Emmylou Harris - Love and Happiness A song about the things in life that are said to bring a person good fortune: a rabbit's foot, ruby slippers, a wishing well. I saw Emmylou perform this song a few months ago under the stars at the Greek Theatre in Hollywood, and as luck would have it, was given the thrilling opportunity to meet her backstage after the show. Now every time I hear this song I think of lady luck smiling upon me. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhJwSn84gqg
Matthew Barber - Where the River Bends Matthew Barber is my big brother and earliest musical mentor. In the songwriting business, where love is often fleeting, here is one of the most beautiful "commitment" songs ever written.
Jenn Grant - Echoes I listened to this record on constant rotation during my last Maritime tour. With truly great music I find that sometimes the thoughts and feelings you have when you hear it matter more than the thoughts and feelings expressed in the songs themselves. And when a record becomes a soundtrack to your innermost thoughts, you know it has achieved something great. www.youtube.com/v/TW8LBwBGUiI&hl=en&fs=1&
Blue Rodeo - Lost Together One of my summer highlights was being invited up onstage to sing Lost Together with Blue Rodeo at the Malkin Bowl in Vancouver's Stanley Park. Imagine if you will a young girl timidly taking her first slow dance to this song many moons ago - and now imagine that same girl all grown up sharing a microphone with Greg Keelor and belting it out at the top of her lungs. Strange and beautiful were the stars that night. www.youtube.com/v/c8JGk6Y6N3Y&hl=en&fs=1&
James Hunter - Carina With a modern passion for music from the fifties and sixties, James Hunter is an artist after my own heart. www.youtube.com/v/tNjLkVGLFAQ&hl=en&fs=1&
Emma-Lee - Bruise Easy I heard of this Toronto songstress one evening last spring when she opened for Lily Frost at the Drake Hotel in Toronto. Unfortunately I arrived late and missed her set, but I took home her CD that night. I remember listening to it on the airplane the next day, and falling in love with her soaring vocals and whimsical songs. www.youtube.com/v/zqesJgZPEkE&hl=en&fs=1&
Jory Nash - Terrible Man I first encountered this great troubadour at a coffeehouse gig back when I was a student in my first year at Queen's University, and he played this song. It blew me away. Following the show I remember watching him humbly pack up his guitar, get into his car and drive on to the next gig. I remember thinking to myself: That's what I want to be doing.
Good Lovelies - Lie Down With original compositions that sound like old-time ditties, all sung in Andrews Sisters' style three-part harmony, they are, as their name suggests, both lovely and indeed very good. www.youtube.com/v/pNVYrmcyN9o&hl=en&fs=1&
Old Man Luedecke - Little Bird Think a banjo can't play a beautiful ballad? Think again. www.youtube.com/v/caM1mHTEVDs&hl=en&fs=1&
Jimmy Scott - After I'm Gone This is a record that my producer, Les Cooper, picked up for me with the instructions: Listen to this before we begin to talk production for your album.