Don Ross is a veteran guitarist and musician with a career spanning more than 35 years. And his earlier work reveals an interesting approach to fingerstyle guitar playing that new listeners may find reminiscent of a genre that has been in the spotlight recently. Math rock is a subgenre that emerged from the rock scene in the early 1990s. Consisting mostly of guitar, bass and drums.

Donovan Woods' newest EP, Squander Your Gifts, invites listeners into moments of grief and reflection. The five-song collection, released on Feb. 27, spans 16 minutes but carries an emotional weight that lasts beyond its runtime. The EP is about the loss of Donovans’ friend Abe, who passed away unexpectedly two years ago. In an Instagram post ahead of the release, Donovan said the EP is “about our creative gifts and whether we have any obligation to share them.”

For emerging artists, the job no longer ends with writing songs, but extends to marketing, touring and building a local audience.  At this year’s Folk+ plus conference, hosted by Folk Alliance International, industry professionals and artists broke down what it takes to sustain a career in today’s music landscape.  These workshops are designed to help artists hone-in their craft by learning new skills and become better at their work. 

Like many of you, we here at Roots Music Canada are devastated by the news that trailblazing Indigenous cellist and composer Cris Derksen has died at the age of 45 after a motor vehicle collision Saturday in northern Alberta, reportedly after the funeral of her late father. Cris’ agency, AIM, confirmed the terrible news Sunday morning. “It is with profound, shattering sadness that we share the news of the sudden passing of our dear friend, client, and visionary artist, Cris Derksen, following a car accident yesterday,” AIM wrote in a statement on Facebook.

Music lovers everywhere lost a good friend with the departure last month of Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo Smith. He was an internationally famous and widely beloved Jamaican Canadian artist who excelled as both a singer and a songwriter. He was just about to celebrate his 81st birthday. He became known professionally as Ernie Smith as a reference to his guitar skills, which were held to be akin to the talents of Ernie Ranglin, Jamaica’s foremost guitar player.

Last Monday marked the launch celebration for a new summer tradition for the Ottawa Tennis Club. Starting May 17, the club will host Summer Sundays, a weekly concert initiative led by Paul Sutcliffe.  Paul said it’s hard for musicians to make a living these days, and Summer Sundays are his way of giving back.  “This is me saying, ‘Hey guys, let's keep you employed,” said Paul. 

THE TRAGICALLY HIP MARK FINAL TOUR ANNIVERSARY WITH LIVE ALBUM It's hard to believe that it's been a decade since The Tragically Hip embarked on their final cross-country tour, a truly landmark event in Canadian cultural history, culminating with a hometown show in Kingston, Ontario that united the nation in a way no other musical event had before, and likely won't again.

On her new single "More Love," Toronto's Lily Frost continues to display her musical versatility with a song that gets to the core of how many of us are feeling about the current state of the world. Over a hypnotic sonic backdrop, Frost shares the simple and direct message encapsulated in the song's title, with the intent to make us all think about what we could be doing better to improve the lives of those around us.

A new summer concert series is set to bring local music to one of Ottawa’s busiest outdoor spaces. BistroFest, a free outdoor concert series running on select Saturdays from May 16 to Sept. 5, will feature 24 local bands performing near Hog’s Back Falls. Each evening will include three acts, ranging from folk to punk to reggae, from the Ottawa region, with a focus on making live music more accessible to the public.

Ollee Owens is having a year. The Calgary-based blues and Americana artist has taken home the inaugural Canadian Blues Music Award for Emerging Blues Artist or Group of the Year – recognizing her album Nowhere to Hide and cementing her place as one of the most vital new voices in Canadian blues. With over 2.5 million social media views in 2025, a Roots Music Report chart run that placed her album in the Canadian Top 10 for over 35 weeks including five at #1, and now a national award to her name, Ollee is no longer an artist to watch.

Southern Ontario singer-songwriter Shjaane Glover has earned an Honourable Mention at the 2026 International Songwriters Day Song Contest for his song “Effervescence.” The honour was announced on April 9, International Songwriters Day itself. The contest, which drew entries from Norway, Taiwan, Austria, the UK, New Zealand, Sweden, the US, and across Canada, celebrated the most inspirational works in songwriting, and placed Shjaane in distinguished international company.

One year after trading the artist's life for the life of a Parliamentarian, multi-Juno Award-winning musician and MP David Myles is advocating for Canadian artists to be treated less like hobbyists and more like the small business owners they are.  Entering federal politics, David said he was worried about being confined strictly to conversations around arts and culture. Instead, he found himself contributing across multiple policy areas before eventually taking on work connected to Canadian culture and identity. 

From performing outside an ice cream store in Carp to opening for a member of the Backstreet Boys, 18-year-old singer-songwriter Carson Cameron is making a name for himself in small Ottawa venues. Carson said he has always thrived on stage and is excited to build a community around his music as he starts his career. After riding the high of opening for Nick Carter of The Backstreet Boys in 2024 at just 16 years old, Carson has released multiple singles and, most recently, his…

The hills were alive with the sound of music on May 1 in Chelsea, QC. The music came from the first annual The Wilding, an all-woman music festival spearheaded by Ontario folk singer Jessica Pearson. Set at Le Vignoble de Chelsea, The Wilding offered a full day of music, local vendors and food, centred around community and connection. Despite overcast skies and a crisp breeze, there was no shortage of support for the inaugural event.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, singer-songwriter Abigail Lapell is reflecting on the transformative experience that inspired her newest album, Shadow Child.  The nine-track record traces the emotional and physical journey of pregnancy, with each song representing a different month of gestation. But for Abigail, the album is about far more than motherhood alone. It is about grief, resilience and ultimately about finding joy after loss. 

ASHLEY MACISAAC SUES GOOGLE OVER AI DISINFORMATION Ashley MacIsaac has never denied having a chequered past, but when Google's AI Overview feature falsely described him as a registered sex offender, the Juno Award-winning fiddler from Cape Breton was forced to take action. The Canadian Press has reported that MacIsaac filed a defamation lawsuit against Google in February, seeking $1.5 million in damages and citing that at least one of his scheduled concerts in Nova Scotia last December was cancelled due to Google's disinformation.

The Pintos—formerly Matt Paxton & The Pintos—are a Hamilton, Ontario alt-country band that has been gaining international recognition over the past several years for heart-wrenching songwriting, augmented by a distinctive musical chemistry. The quartet comprised of singer/songwriter/guitarist Matt Paxton, bassist Carrie Clark, pedal steel guitarist Chris Altmann and drummer Robin Pirson is poised to release the follow-up to their acclaimed 2023 EP…

Aysanabee released his six-track EP, Timelines, on April 10. The four-time Juno Award winner, with only two studio albums, Watin (2023) and Edge of the Earth (2025) is taking a moment to revisit some of his favourite songs, offering a quieter, more intimate sound than their original counterparts. The EP was produced by Aysanabee, a.k.a. Evan Pang, alongside a small group of others and released through Ishkode Records.

Songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist John Lewitt is captures the spirit of optimism with his latest single, “Six Ways to Sunday." The track serves as the cornerstone of his upcoming 11th solo album of the same name, offering a masterclass in craftsmanship that draws inspiration from the timeless melodicism of the Beatles and the rugged heart of Tom Petty. Written, performed, mixed, and produced entirely by John, the project highlights his "old school" dedication to organic instrumentation and pure, joyful songwriting.

The Ottawa Folk Walk picked up its feet this weekend after a 12-year standstill. Folk tunes flooded up and down Bank Street on Saturday and Sunday as music lovers sprang from plaque to plaque along the Canadian Folk Music Walk of Fame. Arthur McGregor, who founded the walk of fame, led the folk walk alongside Chris White and Greg Brown on a cloudy Saturday afternoon.

Gil’s Hootenanny said a bittersweet goodbye Friday night after 17 years spreading songs of hope and protest. The event took place every May Day in memory of Gil Levine, the founding director of research at the Canadian Union of Public Employees. “He understood that singing together could stir us to feel like a part of something bigger than ourselves,” said Gil’s daughter Tamara Levine, “To believe that together we could change the world,” she added.

These are turbulent times for Canadians. We are faced with economic threats from our neighbours to the south in the form of tariffs on our products. There are threats to our sovereignty with talk of turning us into a “51st state.” Then there are almost daily insults to our elected officials. But if there’s one good thing that’s come out of all this turmoil caused by the current occupant of the White House, it’s the growing pride and resolve in being Canadian.

THE TRAGICALLY HIP, FEIST AMONG 2026 CSHF INDUCTEES The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced its 2026 inductees, with this year's class headed by The Tragically Hip and Feist. Also being inducted are Loverboy's songwriting team, vocalist Mike Reno and guitarist Paul Dean, as well as one of the country's most successful bilingual artists, Roch Voisine. All will be honoured at the annual gala, which takes place this year on Sept.

An all-woman music festival is coming to Chelsea, QC, this Saturday, and it's expected to be wild. The Wilding is a music festival that was dreamt up and organized by Jessica Pearson of Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, an all-female Americana-Folk trio from Ontario. The festival is inspired by their new album Wilding, with part one debuting on tomorrow.

An all-woman music festival is coming to Chelsea, QC, this Saturday, and it's expected to be wild. The Wilding is a music festival that was dreamt up and organized by Jessica Pearson of Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, an all-female Americana-Folk trio from Ontario. The festival is inspired by their new album Wilding, with part one debuting on tomorrow.

Jon Mullane, a compelling voice in modern rock, pop, and country – has released The Road, a five-song EP in the latter genre produced by Toronto's Creighton Doane. The road that led to The Road ran through Nashville. Jon spent the better part of two years travelling between his home in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia and Music City, reconnecting with old collaborators and forging new ones, and finding in that creative environment the inspiration to write songs that felt genuinely close and personal.

Mia Kelly, the award-winning singer-songwriter from Gatineau, QC who combines folk and blues styles, recently released two new singles and an EP that featured two new songs. The EP is a small collection of songs from Mia's upcoming album, Big Bime Rollercoaster Feeling, that is to be released on May 22. Mia's Music has something for everyone: unrequited love, class struggle, growing pains.

The Blue Chair, a venue that has cultivated local and international arts in Edmonton, closed ,its doors on April 26. Sylvia Shank has owned the venue since 2020, when she bought it from Harold Wollin. However, her journey at the Café began when it first opened. For her, closing this space wasn’t an easy decision, but a necessary one.

Elina Ellis and Simon McKague checked out the festival this past weekend and talked to Irish Millie. They produced this video:

May is a huge month for the Rogue Folk Club. To begin with, Happy Birthday, guys! The club is 39 years old this year, and yes, we're pretty sure this is, in fact, it's FIRST 39th birthday. Also, the Rogue is holding a fundraiser for the Stephen Lewis foundation at the end of the month with Jane Mortifee, AND one of this month's Rogue shows is already sold out, so if you were hoping to see the Pairs, I'm afraid you've missed out.

The festivities of the Ottawa Grassroots Festival continued into Sunday with its first-ever open mic at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. Featuring more than 20 performers, the event showcased a mix of long-timers and emerging artists from Ottawa’s grassroots scene. Before the show started, chatter filled the room as attendees shared their love of folk music. “Folk is doing something together as a community,” one guest said to another.

A rabbit’s foot hung from her banjo, tied with a baby-pink string. Many believe the amulet brings luck. But Meredith Moon’s talent sang louder than luck ever could.  The Ottawa Grassroots Festival closed its third night with Meredith and her five-piece-band as the headlining performance.  Her set included 12 songs ranging from Appalachian soul music to gospel. Seats filled quickly at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, and audience members ‘mooned’ as Meredith played “Ocotillo,” an unreleased song. 

Friday Night brought a wave of folk, friends and fun to the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. With Ok Naledi and Alysha Brilla kicking off a jam-packed weekend of performances and workshops for all members of the Ottawa community. Upon arrival spectators are greeted by dozens of volunteers and organizers of the event who make each guest feel welcome. The venue is the main worship hall of the church, and as fans walk in, they get a blast of sunshine through the windows beyond the stage, framing a picturesque sunset over the Ottawa river.

Music united folk lovers last night at the 14th annual Ottawa Grassroots Festival.  Eventgoers gathered at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, a church in Carlingwood, for some Franco-Ontarian folk tunes.  Before the sun set at 7:30 p.m., Céleste Lévis took the stage. This was her first time playing at the festival in about eight or 10 years, she said. 

MAMA'S BROKE SHARE NEW SINGLE "HEAVEN" AND CANADIAN TOUR DATES Mama’s Broke — the Nova Scotian duo of Amy Lou Keeler and Lisa Maria — are preparing to follow up their 2022 Juno-nominated sophomore album Narrow Line, and have shared the first preview, "Heaven," along with announcing an extensive North American tour. The Canadian dates are listed below. A press release from the duo's label Free Dirt Records says that "Heaven" is a song about stepping back from the cycles of distraction and urgency, and devoting time to what you love.

After previewing his new album Western Medicine with the brilliant singles "Too Far To Run" and "How The Tiger Got Her Stripes," Montreal-based singer-songwriter Daniel Isaiah has released the full 10-song collection -- a tour de force of roots music song craft, conjuring images of Leonard Cohen fronting The Band, and Randy Newman recording in Neil Young’s barn. The sound of…

Toronto singer-songwriter Don Denaburg and his celebrated collective of collaborators release "Beyond Blue”— out now—a quietly powerful new single that speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt alone in their struggle. Produced by Don with legendary Canadian composer Jack Lenz as executive producer, the song arrives as one of the most emotionally essential recordings of Don’s career. It is carried by Sheila Carabine's luminous vocal performance and a sparse, melancholic arrangement built around David Matheson's piano and Amber Walton-Amar's cello.

For fans of local and provincial talent, the Ottawa Grassroots festival kicks off on Thursday and runs through Sunday afternoon at The First Unitarian Convention of Ottawa, 30 Cleary Avenue. The event will be hosted by Anne Marie Brugger Thursday through Saturday and features six evening performers and 17 more during the day on Saturday. Even more artists can be seen at the open mic on Sunday, hosted by Pam and Jeff Gleeson also known as ‘quiet sky.’

When Kyp Harness sings “You'll never get rid of me,” it might be addressed to the music industry, his listeners, his beloved, or all three. “Rid of Me,” the swaggering rocker that opens his new (and 20th !) album, Lovely, declares from the git-go that he’ll keep on keeping on, no matter what. Whether anybody’s looking or not, the critically-acclaimed Kyp is a classic “songwriter’s songwriter,” whose praises have been sung by such expert songsmiths as Daniel Lanois, Ron Sexsmith, and the late Townes Van Zandt, among many others.

Accomplished singer-songwriter Caroline Wiles is releasing her sixth studio album, Just Be You, on April 24 with a release concert on April 28 at Shawn and Ed Brewing Co. in Dundas, ON. Ancaster-based Caroline recorded the album at the famed Grant Street Studio in Hamilton, showcasing her delicate fingerpicking and her Anne Murray-like voice along with glorious three-part harmonies, open tunings, swooping vocal lines, unresolved chords inspired by Joni Mitchell, just plain guitar strumming, and various instruments added to colour the songs.

Acclaimed Canadian guitarist, composer, and songwriter Don Ross has released his new single, “Did I Fool You,” offering a rare glimpse into a creative partnership that stretches back to his teenage years. Written with longtime collaborator Norman Wolfson, the song is the first single from Don’s album Songs That Found Me, out now via Goby Fish Music. The track bridges decades of musical craftsmanship, combining elements of a 1981 Toronto recording session with newly recorded performances that reflect Don’s evolving artistry and production vision.

Following their first single of 2026, "Good Old Days," Canadian bluegrass / alt-country group Cabin Fever has shared "No Back Page," an emotional counterpoint in its depiction of fading small town life. The song is a showcase for the group’s harmony vocals, with its story inspired by guitarist Kyle Faulkner’s experiences living in northern Saskatchewan and traveling throughout the U.S. Midwest, where a sense of community often revolved around the town newspaper.

THE ROLLING STONES RETURN WITH BLUESY SINGLE "ROUGH AND TWISTED" When mysterious posters began popping up around London a few weeks ago announcing the return of a band called The Cockroaches, hard core Rolling Stones fans immediately got the reference to the name the band famously used for its 1977 appearances at Toronto's El Mocambo. Now, the secret has been fully revealed, as a white-label 12-inch single of a song called "Rough And Twisted," credited to The Cockroaches, has been released in a limited edition of 1,000 copies -- which have not surprisingly already sold out.

JR and the Bad OX Band, the heartfelt country project of Canadian singer-songwriter John Rewers, has released “Highway Life,” a sun-drenched, rolling ode to the open road and the love that pulls a man home. Available now on all major streaming platforms, the track is the second single from John's Nashville Sessions — a suite of recordings made at the legendary Hen House Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, produced by Juno Award-winning artist and producer Steve Dawson.

This is the month to be in Vancouver if you're a fan of Celtic-influenced folk music. The Rogue Folk Club is presenting shows by acts with roots in Scottish, Irish and Newfoundland traditional music. And not just any acts either! Hopefully you've got lots of room in your concert budget this month because you might struggle to choose between these.

The recording artists’ collecting society, ACTRA RACS, is pushing for changes to Canada’s Copyright Act through a new campaign aimed at forcing streaming services to pay performers fairly. Their campaign Burst Their Bubble calls for amendments that would create clear rules for how artists are compensated when music is streamed online. They say Canada’s copyright framework hasn’t kept pace with the technological shift to streaming platforms.

The host of Folk Routes on Alberta’s CKUA radio has been positively buzzing about this weekend’s Canadian Folk Music Awards events in Calgary. The four-day event featured showcases by an array of big names in Canadian folk, roots and global music and the handing out of 22 awards in 21 categories. We asked Tom to pick five highlights from the weekend’s activities.

The Canadian Folk Music Awards have just wrapped up in Calgary after four days of showcases and concerts, during which a total of 21 awards were handed out. The weekend featured some terrific concerts that included performances by Aysanabee, Ahi and Boreal as part of the Friday night lineup and Amanda Rheaume, Terra Spencer and Wyatt C. Louis on Thursday.

Linda McRae set up her equipment in a bare cement room, the kind built for containment, not concerts. Once she was ready, she was escorted to the guard station. Here, she watched as eight men were brought in one by one, chained and handcuffed, and led into individual cages just big enough for a stainless steel stool. It was weird at first, like stepping into something that had only ever been a television construct, Linda recalls.

James Hill and Anne Janelle, who perform together as Champagne Weather create a world in which music, storytelling, and visual art collide. And their show, Life in Every Sound, is a genre-defying, multi-sensory concert experience blending Manhattan minimalism, down-east fiddle, and contemporary folk into an immersive journey. It features cinematic projections, dynamic lighting, and a soundscape drawn from their acclaimed four-EP concept series.