Backstage Pass

GRAVEN - Geographics

Releasing two singles a week throughout February 2026 on Bandcamp, Graven has finally released his newest stellar album. Thoughtful and inventive, as always, Graven captures the mood of the times with this exception set of songs.

‘Geographics’ was sonically birthed in 6 days in Halifax, NS at Ocean Floor Recording with Matty McKechnie (Graven), Melissa Payne, Charles Austin, Jamie Kronick, Jordan Murphy and Franc Lopes. The album has a real travel theme to it, and spans across many real geographic locations, but it's also sort of a statement on the world at large today and...

This week, STEVE JENSEN – mrSTEVE and friends

From the opening track to its beautiful closing, Steve Jensen’s 2026 album, ‘mrSTEVE and friends’, is a gentle reminder of all that is good and loving in this tumultuous world. The gifted British Columbia songwriter has crafted a set of songs that in lyric and melody, span genres and musical approaches with an airy hopefulness and enthusiasm reminiscent of a time when music was meant for dancing in the streets and lifting our hearts and voices high in good faith and enduring acceptance.

Guitarist and songwriter, Steve Jensen released...

This week, BOB D'EITH – ‘A Career in Music: 10 Steps to Success’

“You make your own luck” Bob D'Eith

Highly accomplished musician, lawyer, author and consultant, Bob D’Eith shares details and foundational advice from his book, ‘A Career in Music: 10 Steps to Success’, a master class in developing a solid, universal approach to achieving success in real terms in every changing and evolving music business. With insightful lessons from songwriting to social media presence, Bob outlines a path to establishing and maintaining a viable, sustainable and life long career as a working musician.

Bob D'Eith has w...

This week, WILLIAM 'GRIT’ LASKIN - THE STRADIVARI FORMULA GRIT LASKIN – making the book As a luthier (maker of stringed musical instruments) for more than half a century I was aware of Stradivari and knew that despite him being a violin maker he also made some mandolins, a harp and some guitars. (There are currently 5 known Strad guitars still around, although only 1 is playable). That anomaly stuck in my head and made me wonder why Strad made guitars. My next thought was to imagine why that happened. The answer to that question began with “What If?” What if the most cel...

This week, CARMEN TOTH. ‘Fix the World’

On October 7, 2025, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Carmen Toth released ‘Fix the World’, her most personal and politically charged album to date. Anchored by its searing title track - written in a single burst of inspiration - the record blends raw honesty with lush, guitar-driven instrumentation to deliver a message that is both intimate and universal: break free from prescribed roles, embrace authenticity, and reclaim power.

Toth wrote Fix the World after attending a women’s gathering where she felt alienated by performative femininity, inspiring her to examine deeply ingrained expectations placed on...

This week, LLOYD SPIEGEL. CANADIAN MINI-TOUR

On his way to NAMM in California, 2026; Lloyd Spiegel took time before his mini-tour in Ontario to talk to Backstage Pass.

Bakehouse Dozen (2023) is a masterclass in tone and soul. Band is cooking and Llyod is in fine form with incredible guitar mastery and deep soul blues vocals. Great album with a baker’s dozen of powerhouse songs.

Melbourne Blues artist Lloyd Spiegel has been touring the globe for 30 of his 40 years.

The 14-time Australian Blues Award Winner has one of the most interesting stories in...

This week, CLELA ERRINGTON - ‘Walkin’ Each Other Home’

Comprised mainly of newly arranged blues and country material and two originals, this album stands out for its authentic, resonate connection, that singer- guitarist, Errington makes with the material. She embodies the essence of blues-soul singing with song choices, some of which date back to the earliest of recorded music. In a voice, filled commanding authority, Clela plumbs the depths and intricacies of blues songs written long before her own time, making them sound as vital and prescient as if they were composed this year. More importantly, she has ch...

This week, LAYNE NEGRIN - Gurdjieff in Tibet

In an extensively researched and detailed study into the background training and inspiration for the teachings of George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, Layne Negrin takes the reader on a profound journey of one man’s path to self-discovery, against seemingly impossible odds, to become one of the most influential thinkers and teachers of the twentieth century.

Layne Negrin is a writer, publisher and musician. Layne began his spiritual path in 1988, practicing the Gurdjieff tradition exclusively for 19 years, then Mahayana Buddhism (primarily the Soto Zen of Shunryu Suzuki but also th...

This week, DUKE & GOLDIE. Romance and Ramblin’

“Romance and ramblin’ There’s two hearts, one’s free the other bleeds Tumbling dice, paying the price, the winner who walks with it all Teardrops of diamonds will fall” Romanticized Cowboy

Rarely do artists give us the type of lyrics that take the listener on deep inner journey that provoke wonder and pondering at the same time. In an easy going, refreshing conversation, Jena “Goldie” Gogo and Eric “The Duke” Duquette talk about their newest EP, Romance and Ramblin’- their second EP of powerful evocative songs. As they embark on a ea...

This week, JORY NASH – THE LIGHT STILL SHINES ON THE MAIN.

October 24, 2025 - After stepping away from music in 2019, acclaimed folk singer-songwriter Jory Nash returns with his 10th album, The Light Still Shines On The Main, co-produced with longtime friend Chris Stringer (The Wooden Sky, Elliott Brood, Timber Timbre, Megan Bonnell, Holly McNarland).

The road to this record has been anything but easy. In 2019, Nash experienced a breakdown that led him to quit music, facing depression and financial struggles. The pandemic compounded these struggles, and in early 2021, his partner, Brittany, was diagnosed with multiple cancers, be...

This week, THE EAST POINTERS. - Jake Charron joins Backstage Pass to discuss ‘Schoonertown’

JUNO Award-winning Canadian contemporary folk group The East Pointers are excited to announce their anticipated fourth full-length album, ‘Schoonertown’, which will be released on January 23, 2026, via Nettwerk. To celebrate the news, The East Pointers' have released a series of new singles which showcases the power and strength of what’s to come on the upcoming new record.

Schoonertown, Tim Chaisson and Jake Charron share, “is rooted in our early years as a band, and depicts what it’s like growing up in a small Eas...

This week, JASON SCHNEIDER- the Strange Saga of rock’s most enduring song, ‘Hey Joe’.

Music journalist, editor, publicist and musician, Jason Schneider has written extensively about Canadian Music legends such as Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, in his book ‘Whispering Pines’ (2009); Art Bergmann, in ‘The Longest Suicide: The Authorized Biography of Art Bergmann’ (2022).

In his most recent book, ‘That Gun In Your Hand: the Strange Saga of ‘Hey Joe’ and Popular Music’s History of Violence’ (2025), Jason Schneider explores, in minute detail, the creation of one of the most enduring and re-recorded songs in rock history, “Hey Jo...

This week, GRANT LYLE - And Now

Released September 12th, 2025

Toronto-based Grant Lyle is a powerhouse frontman known for his electrifying presence and dynamic guitar playing. Grant blends raw, punchy chops with smooth, fluid phrasing, crafting a sound that captivates audiences from start to finish.

Lyle's guitar solos are sharp and emotive, effortlessly blending technical skill with soulful improvisation. His commanding stage presence keeps the audience on their toes, while the rhythm section locks in tight, creating a groove that's impossible to resist.

Grant Lyle's performances transcend the setting - whether...

This week, GORDIE TENTREES

International touring award winning Canadian (Yukon) artist has arrived. This authentic road poet travels North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UK/Ireland and Scandinavia with 9 records under his belt. From Celtic Connections (UK) to the National Folk Festival (AU) his ability to hold an audience, weave melody, while juggling the dark with the light is infectious.

Gordie Tentrees & Jaxon Haldane

2023 International Acoustic Music Award (IAMA) winner Gordie Tentrees (Yukon) met Jaxon Haldane (Manitoba) in 2005 (Fred Eaglesmith Picnic, Ontario) and swapped records before hitting the road with disparate musical aspirations...

This week, DAVID FRANCEY - MAPS (A Collection of Fan Favourites, Personal Picks, and a Brand-New Track)

"I have been writing songs for over 50 years. Each song is a map that helped me navigate through the ups and downs life put in my way. I'd have been lost without them." - David Francey

One of Canada’s most beloved folk voices, David Francey, is set to release MAPS, a new album that looks back on a songwriting journey spanning more than five decades. This poignant and powerful collection draws from both fan favourites and the so...

This week, BREE TAYLOR – ‘Wake Up!’ Bree Taylor has quietly but steadily built a reputation as one of country music’s most compelling new voices—an artist whose work cuts through the genre’s conventions with a blend of grit, honesty, and rock-infused energy. This summer, Bree made her landmark Nashville debut at the CMA Fest Spotlight Stage earlier this month, marking a major career moment and expanding her growing audience south of the border. Her latest single, “Wake Up!,” out now, further solidifies her place as a force to be reckoned with, and with over 2 million streams across digital platform...

This week, STEVE MARRINER – Hear My Heart

With over twenty years of relentless touring and recording, Steve Marriner now enjoys his hard-earned reputation as one of the most hard-working and talented musicians in Canada and beyond. In addition to being one of the world’s foremost blues harmonica players, ‘The Swiss Army Knife’ is also known to be a wildly skilled multi-instrumentalist, soulful singer and creative record producer.

Since 2008, Marriner has been a celebrated co-founder, baritone guitarist and lead singer of the acclaimed blues outfit MonkeyJunk, with whom he has won two Juno Awards (2012, 2018) for Blues Al...

This week, EDDIE SCHWARTZ - Film School.

Film School is one of those impressive albums filled with songs that simply stay with you like a call for a forgotten friend of long ago.

For decades, Eddie Schwartz has remained one of the most respected figures in the music world—an iconic Canadian songwriter, producer, performer, and rights advocate whose songs have echoed across generations. With his new single “We Win,” Eddie marks a bold and inspiring return to his roots as a solo artist, leading into the release of his new EP Film School, both out no...

This week, THE PLANET SMASHERS - On the Dancefloor

After more than three decades of two-tone swagger, punk attitude, and brass-blasted joy, Montreal’s beloved ska lifers The Planet Smashers return with “Meet Me On The Dancefloor,” the first single from their forthcoming tenth studio album, On the Dancefloor lands August 22,2025 on Stomp Records. It’s a summery, anthemic invitation back into the band’s world of groove-driven rebellion, self-deprecating humour, and dancefloor catharsis.

Formed in 1994 and still going strong, The Planet Smashers have carved out an impressive and enduring legacy in the global ska-punk movement...

This week, ELLEN BRAUN – The Doldrums

Indie-folk singer-songwriter Ellen Braun shares her debut solo album, The Doldrums, on August 22,2025 (Independent). Ellen’s musical journey has taken many turns — from growing up in Ottawa to studying Biology at the University of Guelph, earning a Master’s in Environmental Science at the University of Calgary, and eventually settling in Canmore, AB.

Produced by Grammy-nominated Howard Bilerman at Montreal’s Hotel2Tango, the 10-track LP is a deeply personal collection written over five years - a time marked by co-parenting, creative delays, and Ellen’s journey back to herself. Ins...

This week, THE HEAVYWEIGHTS BRASS BAND - Knockout

Trombonist, RJ Satchithananthan, joins Backstage Pass in an informative conversation.

After 15 years of bringing the party wherever they play, The Heavyweights Brass Band are ready to make you dance, strut, and testify with their fifth full-length album, Knockout, dropping June 27, 2025. With a sound steeped in New Orleans brass traditions, Toronto’s reigning brass band champions fuse jazz, funk, and soul into a heady, horn-heavy celebration of everything that makes music joyful and alive.

Knockout was recorded over two days at Taurus Studios, with the entire ba...

This week, KATE MAKI – Returns with Impossible Knot

Recorded on tape at Little Bullhorn in Ottawa and co-produced by Maki and Dave Draves, the acclaimed Sudbury songwriter has created a powerful, emotional chapter in her musical saga.

In an open and long ranging conversation, Kate shares the inspirations and process that produced this extraordinary set of songs and their deep felt meaning. Impossible Knot is an album that sneaks up on you and then stays in rivetted in your thoughts for a good long while. Take the time to listen for yourself. https://katemaki.bandcamp.co...

This week, RUSHFEST CANADA – IN CONVERSATION with Steve Brown and Paul Beaulieu

Taking place Friday, August 1 at Massey Hall and Saturday, August 2 at TD Music Hall, this two-day event marks 10 years to the day since Rush played their final concert in Los Angeles on August 1, 2015—and brings together fans, friends, collaborators, and tribute artists.

Curated by RUSHfest Scotland founder Steve Brown and Canadian superfan and music journalist Paul Beaulieu, RUSHfest Canada is more than a fan convention—it’s a legacy event with heart, history, and an extraordinary mission: all profits will be donated to Brain Ca...

This week, LENNIE GALLANT - Shelter From the Storms Episode 65.

Sit down to a relaxed conversation with legendary songwriter and performer Lennie Gallant, speaking about his newest album and some of his adventures such as a working with Jimmy Buffet and others, and particularly his inspirations for this powerful new set of songs.

“In the song, ‘Shelter From the Storms’, I kind of took the voice of one of a particular character and his partner and, you know, she's a bit drawn by conspiracy theories, and they're off on a journey. They feel, like many people...

This week, MATTHEW HOLTBY

Matthew Holtby, Canadian singer-songwriter, is a delightful conversationalist. Affable, immediately likeable, with a trademark smile and an easy-going, relaxed charm, Matthew shares some of the inspiration and approach he takes to writing and producing his growing collection of heartfelt and quietly hopeful songs.

On Episode 64 of Backstage Pass, Matthew discusses the geneses of ‘This Old Heart’, ‘A Certain Place in Time’, and his newest single, ‘This is Bliss’.

“Matthew Holtby has been slowly adding to his collection of singles, one song at a time for the past two years. Working with P...

This week, SUZIE UNGERLEIDER, SHARES SOME INSIGHTS INTO AMONG THE EVERGREENS.

"I love origin stories,” says Vancouver musician Suzie Ungerleider. “I love finding out where people are and how they got there, so I'm constantly thinking about that. Everybody's carrying around their own narrative.” Among the Evergreens is the latest chapter in the revered Americana singer-songwriter's own story. The thrice JUNO nominated artist continues her tradition of storytelling on her eleventh release, due out on June 6, 2025, via MVKA.

“At the beginning of my musical journey, I was afraid to show myself, so I took on a person...

This week, TWO WOLF - Lance Lopez https://www.facebook.com/twowolfofficial/

In a relaxed, informative and generous conversation, guitarist Lance Lopez joins Backstage Pass to discuss his impressive background and extensive history as a lead guitarist for Two Wolf and their new album, along with anecdotes about legends Johnny Winter, Jeff Beck and his own prodigious output as a stellar rock and roll and southern blues guitarist.

This is a band not to be missed.

Born from the raw spirit of American hard rock, Greg T. Walker’s Two Wolf is a hi...

This week, Episode 61, Skydiggers on their incredible new album 'Dreams & Second Chances'

Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson join me to discuss their new album and more. For my part, this is a powerful new set of songs perfectly in tune with the times and the creative energies of this legendary band.

Iconic songwriter Harlan Howard believed that songs exist in the air all around us. That’s how these new Skydiggers songs began — in the air. There were no charts given in advance. There were no tunes that were road-tested. It began with some off days...

“Each song is its own character trait, telling its own story—from falling in love, to falling out of it, to figuring myself out in adulthood.”

It’s the sound of someone coming into his own—and it shows. Produced by Joshua Van Tassel and David Myles, ‘Character Traits’ balances raw honesty with lush, genre-blurring production.

Logan Richard is one of music’s rarest creatures—a compelling and diverse songwriter who shreds. The PEI-born-and-based artist has been sharpening both skills since he first picked up the guitar as a pre-teen, building a reputation as a deft, genre-fluid...

JOHN MCANDREW – BETTER SIDE OF ME – MAY 2025

In a long ranging interview, Nashville songwriter, John McAndrew shares some of the inspiration for his beautiful and haunting new album release,'Better Side of Me'.

Better Side of Me is a collaboration with notable producer Denny Seiwell, the co-founder and drummer of Wings, and Fernando Perdomo. Their combined expertise promises to deliver an exceptional listening experience.

John McAndrew is a unique storyteller and it can truly be said that it is his passion for telling a tale that is attracting the attention of Americana listeners and...

STEPHEN FEARING - THE EMPATHIST A legendary musical force in the Canadian music world, Stephen is well known for his numerous solo and spirited collaborations, including his membership in the much beloved band, Blackie and Rodeo Kings, Fearing joined me in a remarkable conversation, November 2024, to discuss his newest album and how he came to discover his inspiring ways of approaching songs and creative activities.

“In early 2022,” says Fearing, “as the pandemic's lockdown grip was loosening, I got a phone call from Ken Coomer, who'd heard my version of Gordon Lightfoot’s ‘Early Morning Rain’ and asked if I wanted...

With the possibility of 25% tariffs being levied by new U.S. President Donald Trump on all Canadian goods as early as February 1st, the Cooper Brothers are re-releasing their song "That's What Makes Us Great".

The 51tst State? Take off, eh! The Cooper Brothers are back with a song that’s as Canadian as a double-double, a frozen pond, and a game-winning goal in overtime.

“That’s What Makes Us Great!” is a love letter to the True North, strong and free, celebrating the spirit, resilience, and unshakable pride that defines this country.

Inspired...

Sandy Bell’s album,Break of Day: Songs for Colin, was born out of heart-wrenching grief, after losing her only son Colin Bell in a tragic train accident. He died at age 20 while walking home one night, listening to music on his headphones, in Brantford, Ontario. Says Bell: "Colin sparked joy wherever he went. He was caring, kind, wise, and fun. Everyone loved Colin – especially the girls, old people, and children, but none more so than his parents. His heart was wide open –- he’d always say “peace out” when leaving –- and he had a calm demeanor that put every...

Contemporary roots-folk singer-songwriter Howard Gladstone officially released his eighth album Crazy Talk (Sonic Peach Music) on September 20,2024.

The twelve new songs cover genres from folk to jazz to folk/rock to world music.

Howard Gladstone, Toronto-born singer/songwriter, is releasing his eighth album of original music in September 2024. He is also publishing a book of his collected lyrics titled "Timepieces." Veteran Canadian songwriter James Gordon has called the work a "remarkably compelling collection."

Gladstone is continuing with his monthly residency at Toronto's Tranzac Club, where he is accompanied by regular band members (Tony...

ALFIE SMITH Every Rome Needs A Nero  Alfie Smith released his eighth album, Every Rome Needs A Nero, in October 2024. The Hamilton-based troubadour is a popular and crowd-pleasing fixture on the Ontario’s blues/folk/roots festivals and club circuit, but it has been a full decade since his last release, Come On In My Kitchen, a duo record with his wife, Nicole Christian. In a relaxed conversation, Alfie Smith shared some of his songwriting inspirations and discussed various tunes on the album, as well as some of his thoughts on guitars, tunings and songwriting in general.
Every Rome N...

‘Shepherd’, Bywater Call’s third studio album, released August 9, 2024, is an emotional tour de force that sequences and builds from song to song into a profound musical statement and merits every bit of the attention and accolades it is receiving. Meghan Parnell, lead vocalist, gave us the time to discuss the album before heading off on an extended tour.

Bywater Call has received many blues music award nominations, including most recently, Best International Artist for the 2024 UK Blues Awards. They have toured extensively in Europe where shows have been praised by Dutch, German and UK media, with refere...

Toronto based singer-songwriter Terry Donaghue is releasing his 4th solo album “Looking For Redemption” September 6th. The album was recorded at Toronto’s legendary Kensington Sound.

Looking For Redemption is a roots/americana/alt-folk genre is a concept album of 9 tracks telling the story in film noir style of a man on the run from his past and a woman he meets along the way also on the run from her past.

Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, now based in Toronto I’ve been involved in music since my early teens. I remember...

Jesse’s debut album, Mansion Full of Ghosts, heralded by Vancouver Sun, Penguin Eggs, and The Georgia Straight, was an exploration of a city’s duality, with all of its beauty and shadows, expressed through varying moments of lush, orchestral arrangements to hushed duets over expert fingerpicking. The result was a beautifully crafted album that celebrated the pursuit of hope, and gently reflected on an oftentimes weighty effort to “keep a light on in the dark”. Canadian Beats praised, “infused with a hopeful tinge, Mansion Full of Ghosts is a wholesome, masterfully written debut that will appeal to fans both old a...

The new album “HAPPY LITTLE ACCIDENTS” by Dominic Quarto is fresh music but with hints of nostalgia from the many artists that influenced him since he was a kid, like the Beatles, Aerosmith, Rick Nelson, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams III. This album is laced with touches of humor, great melodies and catchy lyrics while paired with a completely unique vocal style which all help make this a extremely well balanced collection of get off your chair tunes. “HAPPY LITTLE ACCIDENTS” includes premier players like Doug Pettibone, Kenny Aronoff, Jorgen Carlsson from Govt Mule, Brent Harding from Social Distortion. Produced by Dave...

Coming off two acclaimed studio albums (Black Dawn, Tightrope), and an energized historic live album, Birth of Cactus, founding member and world-renowned drummer Carmine Appice returns with the ultimate tribute to his legendary rock band, CACTUS. Temple of Blues- Influences & Friends, merges the members of Cactus with a super ensemble of guest artists, all of whom have called the group among their biggest influences. Once heralded by critics as America’s answer to Led Zeppelin, Cactus recorded four hard rockin’ albums for Atco Records before Appice and bassist Tim Bogert left to form their own supergroup: Beck, Bogert & Appice.