After receiving the wonderful news last night of a friend now in full remission, I read on Twitter today that Gill Deacon - host of CBC Toronto's "Here and Now" - will be off in order to receive treatment for cancer. It made me sad to read that. It was one year ago this week that I had a chance to meet and speak with Gill on the show, and it changed my life. 

I suppose that sounds dramatic, but allow me to continue. My pre-interview with a lovely producer involved what I thought was a lot of talk about my…

I always say I should write here more, especially when I write here, if that makes any sense. Regardless, I'm writing from Halifax, Nova Scotia today, here for East Coast Music Week. I've settled in nicely with a cup of tea at my Airbnb, about to make dinner before I head out for the evening, so I thought this might be a nice time to give you a little update.

I have no idea where the first few months of 2018 have gone. It's suddenly May, and the two most recent little loves in my life just turned 4 months…

It was too pretty not to stop and take this photo as I drove from Miramichi NB to Montreal QC.
 

It's been a while since I've posted. I've completed my "Mostly East Coast" Tour since then, which had me away for all of November, meeting lots of new people with whom I got to share my stories and music. I feel like I should dedicate a full post to the tour itself, so maybe I'll leave it at that for today and just mention that I had a blast, and that I can't wait to go back again. I love the Maritimes.

So…

Before our Thanksgiving dinner this year, my niece asked me what I'm thankful for "that's not family or good health". My response - because I like to have fun with her - was "cheese".

At the time, I hadn't quite shared with everyone that a Music Producer at CBC had phoned me to let me know that my song "Long Way Down" was going to be the Song of the Week on "Here and Now" the following week, and that I'd be going into their Toronto studio for an on-air interview two days after our turkey dinner. Part of…

It was announced on September 20th that my song "Dream a Little" was named the winner of the Songs From the Heart Folk Music Ontario Award in the Children's category.

I'm not a "children's" performer per se, but I'm humbled to be recognized in this category by FMO, an organization that's near and dear to me. I believe this song can carry different meanings for different people. On the surface, it's a lullaby, cradling a child into a cozy sleep for the night, but I think we all benefit from dreaming a…

It's been some road to get here, but I'm beyond happy to announce that the new album - Patience - will be released worldwide on September 29th, 2017, which also happens to be my Ma's birthday.

We celebrated the new album with a couple of shows in Guelph and Toronto back in May, and now we're doing it all again, officially launching Patience with another show at Burdock in Toronto on Thursday, September 28th. Tickets will be on sale through the Burdock website soon, and I'll keep you posted on that, as…

I've become fairly adept at taking only a carry-on bag for almost any flight for any length trip, but it does take a bit of planning, especially in the case of my most recent trip to Glasgow and Cannes, where we would be dealing with spring-like and summer-like conditions respectively. Well, I shouldn't give myself too much credit, as I can very easily wear jeans, a hoodie, and a toque in any weather. Regardless, I had packed my bag, and came to the point of choosing what I would to wear to the airport. I…

I'm a sucker for all things sincere, and most things bordering on (if not completely) sappy. I'm not afraid to admit that I'm prone to weeping while watching films, reading books, and experiencing genuinely proud moments, among other times. I remember "being caught" in a tear-welling moment at Christmas of 2011 while watching my then 3 year-old niece complete a puzzle on her own. Watching her determination as she tried piece after piece in place after place, and then finally getting it, well that was a…

My last post was in February, and Good and Lovely as it was, the life of a blog post should probably not reach three months. I know this, but haven't acted on it. Today, I act. 

I just spent a lovely long weekend in Ottawa. I like to get to Ottawa at least once a year. I don't go there to play shows, or do any heavy business. I go there to recharge my batteries, to eat great food, to have great conversation, to reminisce, to be inspired, to love, and to feel loved. I accomplished all of that again this…

In November of 2010, I played the worst show in the history of shows. I'm sure many performing artists have played shows that we're not happy with, but at that time, I wasn't a performing artist. I wasn't a songwriter. I worked on the other side of the business, running LAMA, and enjoying that life. 

Let's rewind a couple of weeks. It was October, and I was asked to play some songs at a fundraiser for the Stephen Lewis Foundation's "A Dare to Remember" campaign. Given the cause, I decided - the day before…