Mariposa memories (posted July 9, 2002)

The smoke-covered sun has set on this year's Mariposa Folk Festival, held on the shores of lovely Lake Couchiching in Orillia, Ont. A haze from dozens of forest fires in northern Quebec couldn't dim the lustre of artists like Steve Earle, Quartette, Lynn Miles, Si Kahn, David Francey and Nancy White at the 42nd edition of Canada's most venerable folk festival.

 

Guitarist Dave Clarke did double duty, performing with both Steel Rail and David Francey and appearing in a total of 12 workshops and concerts over the three-day event -- no wonder he had deep grooves in his fingers from his New Tone medium-gauge strings! He and Steel Rail bandmates Tod Gorr and Ellen Shizgal had a great time playing at workshops built around such themes as Oh Brother What Happened (bluegrass) and Undercover (cover songs). Our favourite moments came in the country-tinged workshop Melody Ranch (with Caitlin Hanford and Northbound) on Saturday and in a rousing Sunday afternoon gathering called Points East, hosted by the irrepressible Bobby Watt and featuring the quick-witted and lyrical Lynn Miles and a high-spirited David Francey. Attendees were treated to -- among other things -- Bobby's heartfelt ode to Lynn (the phrase "lying in your sweaty armpit" was uttered in the most laudatory way possible). I guess you had to be there.

 

For most of us, though, the highlight was a generous solo set by Steve Earle Saturday night. His material ranged from Guitar Town and Copperhead Road to Ellis Unit One and Fort Worth Blues -- a thought-provoking tour through the works of one of the finest singer-songwriters of the last 50 years. He also unveiled a breathtaking new prayer for peace in the Middle East called Jerusalem that will be the title track of a new album in September. The song has all the hallmarks of a Steve Earle classic -- deceptively simple lyrics and an unforgettable melody -- along with a rare commodity these days: hope. Don't miss it and another courageous new song about John Walker, who fought with the Taliban in Afghanistan, on Earle's upcoming album. (Can you tell we're huge Steve Earle fans?) 

 

In the aforementioned Melody Ranch workshop, Caitlin Hanford talked about hitchhiking across the continent from Oregon to Toronto, inspired by an article in Rolling Stone magazine about the Mariposa Folk Festival, that year featuring Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. For many folkies, Mariposa is the original cool folk festival; it was a treat to play the event. Thanks to all of you who came by to say hello and to the Mariposa team, especially Randi Fratkin and David Warren, for inviting us.  For more information about the festival, check out the the Mariposa web site at  www.mariposafolkfestival.com. 

Steel Rail returns to Vinyl Café (posted April 17, 2002)

Steel Rail's second appearance on the acclaimed CBC radio show The Vinyl Café finally aired on April 13 and 14.  The show, hosted by the inimitable Stuart McLean, airs at 10:05 a.m. Saturday and at 12:05 p.m. on Sunday. Steel Rail and singer-songwriter Connie Kaldor took part in the taping of two Vinyl Café broadcasts on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the Outremont Theatre in Montreal. The first show was aired the weekend of March 2. For more about this CBC institution, visit the CBC Vinyl Café web site.

David Francey's  "Far End of Summer" wins 2002 Juno (posted April 17, 2002)

We're thrilled that David Francey has won the 2002 Juno for Best Roots and Traditional Recording (solo). Dave Clarke served as producer and guitarist on the recording and has been playing with Francey since 1997. For more about David Francey, including David and Dave's concert appearance schedule, see the  David Francey web site (www.davidfrancey.com).  

Whistle stops (posted March 10, 2002)

Thanks to everyone who braved freezing rain to drive out to the Black Sheep Inn on Friday, March 8. It was a great night for seeing friends old and new, and it's always a treat to play for the gracious Paul Symes and his crew. The night saw the official debut of a couple of new tunes, including Tread Softly, a moving song by Ellen about a bedside vigil, and The River Song, a new Chodan-Clarke composition about a woman on mean streets of Winnipeg. Paul's warmth and enthusiasm and the attentiveness of the audience always make this one of our favourite places to play, and two people who have been unwavering in their support of Steel Rail -- CKCU broadcaster Ron Moores and Ottawa Citizen music writer Patrick Langston -- were both in attendance, which made it a special night for us.

To those of you who made it to Carleton Place the next day only to find Tod with laryngitis -- our apologies! The afternoon marked the first time in more than a decade that Tod has ever had to bow out of a gig, and we're very grateful to all the great Ottawa Valley musicians who chipped in to help entertain the full house at the Army and Navy Club. The afternoon was graced by some fine original material and covers of classic country tunes by Peggy White's band -- Peggy, her sister Sherry and husband Gene Bruce. They were followed by the Strip Mall Drifters, featuring some terrific singing by Dion St. Pierre and Robert, Sue McCann's husband, and nice dobro work by newcomer Chris Barkley. Barry Monroe also sang some great bluegrass, including Murder on Music Row, and judging by the calibre of the other singers who stepped up to sing a tune or two -- we're thinking in particular of Bruce Draper and Terry -- the Carleton Place area is blessed with a lot of talent. As for Steel Rail, we'll be back! 

Come see us live (posted March 10, 2002)

Montrealers get a rare chance to see Steel Rail in their own back yard on Sunday, April 7. The gig is booked for one of Montreal's funkier new venues, Club Zone, which is becoming a bit of a destination for travelling folk artists. The club is at 1186 Crescent St., between Ste. Catherine St. and René Lévesque Blvd., and it starts at 9 p.m. sharp. Check out the upcoming Steel Rail concerts in Quebec and Ontario.

Dave Clarke in Juno Awards showcase  (posted March 10, 2002)

Steel Rail guitarist Dave Clarke will be travelling with acclaimed singer-songwriter David Francey to do a showcase during Juno Awards week in St. John's, Newfoundland. David Francey is nominated for a Juno in the folk category for his album The Far End of Summer, which was co-produced by Dave Clarke. The showcase takes place on Saturday, April 13, with the awards slated for Sunday, April 14.

New Steel Rail songs (posted March 10, 2002)

There's a backlog of new Steel Rail material that is making it into the group's live gigs now that the band is out on the road again. Among the highlights are the two songs mentioned in the item about the Black Sheep Inn, along with a new high-octane bluegrass number called Goodbye Again, about someone who gets left behind when her partner goes on the road. (Yes, some of it IS autobiographical!) Bluegrass fans will enjoy the showy, harmony-filled ending, chosen for the song after the crowd at the Church Street Café in Lennoxville, Que., overwhelmingly voted for it over a more sedate arrangement at the concert there on March 1. Two Steel Rail songs have also been added to the working repertoire of Bill Garrett and Sue Lothrop. They are That's How the Summer Slips Away and Somewhere Else Tonight, both by Lucinda and Dave. 

Townshippers brave blizzard to see Steel Rail (February, 2001)

Thanks to the 80 or so residents of the Eastern Townships who ventured out in blowing snow to see Steel Rail perform in Lennoxville, Que., on Friday, Feb. 2. The trio played at the Church St. Café, a folk series organized by Dave Gillies in the United Church Hall in Lennoxville, about 170 kilometres southeast of Montreal. Among the crowd were many members of the Townships Bluegrass and Old-Tyme Music Society, one of the great promoters of acoustic and traditional music in the province of Quebec. The audience got to hear two new Steel Rail songs never before performed in public: That's How the Summer Slips Away, a folky and bittersweet ode to the end of summer, and Somewhere Else Tonight, a country-flavoured  lament for the end of a relationship. In spite of the weather, the crowd was incredibly warm and welcoming, and the brownies were delicious. Thanks to all who attended. Special thanks to the Sherbrooke Record and the Quebec Community Network of CBC Radio for their support and to the baking committee.  

 

If you live in the Townships but missed the concert, there are other great acts coming up in the series, including a guitar night featuring  Steel Rail's Dave Clarke, folksinger-songwriter Bill Garrett and Montreal bluegrass and country pickers John Petronko and Garth Priest on Friday, May 4. For more information, call 819-875-5696. 

Ottawa Citizen names Road Less Travelled one of the 10 country CDs of 2000 (January, 2001)

In a retrospective of the year in country music, the Ottawa Citizen picked Steel Rail's latest album as one of the top country releases of 2000 along with those of Patty Loveless, Allison Moorer and Dwight Yoakam.

The Citizen wrote: "Straddling the road between folk and bluegrass, this Montreal trio continues to produce outstanding material sadly ignored by the music industry. Fading prairie towns, warm spring rains, late-night bars, homeward journeys: the small but essential stuff of life is celebrated in vivid imagery, exquisite vocals and inspired instrumentation. C'mon, you record company honchos and tone-deaf radio programmers, give the folks a chance." Read more reviews for the Road Less Travelled. 

Dave Clarke featured on new Borealis guitar compilation (2001)

Steel Rail guitarist Dave Clarke is keeping good company on the recently released Six Strings North of the Border on the Borealis label (distributed by Festival). Clarke's composition Katherine, which caps off the CD, originally appeared on Steel Rail's Thousand Miles of Snow. Bruce Cockburn, Don Ross, J.P. Cormier and eleven  other fine guitarists also appear on the record.   

Steel Rail in Top 10 on a satellite dish near you (2001)

Steel Rail's Road Less Travelled recently made Galaxie Folk-Roots Radio's Canadian top 10 for 2001, based on airplay and programmer preference,  despite only being on the air since October. The disc was also number one in November.

More praise for The Road Less Travelled (2001)

No Depression, the leading alt-country publication U.S., is the latest publication to praise The Road Less Travelled. Read the complete reviews for the Road Less Travelled. 

Steel Rail a finalist in Independent Music Awards (2001)

Steel Rail was one of the bands named to the finals of the Independent Music Awards, handed out by the Musicians' Atlas in the U.S. The only other Canadian band to make the semi-finals was the Toronto group Blunderbuss. 

 Arigato, Radio Nagasaki (2001)

Last July, Steel Rail got widespread exposure to a whole new audience, thanks to Radio Nagasaki and Alan Budd of Hat Creek, Alta. Alan heard a cut from The Road Less Travelled on the CBC and began negotiations to have the band featured on the Radio Nagasaki program Rockin' Country. To make a long story short, the new album was featured in July -- wish we could tell you more about what they said about Steel Rail, but we're waiting for the translation!

Another rave for The Road Less Travelled (2001)

In Bluegrass Unlimited, the Bible of bluegrass music in the U.S., critic Bill Foster warned purists that The Road Less Travelled is not pure laine  bluegrass, but goes on the praise the "great songs" and fine harmonies on the album. Read the complete reviews for the Road Less Travelled.

Fassaert CD features song by Steel Rail's Tod Gorr (2001)

The well-received new album by West Coast-based bluegrasser Tammy Fassaert features a song by Steel Rail lead singer Tod Gorr. The album, called Corner of My Eye, features Tammy and a bunch of the finest musicians in the western part of the continent, including mandolinist John Reischmann (who also produced the album), resonator guitarist Sally Van Meter, guitarist Nathan Tinkham, and stellar singers John and Michele Law and David Mosher. Tammy, a great singer and fine songwriter, recorded Tod's song Angel Eyes, which appeared on the band's first album, A Thousand Miles of Snow. You can find out more about her album at the web site www.island.net/~tammyfas/

RealAudio clips now online (2000)

We've added seven clips from the new CD, The Road Less Travelled. Note: RealAudio G2 RealPlayer is required.

The Road Less Travelled is out (2000)

The Road Less Travelled  CD features 14 new tunes, including the aforementioned Willow Creek. It's  already getting rave reviews, and was released to Canadian record stores on March 28, 2000. The album is distributed by Festival Distribution, available in most Canadian record stores, by telephone at 1-800-633-8282 from anywhere in North America, or from the Festival Distribution Web Store or via e-mail:  mailorder@festival.bc.ca.