Nominees 2023

Ken Whiteley has been deeply immersed in folk, blues, gospel and other roots traditions for well over fifty years. He has recorded 32 albums, written over 400 songs, appeared at hundreds of folk festivals all over North America, received a Canadian Folk Music Award, 7 Juno nominations, 18 Maple Blues nominations and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Mariposa Folk Festival and Folk Music Ontario.

Ken’s newest recording, Long Time Travelling, is a unique reworking of old folk songs. Whiteley sings all the parts and plays 16 instruments with accompaniment on bass and percussion by his son, Ben Whiteley.

The award winning and highly acclaimed band Le Vent du Nord are a leading force in Québec’s progressive Francophone folk movement. The group’s vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions, while their highly rhythmic and soulful music, rooted in the Celtic diaspora, is enhanced with a broad range of global influences. Le Vent du Nord have enjoyed meteoric success, performing well over 2,000 concerts over 4 continents and racking up several prestigious awards, including a Grand Prix du Disque Charles Cros, two Junos, a Canadian Folk Music Award, and “Artist of the Year” at Folk Alliance.

Shannon and Tony have been performing together as a father/daughter duo for over twenty years, specializing in Traditional Irish Music. Both successful in their individual careers, they released a duo album in 2007 entitled ‘The Irwin Lake Sessions’. Their most recent album ’20 summers’ was recorded live-off-the-floor with no click track or overdubs. They wanted to capture the spirit of moment and celebrate the 20 plus years they have been playing music together.

The Slocan Ramblers (2020 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year Award Winner & 2019 Juno Award Nominee) are Canada’s bluegrass band to watch. Rooted in tradition, fearlessly creative and possessing a bold, dynamic sound, The Slocans have become a leading light of today’s acoustic music scene. With a reputation for energetic live shows, impeccable musicianship and an uncanny ability to convert anyone within earshot into a lifelong fan, The Slocans have been winning over audiences from Merlefest to RockyGrass and everywhere in between. This is roots music without pretension, music to make you feel something – say hello to your new favourite band.

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Shawna Caspi takes her time crafting lyrics that are poetic and meaningful, often using unusual rhymes and surprising turns of phrase. Shawna spent years on the road, playing festivals and concert halls, train cars, backyards, and living rooms, supporting her warm, clear voice with intricate fingerstyle guitar accompaniment, and drawing energy from shifting landscapes and long drives through Canada and the United States. After taking a break from the road to rest, reflect, and write, Shawna returns with her fifth album, Hurricane Coming, a collection of raw, deeply personal songs set against a backdrop of colourful cinematic soundscapes.

3x JUNO nominees and SiriusXM winners Sultans of String create, “Energetic and exciting music from a band with talent to burn!” (Maverick Magazine UK). Thrilling their audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, Django-jazz, Arabic, Cuban, and South Asian rhythms, Sultans of String celebrate musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity.
Sultans have gigged at JUNOfest, NYC’s Birdland, Glasgow’s Celtic Connections and London’s Trafalgar Square, and have recorded/performed with Paddy Moloney & The Chieftains, Sweet Honey in The Rock, Richard Bona, Alex Cuba, Rubén Blades, Yasmin Levy, Benoit Bourque, Béla Fleck, Crystal Shawanda and Ken Whiteley.

JUNO nominated Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac are two multi-instrumentalists who have been seamlessly crossing genres with their flawless harmonies and heart wrenching songwriting for 2 decades. The duo met in Toronto in 1999, only to find out that their fathers sat next to each other in high school, nearly 2000 km away. That long standing history has been what ties the duo’s harmonies as tight as only family can sing. With the storytelling of folk, the rhythms of Americana and the clever hooks of pop, Madison Violet is sure to win over any audience with their unbridled musical connection.

From Ikaluktutiak (Cambridge Bay, Nunavut), internationally celebrated artist Tanya Tagaq is an improvisational singer, avant-garde composer and bestselling author. A member of the Order of Canada, Polaris Music Prize and JUNO Award winner and recipient of multiple honorary doctorates, Tagaq is an original disruptor, a world-changing figure at the forefront of seismic social, political and environmental change.

Kyle McKearney has made an impressive debut with the release of his solo album “Down-Home”. Recently named one of SiriusXM’s Top of the Country Semi-Finalist, Kyle is making his name known as Canada’s biggest breakthrough artist in the Americana/Roots/Country space. He’s garnered 5x award nominations, won 2nd place in Alberta’s most prestigious artist development program (Project Wild) and has amassed over 1,000,000+ global streams in just over a year.

Kyle is now releasing new music from his highly anticipated sophomore album this Spring and he’s leading the charge with “Grandfather”. Follow Kyle McKearney on socials @imkylemckearney.

Digging Roots breathe life into songs from their land, Turtle Island, to raise their voices in solidarity with the revolutionary global chorus of Indigenous artists, activists and change-makers. For over a decade, JUNO Award winners Digging Roots have travelled the world with a joyful message of resistance, celebrating Anishinabe and Onkwehonwe traditions of round dance and interconnectedness. Zhawenim (To Love Unconditionally) is Digging Roots’ 4th album, stronger than ever and has integrated Anishinabek Song Lines and modern production into Zhawenim with their co-producer Hill Kourkoutis. This album holds songs of love, for the land, the waters, and for lovers.

Born and raised in London, Canada, Ken Yates has gained a reputation as one of his country’s brightest rising singer-songwriters. The winner of two Canadian Folk Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year and New Artist of the Year, Yates has spent recent years expanding his sound and touring North America and Europe. His new album “Cerulean” features guest vocals from Kathleen Edwards, Katie Pruitt, and Stephanie Lambring. Yates supported Passenger on their tour across North America and in Europe in 2020, and has shared stages with Rose Cousins, Jenn Grant, and many others.

The Oot n’ Oots is a family that makes music for families. The band includes 15-year-old Ruthie Cipes with her dad Ez and uncles Ari, Gabe, and Matthew, all living in Kelowna, Canada.

The band has appeared at numerous festivals including the Philadelphia Folk Festival and has been honoured on “best of lists” and with awards and nominations in Canada, the USA, and Australia.

The Oot n’ Oots released their third album, Ponderosa Bunchgrass and the Golden Rule, on October 15, 2021. It was nominated for “Children’s Album of the Year” at the 2022 Juno Awards.

The Relative Minors is a rock band for kids. The project began in 2011 when Matt and Kier Robertshaw—a couple of fun-loving musicians and educators—started writing children’s songs and staging performances in local libraries. Today, they’re a full rock band, offering a fresh take on the genre by combining clever lyrics with sophisticated instrumentation and an enduring respect for their audience. They have been featured on radio programs and podcasts, and in 2021 they won a song-writing award from Folk Music Ontario. They hope to inspire a love of music and creativity to a generation of young people.

Although Hannah Shira Naiman’s work as a songwriter earned her the CFMA for Traditional Singer of the Year in 2017, Hannah’s notoreity as a children’s musician began in 2002, when “Savez-vous planter des choux?” was commissioned for an Ontario-wide literacy program funded by the provincial government. Since then, Hannah has collaborated with her mother, Kathy Reid-Naiman on several children’s music recordings including “Here We Go Zodeo” (2012)-which earned a CFMA and Sirius XM Indie Award nomination, and a Parents’ Choice Gold Award. “Ça suffit pour s’amuser” features music she has collected and performed with children in French schools and daycares across Ontario.

Committed to roots music and thoughtful songcraft, My Friend Christopher performs original songs that explore the joys and challenges of family life from diverse perspectives – parent and kid, solemn and silly, cat and dog. New Orleans piano and horns, and acoustic guitar rags with tuba set up the funny and familiar situations and stories he sings for listeners of all ages.
His album Tuba Blues (April 2022) has been praised as “what independent family music is all about” by Kinderling Kids Radio.

Kim Beggs delivers a heartfelt darkness in a beautiful back woods beat driven performance. Sincere, vulnerable, clear eyed and tough, Yukon’s Beggs has garnered 11 music award nominations for her various albums. Throughout her career, Kim Beggs has always dispensed with the hip and fashionable in favour of the authentic and true. Without pretension or artifice, ‘Steel and Wool’ offers a compelling window into the world as she sees it. Tender, vulnerable and uplifting, Kim’s music gives her listeners a place to stand in unsettled times. ‘Steel and Wool’ is the most emotionally authentic music you’ll hear anywhere this year.

Pop Montreal calls Li’l Andy “Montreal’s best country songwriter today.” The Village Voice describes his music as “Roots-based Americana that actually deserves to be made”. In the past decade, he has released 4 albums, toured Canada extensively, been featured in the New York Times, and been named “# 1 Best Country/ Folk Act” in Cult MTL five years in a row. His new box set, “The Complete Recordings of Hezekiah Procter”, was recorded on 1930s recording technology and includes the singer’s debut novel.

In 2010, Michael Darcy packed up his songs and guitar, left his home in the green hills of Co. Clare, Ireland and journeyed westward across the Atlantic – to Toronto, Canada. Chasing adventure and devilment he fell in with three like-minded young music makers who would become ‘The Atlantic Tramps’. It was a whirlwind of folk traditions — where greengrass meets bluegrass.
After releasing his impressive solo debut Simple Drop of Rain in 2018, Michael returned to the studio with The Atlantic Tramps in tow for the eagerly-awaited follow-up album Down to the Roots, which was released in the summer of 2022.

Mike Bravener began is career as a professional entertainer in 2003 after leaving full-time clergy work. In 2020 Mike released an album of Traditional Miramichi and New Brunswick Folk music from the 19th century. This album earned Mike a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for “Best Traditional Singer”.  The album “Depends Upon The Pay” was the result of his research. In July 2022 Mike released a second volume of NB Folk songs, entitled Have You Ever Heard The Story?, as the demand has been overwhelming for more music. Once again this album and interviews are being featured on CBC info am weekly all summer.

Barney Bentall is loved globally for his band the Legendary Hearts, that over ten years in the 80s and 90s had more than nine hit singles, won Juno Awards and achieved platinum status for multiple albums. He went on to release acclaimed albums as a solo artist, and more lately has been a part of the bluegrass-influenced folk band The High Bar Gang.

Angelique Francis is a versatile and exceptionally gifted musician. This multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist, multi-genre singer songwriter/composer has wowed audiences across the globe with her electrifying performances, instrumental abilities and powerful textured vocals. She is known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including Folk, Blues, Soul, Roots, Gospel and Americana. Angelique has shared the stage/opened for a large roster of well-known musicians such as Gary Clark Jr, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales, Keb’ Mo’, Jimmy Vivino, Beth Hart, Tom Cochran, Burton Cummings, and many more. Her diversity, passion and love of music can be heard in all of her original compositions.

Boy Golden has a purpose: enjoy each day and make good music. Like its namesake packaged mac n’ cheese, “KD & Lunch Meat,” is fluorescent, fun and easily ingested.
Church of Better Daze is the inspirational, musical manifesto. The harmonies are the collective idea of working together, the mellow melodies keep our hopes alive and the lyrics are golden rules to live by: Follow your heart / Make good art / Call your momma / Work real hard.

Born and raised in London, Canada, Ken Yates has gained a reputation as one of his country’s brightest rising singer-songwriters. The winner of two Canadian Folk Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year and New Artist of the Year, Yates has spent recent years expanding his sound and touring North America and Europe. His new album “Cerulean” features guest vocals from Kathleen Edwards, Katie Pruitt, and Stephanie Lambring. Yates supported Passenger on their tour across North America and in Europe in 2020, and has shared stages with Rose Cousins, Jenn Grant, and many others.

Ellen Gibling is a lever and pedal harpist based in K’jipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia. She plays Irish traditional, classical, and improvised music, and performs regularly with Ragged Robin, New Hermitage, and The Bombadils. In 2019, she obtained a masters degree in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the University of Limerick in Ireland. Her recent solo album “The Bend in the Light” (2022) has been described as “bold and beautiful” (Celtic Life International) and “enchanting” (Folk London).

Kerry Fitzgerald is a Celtic fiddler and step dancer based in Toronto. She tours internationally with her sibling band The Fitzgeralds, who were nominated for “Instrumental Group of the Year” at the 2020 CFMAs. She has also toured with The Stepcrew, Natalie MacMaster, and Leahy among others. In addition to performance, Kerry is pushing the boundaries of Celtic music with her solo “electro-fiddle fusion” project Fiddle Beatz, where she writes, arranges, and produces electronic arrangements of original fiddle pieces. She released her FACTOR funded, all-original solo album in 2018 and her follow-up, all-original album “Bitz & Beatz” in 2022.

It’s his ability to capture life through music while also pioneering advanced harmonica techniques that weave through Mike Stevens’ 35-year career as both an acclaimed solo and collaborative musician, songwriter, composer, educator, author, keynote speaker, and humanitarian — including the registered charity he founded, ArtsCan Circle in support of Indigenous youth in isolated communities.
He’s performed on the Grand Ole Opry stage more than 300+ times. In addition to receiving the Government of Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal as well as the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal, he’s won the Canadian Country Music Association’s Slaight Music Humanitarian Award, Canadian Folk Music Awards and countless others.

Grammy Award-winning musician John Reischman has been a foundational mandolinist, composer, bandleader, and musical educator in bluegrass and North American roots and folk music since emerging from the vibrant “new acoustic” music scene of the Bay Area in the 1980s. A founding member of the groundbreaking Tony Rice Unit, Reischman’s mastery of bluegrass, old-time, swing, and multiple Latin American musical styles, coupled with an Old Masters sense of tone, taste and musicality, has brought him a global reputation as one of the finest mandolinists of his era.

Punching through the walls of tradition, The McDades’ Celtic-rooted music fuses the spontaneity of jazz improvisation and infectious global rhythms. The Juno Award winners’ cutting edge sound is the perfect complement to their fiery performances. Their new album “The Empress” continues to highlight the group’s one-of-a-kind sound and irresistible groove.

Barney Bentall is loved globally for his band the Legendary Hearts, that over ten years in the 80s and 90s had more than nine hit singles, won Juno Awards and achieved platinum status for multiple albums. Geoffrey Kelly has five gold and three platinum albums as one of the
primary songwriters in Spirit of the West, leaders of the absolutely Canadian folk-rock sound of the 90s.

Simon Proulx (Mes Aïeux, Gilles Vigneault, La Semaine verte, etc.) and Olivier Demers (Le Vent du Nord, Le Cirque du Soleil, Mario Pelchat, etc.) are launching a first instrumental folk album as a duo: Il fera beau demain.
Simon and Olivier have often collaborated on the projects of several other artists, both in studio and on stage. Considering the pleasure they have always had playing together and the ease with which they combine their different roots and musical influences, the idea of a more personal and structured collaboration as a duo began to float. The result: a luminous, serene record.

Shannon and Tony have been performing together as a father/daughter duo for over twenty years, specializing in Traditional Irish Music. Both successful in their individual careers, they released a duo album in 2007 entitled ‘The Irwin Lake Sessions’. Their most recent album ’20 summers’ was recorded live-off-the-floor with no click track or overdubs. They wanted to capture the spirit of moment and celebrate the 20 plus years they have been playing music together.

Matt lives near the hamlet of La Glace, Alberta, Canada with his wife, 2 daughters, several dogs, cats horses and sheep. While not blessed with an abundance of natural ability in his endeavors, he’s always willing to give things a good try, and never lets a lack of experience or formal training get in his way. He applies the same ethic to his self-taught song writing and music as he does to fixing a furnace, installing a stock waterer, building a jewelry box, or taking a picture. He loves words as much as he does music.

In twenty years John Wort Hannam has released eight albums and has a few feathers in his hat to show for them. Feathers that include a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Album of the Year, a JUNO nomination, and numerous WCMA and CFMA nominations. Recent years have seen a great deal of change – entering his 50’s, settling into being a Dad (something that didn’t come without a fight), overcoming the loss of his singing voice. But John has emerged a better singer, a better player and is writing his most poignant songs to date.

Pop Montreal calls Li’l Andy “Montreal’s best country songwriter today.” The Village Voice describes his music as “Roots-based Americana that actually deserves to be made”. In the past decade, he has released 4 albums, toured Canada extensively, been featured in the New York Times, and been named “# 1 Best Country/ Folk Act” in Cult MTL five years in a row. His new box set, “The Complete Recordings of Hezekiah Procter”, was recorded on 1930s recording technology and includes the singer’s debut novel.

Award-winning songwriter T. Buckley looks through the lens of life to sculpt Americana songs with messages of family, dedication and heart. His music career started in a trio, before navigating a path as a solo artist, while consulting with songwriting mentors like John Wort Hannam and Nashville-based Don Henry (Ray Charles, Kathy Mattea). His influences run from traditional folk to rock to Laurel Canyon to the ’60s New York Cafe scene. This dedication to craft has been recognized through CFMA nominations alongside CBC Music and Calgary Music Award wins and an official showcase at Folk Alliance 2022.

A masterful song-crafter, Yael Wand blends folk, jazz, blues and gospel flavours with “the effortless beauty of her voice” (Exclaim!). Originally emerging on the folk scene in 2004, the BC Interior Music Award nominee established herself through touring and multiple releases: ‘At Your Door’, (2007) garnered radio play and press across Canada and ‘Good Stitch Gone’ (2009), placed her squarely in the Americana genre without compromising her free-spirited sound or her worldly sophistication. After a 10-year hiatus, Yael draws on a deep well of musical influences for her latest release, Saltwater Heartwood, an ode to self-discovery and to the subtle-yet-profound moments of life.

Héra Ménard naturally dedicates her art to folk-country music. In the fall of 2017, she released her first self-titled album, which earned her the prestigious New Artist of the Year award at the 6th edition of the Gala Country. She then began writing a second album, Fleurs, which will be produced by Jean-François Lemieux and launched in the fall of 2021.

Matt Stern is known for infectious melodies, uplifting energy, and an ability to inspire a sense of community in a diverse crowd.

Born in Montreal and currently based on Vancouver Island, he has been a featured performer at the Campbell Bay Music Festival, the Victoria French Festival, Canadian Music Week, POP Montreal, Enoshima Music Festival in Japan, the 1st World Outgames, CBC’s Home from the Vinyl Café, Festival M comme Musique in France, Coup de coeur francophone, and the Festival d’été de Vancouver.

Matt’s most recent album was just nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award.

“French songwriters of the year” at the Canadian Folk Music Awards for their album debut, LE SOLEIL EN BULLE, Natalie Byrns and Anik Bérubé share a passion for rich harmonies, hopeful lyrics and the warmth of stringed instruments such as guitar, banjo, ukulele and mandoline. The two members of Montreal duo ANCOLIE reunite with producer Jay Atwill to record their latest release, LES ÉBRANLEMENTS, featuring nine reflective and soul-baring new songs. Their voices in soft symbiosis, Anik and Natalie sing of hypersensitivity, self-esteem, performance anxiety and other lovely inner torments inherent in our human condition.

Sébastien Lacombe is a singer-songwriter from Montreal, living from this career for 18 years now. With 5 solo albums to his credit, the popular Comme au Cinéma (2005), Impressions humaines (2007), Territoires (2012), Nous serons des milliers (2016), Fly (2020) and Le chemin des possibles (2022), his his most personal work to date, Sébastien earned out a place for himself among the Canadian singer-songwriters of his generation.

Adrian Sutherland is a roots-rock recording artist with heart from Attawapiskat on James Bay. He’s a singer, songwriter, musician, speaker, author and advocate. He’s a father of four, grandfather to five, traditional knowledge keeper, and respected cultural leader, fluent in Mushkegowuk Cree. After building his own recording studio out of necessity during the pandemic, Adrian completed his debut album When The Magic Hits – earning his first-ever JUNO nomination. Adrian cares deeply about many causes, and is using his music and voice to share first-hand perspective on issues facing First Nations like contaminated water, housing shortages, food insecurity, and mental health.

Indigenous singer/songwriter Berk Jodoin hails from the Northern community of Pierceland, Saskachewan.

Berk tells stories that most people would choose to ignore. His carefully crafted songs captivate listeners emotionally, fusing his influences like Steve Earle and Waylon Jennings together to create soulful storytelling with just the right amount of gravel.

“Half Breed”, the 2nd album by Berk Jodoin is more cultivated and polished than Berk’s self-titled debut album, with the writing and narrative displaying more maturity and vulnerability. Berk hopes that sharing these stories with audiences through song will bring awareness and understanding to the difficult issues he writes about.

Kyle McKearney has made an impressive debut with the release of his solo album “Down-Home”. Recently named one of SiriusXM’s Top of the Country Semi-Finalist, Kyle is making his name known as Canada’s biggest breakthrough artist in the Americana/Roots/Country space. He’s garnered 5x award nominations, won 2nd place in Alberta’s most prestigious artist development program (Project Wild) and has amassed over 1,000,000+ global streams in just over a year.

Kyle is now releasing new music from his highly anticipated sophomore album this Spring and he’s leading the charge with “Grandfather”. Follow Kyle McKearney on socials @imkylemckearney.

Digging Roots breathe life into songs from their land, Turtle Island, to raise their voices in solidarity with the revolutionary global chorus of Indigenous artists, activists and change-makers. For over a decade, JUNO Award winners Digging Roots have travelled the world with a joyful message of resistance, celebrating Anishinabe and Onkwehonwe traditions of round dance and interconnectedness. Zhawenim (To Love Unconditionally) is Digging Roots’ 4th album, stronger than ever and has integrated Anishinabek Song Lines and modern production into Zhawenim with their co-producer Hill Kourkoutis. This album holds songs of love, for the land, the waters, and for lovers.

Based in Ottawa, LES RATS D’SWOMPE launched their first album, Vivre en ville, in March 2018 and quickly achieved major radio success with all of their radio excerpts. Their growing popularity propels them onto the stage. They perform showcases across the country before performing on a massive tour where they are building a massive following. To underscore it all, the group received five nominations at the 2019 Trille-Or Awards Gala and won the Group of the Year award in addition to winning a prize at the Ontario Country Music Awards. In January 2022, they released a second album, Élixir.

The award winning and highly acclaimed band Le Vent du Nord are a leading force in Québec’s progressive Francophone folk movement. The group’s vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions, while their highly rhythmic and soulful music, rooted in the Celtic diaspora, is enhanced with a broad range of global influences. Le Vent du Nord have enjoyed meteoric success, performing well over 2,000 concerts over 4 continents and racking up several prestigious awards, including a Grand Prix du Disque Charles Cros, two Junos, a Canadian Folk Music Award, and “Artist of the Year” at Folk Alliance.

Quote the Raven have been charming audiences with haunting harmony and a deadpan humor for a decade. With an extensive tour history they’ve preformed across Canada and played in Trinidad, Germany, and showcased at AmericanaFest. Nashville inspired the start of their sophomore release “Can’t Hold the Light”, with multiple tracks landing in the top 100 on Canadian charts. The ECMA award winning album is a collection of songs written with friends all around Canada documenting the life of the pair prior to the pandemic. The 2021 MusicNL Group of the Year will be performing at multiple Canadian Festivals this summer.

Mama’s Broke is a unique and powerful folk duo that both honours and defies tradition with their original compositions. Two strong voices blend to create haunting harmonies, while they artfully juggle fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin, and incorporate traditional dance and foot percussion as part of their performance.
Their long-awaited sophomore record Narrow Line was released May 13, 2022 on Free Dirt Records.

Punching through the walls of tradition, The McDades’ Celtic-rooted music fuses the spontaneity of jazz improvisation and infectious global rhythms. The Juno Award winners’ cutting edge sound is the perfect complement to their fiery performances. Their new album “The Empress” continues to highlight the group’s one-of-a-kind sound and irresistible groove.

Canada’s roots/swing duo “Over The Moon” are totally immersed in real cowboy country. Their music is a wild ride from 40’s western swing and Appalachian old-time, to cowboy blues, all featuring their meant-to-be vocals and a wide array of acoustic instruments.
Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell are award winning multi-instrumentalists and vocalists. After discovering their near perfect blend of voices, often moving people to tears upon hearing them sing together, they stepped over the threshold and Over the Moon was born.
Simple and sweet, their music and lyrics have a common thread that speaks of the Canadian west.

Four ferocious players, masterful composition, and a genre-bending sound — Juno award-winning The Fretless is a Canadian quartet that has firmly taken its place on the map to a progressive form of “trad”.

With banjo, mandolin, cello and guitar, The Dead South certainly look the part of bluegrass traditionalists. But, as outsiders to the bluegrass world by circumstances of geography, they’re from the Canadian prairies, and by influences, equal parts finger-picking and punk, there are few comparisons to be made for the four-piece acoustic band. With a global following sparked by YouTube, early success in German rock clubs and now, sold out shows at iconic venues in many continents, this is no country for old-time string purists.

Barney Bentall is loved globally for his band the Legendary Hearts, that over ten years in the 80s and 90s had more than nine hit singles, won Juno Awards and achieved platinum status for multiple albums. He went on to release acclaimed albums as a solo artist, and more lately has been a part of the bluegrass-influenced folk band The High Bar Gang.

Suzie Ungerleider began performing under the name Oh Susanna in the mid-1990s, winning instant praise for striking voice and poetic songcraft. The recipient of a Genie Award for Best Original Song and a Canadian Folk Music Award for English Songwriter of the Year. Nominated for two Juno Awards each for Best Roots and Traditional Album of the Year, as well as four Canadian Folk Music Awards for Best Solo Performer, Best Contemporary Singer, and English Songwriter of the Year. Suzie’s latest album entitled My Name is Suzie Ungerleider is her first release under her given name.

Contemporary folk songs, at their very best, offer an insight into the hardships, attitudes, and resolve of characters and events that shape our lives.
Through ten solo albums James Keelaghan has created a repertoire of incalculable importance. From the historical Hillcrest Mine and Cold Missouri Waters to Kiri’s Piano (a triumph over adversity). On Second-Hand Keelaghan continues to deliver the stories that touch the heart and remind us all of our shared history and humanity.

It’s not surprising that Dave Marsh, the eminent Rolling Stone critic, simply described Keelaghan as “Canada’s finest songwriter.”

From the West Coast of British Columbia, Jocelyn Pettit is a vibrant fiddle player, stepdancer and singer of Scottish, Irish, French, and Malaysian heritage. With uplifting energy and engaging stage presence, Jocelyn integrates the Celtic and folk traditions of her roots into her performances and original compositions.

Over the past 15 years, Jocelyn has performed internationally, appeared on CBC and BBC television and radio, shared the stage with Irish supergroup The Chieftains, and received multiple award nominations at the Canadian Folk Music Awards and Western Canadian Music Awards. Jocelyn’s third album Wind Rose has been called “a fiery, vibrant and thoroughly beautiful stormer” (FolkWales Magazine).

“An ace band that churns out a highly textured cinematic fusion of Arabic, Indian, Jazz, Blues, electronica, and rock. That list might make your head spin, but rest assured that Jaffa Road’s thoughtful, beautifully crafted music will not.” – Errol Nazareth

Jaffa Road is a 2X Juno nominee and winner of a Canadian folk music award. Their compelling intercultural sound creates a unique sonic journey that is at once ancient and modern, acoustic and electronic, sacred and secular. In late 2021 they released their third album UNTIL WHEN. They have performed at concert venues and music festivals throughout North America&Brazil.

The Czech-born singer-songwriter, bandleader and producer studied at the Prague Music Conservatory, specializing in voice. Escaping the Communist regime, Lenka arrived in Vancouver, B.C. as a landed immigrant. She received her Masters degree in Ethnomusicology at York University in 1993. Lenka co-founded the Yiddish swing group Sisters of Sheynville in 2003 and the global-roots ‘Fray’ in 2010. She has released 7 solo albums and 3 collaborations. Her latest project Thieves of Dreams (album, poetry book, play) is based on poems she recently discovered, written by her grandmother while imprisoned in a concentration camp during WW2.

Ayrad fuses the talents of musicians hailing from different backgrounds: singer, guitarist and composer of Moroccan origin Hamza Abouabdelmajid, Annick Beauvais (oboe), Anit Ghosh (violin), Sylvain Plante (drums) and Gabriel Lajoie (bass, keyboard), Marton Maderspach (percussions). Integrating rock and pop sounds, their recent album III explores different genres such as electro, Gypsy funk, desert rock, raï, Reggada, chaâbi and Latin grooves. Their homonymous album (2014) and Zoubida (2018) have garnered many awards (ADISQ, OPUS, Canadian Folk Music Awards) and mentions (JUNOS) and have allowed the group to perform concerts across Canada and abroad (Scotland, Qatar, Morocco, Tunisia, USA).

Wesli’s musical journey has gone from stringing up an oil can with nylon fishing string to winning a Juno for World Music Album of the Year (Rapadou Kreyol, 2019). Uniting a large cross-section of Montreal talent, his music links Haitian vaudou and rara with roots, Afrobeat and hip-hop. His 7th album, “Tradisyon”, will be released on May 13, 2022 in partnership with the famous American label Cumbancha.

Tennyson King is a nomadic indie folk musician from Hong Kong and Canada preforming in Canada, Australia, China, Hong Kong, and South East Asia. His 2022 album ‘Good Company’, produced by Juno nominee Ross Hayes Citrullo has been featured on CBC Radio (Q, Here & Now, Fresh Air), Sirius XM North Americana, Stingray Music, OMNI TV Mandarin & Cantonese, Exclaim!, SOCAN Song of the week, and more. Tennyson was nominated for the 2022 Solo Vocalist award at the MARTYS. Tennyson has captured audiences worldwide with his reverberant and earthy folk-rock blend, jovial personality, and intimately humorous lyrical storytelling.

Alex Krawczyk is a new artist from Toronto, who has been writing music to heal from the traumatic loss of her parents. She is hoping that her music will bring hope and peace to others who are struggling.

Combining raw sound with electric showmanship, Andrew Waite is a true songwriter. His songs are honest and rugged, making for an unforgettable experience when paired with his dynamic live shows. Recently having won Solo Artist of the Year at the 2022 East Coast Music Awards, Waite is an artist not to be missed.

Prolific, genre-hopping artist AA Wallace revives Cheval – the moniker the fisherman-turned-musician donned upon his arrival on the Halifax music scene in the late 90s. Taking a step back from the blistering guitars of Sleepless Nights and the French house landscape of his eponymous nudisco act, Cheval’s twangy folk-infused alt-Americana places the spotlight squarely on songwriting and showcases Wallace’s well-respected position as one of the best writers in the country – regardless of genre. Singer Songwrecker marks the first Cheval record in more than 18 years.

Toronto-based singer/songwriter and multi-award-winning storyteller Camie has long enchanted audiences with her delicate queer-feminist croonings, rich vocal tones, and lush poetic imagination. “Camie” is the alternative folk project of award-winning Tkaronto-based multidisciplinary performance artist, Camille Intson. Her writing, performance work, conceptual art, and music has received international attention and critical acclaim. She can be found everywhere online at @thecamiliad, or at camilleintson.com.

Oktoécho guides the listener into a sonic world brimming with lyricism in a space between the musics of the Middle East, Arboriginal and the West. Under the artistic direction of composer Katia Makdissi-Warren, Oktoécho explores mixed music and musical sounds through its own creations.
​
The group has recorded soundtracks for film and expositions in Canada, France, Singapore, Korea, Lebanon and created the music for a permanent multi-media exhibit at the Burj-Dubaï Tower in Dubai, the highest structure in the world.

Oktoecho has toured in Spain and in Canada and has recently performed at the prestigious Beiteddin Festival in Lebanon.

A masterful song-crafter, Yael Wand blends folk, jazz, blues and gospel flavours with “the effortless beauty of her voice” (Exclaim!). Originally emerging on the folk scene in 2004, the BC Interior Music Award nominee established herself through touring and multiple releases: ‘At Your Door’, (2007) garnered radio play and press across Canada and ‘Good Stitch Gone’ (2009), placed her squarely in the Americana genre without compromising her free-spirited sound or her worldly sophistication. After a 10-year hiatus, Yael draws on a deep well of musical influences for her latest release, Saltwater Heartwood, an ode to self-discovery and to the subtle-yet-profound moments of life.

JUNO nominated Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac are two multi-instrumentalists who have been seamlessly crossing genres with their flawless harmonies and heart wrenching songwriting for 2 decades. The duo met in Toronto in 1999, only to find out that their fathers sat next to each other in high school, nearly 2000 km away. That long standing history has been what ties the duo’s harmonies as tight as only family can sing. With the storytelling of folk, the rhythms of Americana and the clever hooks of pop, Madison Violet is sure to win over any audience with their unbridled musical connection.

Four ferocious players, masterful composition, and a genre-bending sound — Juno award-winning The Fretless is a Canadian quartet that has firmly taken its place on the map to a progressive form of “trad”.

The Czech-born singer-songwriter, bandleader and producer studied at the Prague Music Conservatory, specializing in voice. Escaping the Communist regime, Lenka arrived in Vancouver, B.C. as a landed immigrant. She received her Masters degree in Ethnomusicology at York University in 1993. Lenka co-founded the Yiddish swing group Sisters of Sheynville in 2003 and the global-roots ‘Fray’ in 2010. She has released 7 solo albums and 3 collaborations. Her latest project Thieves of Dreams (album, poetry book, play) is based on poems she recently discovered, written by her grandmother while imprisoned in a concentration camp during WW2.

3x JUNO nominees and SiriusXM winners Sultans of String create, “Energetic and exciting music from a band with talent to burn!” (Maverick Magazine UK). Thrilling their audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, Django-jazz, Arabic, Cuban, and South Asian rhythms, Sultans of String celebrate musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity.
Sultans have gigged at JUNOfest, NYC’s Birdland, Glasgow’s Celtic Connections and London’s Trafalgar Square, and have recorded/performed with Paddy Moloney & The Chieftains, Sweet Honey in The Rock, Richard Bona, Alex Cuba, Rubén Blades, Yasmin Levy, Benoit Bourque, Béla Fleck, Crystal Shawanda and Ken Whiteley.

Mélisande [électrotrad] offers an energetic blend of traditional music, pop and electro with a mix of acoustic and electric instruments, vocal harmonies and programming. Formed by Mélisande and her husband Alexandre ‘Moulin’ de Grosbois-Garand, the duo offers a fresh artistic proposal to the folk-world-trad music scene. Greatly acknowledged by the critics here and abroad, the duo won a Canadian Folk Music Award and two Independent Music Award as well a being nominated at several other awards. The band performed over 250 concerts in Canada, the United States, France, Spain and Australia.

Digging Roots breathe life into songs from their land, Turtle Island, to raise their voices in solidarity with the revolutionary global chorus of Indigenous artists, activists and change-makers. For over a decade, JUNO Award winners Digging Roots have travelled the world with a joyful message of resistance, celebrating Anishinabe and Onkwehonwe traditions of round dance and interconnectedness. Zhawenim (To Love Unconditionally) is Digging Roots’ 4th album, stronger than ever and has integrated Anishinabek Song Lines and modern production into Zhawenim with their co-producer Hill Kourkoutis. This album holds songs of love, for the land, the waters, and for lovers.

The Oot n’ Oots is a family that makes music for families. The band includes 15-year-old Ruthie Cipes with her dad Ez and uncles Ari, Gabe, and Matthew, all living in Kelowna, Canada.

The band has appeared at numerous festivals including the Philadelphia Folk Festival and has been honoured on “best of lists” and with awards and nominations in Canada, the USA, and Australia.

The Oot n’ Oots released their third album, Ponderosa Bunchgrass and the Golden Rule, on October 15, 2021. It was nominated for “Children’s Album of the Year” at the 2022 Juno Awards.

Wilson (age 11), and Lucie (age 9) are a brother and sister duo that are proud to carry on the traditional art form of fiddling and Ottawa Valley Step-dancing. They enjoy performing for audiences in live shows, as well as through their Youtube page that has almost half a million views. In addition to old time fiddle tunes, The Fiddlaires play Quebecois, Irish, Scottish, American and Cape Breton style fiddle tunes. They have been fortunate to have taught by, as well played on stage with some of Canada’s finest fiddle players.

We are The Receivers, a group of friends from Ontario who love to preform and write our own Trad tunes. We are all proud nominees of the CFMA’s in 2022 which solidified our desire to work together on this project. We are excited to be a part of the future of Canadian Folk music.

Paige Penney is a 17 year old singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, from St.John’s, Newfoundland.
Paige received two Canadian Folk Music Award nominations, MusicNL Award nominations, Winner-MusicNL Newfound Talent Contest and the Arts and Letters awards.
Paige’s first single, “Watch Out For Your Step” features, Newfoundland folk trio, The Once. Paige’s second single “Shooting Star” features a co-write with Alan Doyle with music video.
September 2021, Paige opened for Canadian sensation, Johnny Reid at Iceberg Alley Festival, headlined her own SOLD OUT show at The Masonic Theatre with a standing ovation! Paige just released new single, “Fingers Crossed” & is recording her sophomore album!

Pinning down the sound of Cape-Breton-based quintet Pretty Archie has always been about as easy as catching a greased pig, but with the release of their new, self-titled album the band is confident that their unique mix of folk, Americana, bluegrass, Alt-Country, and East Coast music will appeal to a wider audience than ever before. Celebrating their tenth anniversary with what is arguably their finest work to date, the album will be released on February 11, 2022 via Curve Music/Warner Music.

Julian Taylor is a Toronto-based, genre-defying singer-songwriter with extensive experience as a bandleader, band-member, and solo artist. His latest album, The Ridge, was nominated for two Juno awards in 2021. He was nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2021. Each song on The Ridge represents an acoustic-driven mixture of styles that reflect Taylor’s range as a creative force by building upon his tenure fronting the alt-rocking collective Staggered Crossing as well as the fine funk and R&B-driven foundation he continues to mine with the still-active Julian Taylor Band. He’s working on a new solo album.

Quote the Raven have been charming audiences with haunting harmony and a deadpan humor for a decade. With an extensive tour history they’ve preformed across Canada and played in Trinidad, Germany, and showcased at AmericanaFest. Nashville inspired the start of their sophomore release “Can’t Hold the Light”, with multiple tracks landing in the top 100 on Canadian charts. The ECMA award winning album is a collection of songs written with friends all around Canada documenting the life of the pair prior to the pandemic. The 2021 MusicNL Group of the Year will be performing at multiple Canadian Festivals this summer.

The Irish Rovers is a group of Irish musicians that originated in Toronto, Canada. Formed in 1963 named after the traditional song “The Irish Rover” they are best known for their international television series, contributing to the popularisation of Irish Music in North America, and for the songs “The Unicorn”, “Drunken Sailor”, “Wasn’t That a Party”, “The Orange and the Green”, “Whiskey on a Sunday”, “Lily the Pink” and “The Black Velvet Band”.

The Irish Rovers have represented Canada at five World Expos, and in 2018 were honoured as one of Ireland’s greatest exports at Dublin, Ireland’s EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum.

Fortunate Ones is a contemporary folk duo from Newfoundland. Celebrated for their harmony-entwined songs of hope, resilience, and the human condition and their joyfully disarming live shows, they have toured relentlessly, bringing their open-hearted performances to thousands of people across North America and beyond.

Catherine and Andrew have been busy since the release of their debut album The Bliss in 2015 – thousands of miles, hundreds of shows, award winning albums and scores of fans have all been hallmarks of the success the duo has experienced since their humble beginnings in St. John’s.

JUNO nominated Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac are two multi-instrumentalists who have been seamlessly crossing genres with their flawless harmonies and heart wrenching songwriting for 2 decades. The duo met in Toronto in 1999, only to find out that their fathers sat next to each other in high school, nearly 2000 km away. That long standing history has been what ties the duo’s harmonies as tight as only family can sing. With the storytelling of folk, the rhythms of Americana and the clever hooks of pop, Madison Violet is sure to win over any audience with their unbridled musical connection.

From Ikaluktutiak (Cambridge Bay, Nunavut), internationally celebrated artist Tanya Tagaq is an improvisational singer, avant-garde composer and bestselling author. A member of the Order of Canada, Polaris Music Prize and JUNO Award winner and recipient of multiple honorary doctorates, Tagaq is an original disruptor, a world-changing figure at the forefront of seismic social, political and environmental change.

Geneviève et Alain c’est un univers folk où l’on s’évade dans la complicité et l’émotion. Le duo superpose, en parfaite harmonie de couple, leurs voix réconfortantes sur le jeu de guitare d’Alain et le piano de Geneviève. Originaires de l’Ontario, leur premier album « On est les deux » leur a valu divers prix et nominations. Le deuxième album, De la Rivière à la Mer, permet au duo de parcourir les scènes la francophonie canadienne et de recevoir le prix Groupe de l’année au Gala Trille Or 2021. Le dernier opus, J’attends encore, paraît à l’automne 2021.