Saskatoon. National tour dates supporting the launch of the new album ran through April and May including launch concerts in Regina and Saskatoon, a concert with the Sudbury Symphony, and a stop at Toronto’s Hugh’s Room. The album debuted at #19 in the iTunes singer-songwriter charts, rising to #13 (www.jeffstraker.com).
ANDY SHAUF’s ”Bearer of Bad News” was released in the U.S. February 3 on Tender Loving Empire / Party Damage. KCRW offered the full album as a stream, and NPR premiered the Mike Dubue-edited video for “I’m Not Falling Asleep”. Andy signed with Tom Windish of The Windish Agency for USA and the world (Mexico, South America, Australia, Japan, and the rest of Asia). Tom is the founder of Windish represents such artists as Lorde and Alt-J. Billboard includes Tom Windish in their 2015 Power 100 list. The Windish Agency has also won Pollstar’s 2015 Independent Booking Agency of the Year award (www.andyshauf.com).
Colter Wall at age 19 is already making a splash in Canada’s music scene. His debut EP “Imaginary Appalachia” is set for release on June 2 via Window Entertainment (see Just Out). His debut single “The Devil Wears a Suit & Tie” was released at the beginning of this year to critical acclaim, and was featured on CBC Sask’s “Top 15 to Watch in 2015”. In support of the release, Wall is heading on his first national tour with fellow Saskatchewan artist Danny Olliver for The Prairie Gentleman Tour (https://www.facebook.com/colterwallmusic).
Lisa Moen launched her first music video, “Silly Boys Trucks Are For Girls” (recorded and produced by Bart McKay in Saskatoon), filmed by Five Stones Films on location at Tiger Automotive Saskatoon. It features Lisa and 29 real Canadian women pictured with their trucks from SK, AB, ON and BC. “The pics are really cool and I’m so happy to celebrate real women and the love of their trucks...in a country song naturally of course!” (www.lisamoen.com).
Annora, Miss World Canada 2014, performed live in London for Miss World 2014 to an audience of over a billion viewers after being voted a finalist in the talent division. On May 15/2015, she released her first single ‘When My Time Comes’. Hailing from Regina, Annora is a classically trained pianist with the Royal Conservatory of Music and has long been involved in musical performance. A featured soloist in jazz and full choirs, Annora is a singer and guitarist who writes her own compositions; she is also one of Saskatchewan’s “Future 40 Under 40” from CBC News Saskatchewan.
