Fly with your Shadow – Details, episodes & analysis

Danny Michel comes from a fertile music community in the Kitchener/Waterloo area of Ontario. That community has been a hotbed of great music for a long time, launching the careers of Rob Szabo, Shannon Lyon, and the late, great Paul MacLeod, who we profiled on episode 17 of this show. That episode featured a conversation with Mark Logan, a key figure in the Kitchener/Waterloo music community as the head of Busted Flat Records and the owner and operator of Encore Records. Just recently, Mark helped Danny put out a 25th anniversary remixed vinyl version of songs from his first two solo albums.

Danny Michel has written some great, timeless songs and released 14 fantastic albums, including a live album recorded right here in Winnipeg, a tribute to David Bowie, and a volume of re-recorded and updated songs from his catalogue, called New Coat of Paint.

He’s been hired as a guitar player by singer/songwriters Gwen Swick and Sarah Harmer, among others and has produced albums for folks like Leeroy Stagger, Damhnait Doyle, and Lindy Vopnfjord.

In 2018, Danny raised the alarm about the criminally low rates that streaming services like Spotify pay the artists that they rely on. He made national and international news by taking his concerns directly to Spotify in an attempt to change the way that artists are compensated for their work.

He's about to embark on a Canadian tour playing alongside his friend Steve Poltz, which brings them to Winnipeg on November 19th at the West End Cultural Centre and to various places out west. (Winnipeg tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/110060938FEC29D1)

dannymichel.com

digital downloads

bandcamp

music credits & more info: https://flywithyourshadow.com/danny-michel-episode-32/

Evangeline Gentle's 2023 album, Where the Diamonds Are, is a masterpiece sonically and lyrically. It’s melodic and interesting, propelled and shaped by producer and master musician Jim Bryson. He encouraged Evangeline to make a first professional album and has been a mentor, collaborator, and supporter ever since.

But even with guidance, talent, an interesting perspective, and a solid grounding, the rampant difficulties put in place by the old guard in the music industry can throw up road blocks along the way. One of the standout tracks on the album, "Underdog", deals with a traumatic setback in a young career that led to questions about whether a career in music was even the right way to go.

evangelinegentlemusic.com

evangelinegentle.bandcamp.com

iTunes Store

Join Evangeline and me at the Trout Forest Music Festival in Ear Falls, Ontario, Aug. 9-11, 2024: troutfest.com

Meaghan Smith (meaghansmith.com) is a successful, award-winning, former major label recording artist, a talented painter and greeting card designer (meaghansmithart.com), a loving mother, adoring wife, and more. She and her husBand, Jason Mingo, run a custom-song business called "Our Song" (oursongmusic.com). She's also been very honest and open about her struggle with anxiety.  More information and music credits: https://flywithyourshadow.com/meaghan-smith-episode-22/

It only took one listen at his producer’s house in 2003 to convince me that JP Hoe had something special. He’s got a big, powerful, one-of-a-kind voice, and knows how to craft a memorable melody. I knew he was headed for great things and couldn’t wait to share his music with people.

And I’ve been doing it steadily for 18 years now. In that time, he’s put out an early EP, 4 full-length albums, kick-started the creation of one of my favourite live music venues, and created a perennially successful and popular Christmas-time concert, The Hoe Hoe Hoe Holiday Show, and a related collection of original and classic Christmas songs. He is one of the most popular live acts in Winnipeg, always performing to sold-out crowds and is a regular at local festivals and major events. He was part of a local supergroup called Middle of Nowhere, which was made up of JP, Rusty Matyas (now known as Rusty Robot), Alexa Dirks (now doing big things as Begonia), Grant Davidson (aka Slow Leaves) and Keri Latimer (leader of Leaf Rapids and Nathan.) He’s extensively toured Canada, The USA, Australia, Iceland, and Europe. Needless to say, the guy’s been busy!

JP has been one of the most played artists on my radio shows and has stopped by the studio to chat and sing at least a dozen times, but somehow, it’s always fresh and fun and interesting.

JP Hoe lives in Winnipeg with his wife and two kids. You can find him online at JPHoe.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He’s hard at work on a long-awaited new album.

I’ve got more from our conversation that I’ll share on the September 5 episode of my show Tell the Band to Go Home, which you can find at tellthebandtogohome.com.

Music credits and more info: https://wp.me/pdcjXL-6U

Jim White (jimwhitemusic.net) is a fascinating character who has lived an almost unbelievable life up to this point. It’s his music that got my attention and has brought him the most renown and acclaim, but he didn’t come seriously to music until later in life. Before a rather serendipitous start to that career, he was a professional model, professional surfer, New York University film student, and a New York City taxi driver.

During those early years, Jim was deeply depressed and suicidal and struggling with some dark demons in his soul. Eventually, as you’ll hear in our interview, Jim retreated to his sister’s house in Florida where he withdrew from society almost entirely, but started writing his way through his depression by creating the dark, strange, almost mythological songs that he’s become known for.

An early tape of those songs found its way into the hands of David Byrne, the legendary former leader of Talking Heads. Byrne is one of the most influential artists of his generation, and he guided Jim to a record deal, which he signed before ever performing on stage.

Those magical coincidences kind of follow Jim around. His career has received major boosts when his music was included in several the hugely successful show Breaking Bad, and the subsequent film El Camino, which were headed up by Jim’s former classmate Vince Gilligan, who got his big break working on another big TV series, The X Files.

Jim White has now released 8 full-length albums of his own, as well as a couple of EPs and numerous collaborations with other artists. His 2004 album Drill a Hole in that Substrate and Tell Me what you See includes contributions from Suzie Ungerleider, who appeared on episode 16 of this show. He’s currently producing an album for Ben de la Cour, who was my guest on episode 5.

I’ve got a lot of great stuff left over from this interview that I’ll share on the August 1 episode of my other show, Tell the Band to Go Home, which you can find at tellthebandtogohome.com

For music credits and more info, visit https://wp.me/pdcjXL-6b

Music credits and more information can be found here: https://wp.me/pdcjXL-6b

Shawna Caspi's biography describes her as, “a singer, a poet, a painter, a fingerstyle guitar player,” and explains:

After touring her last album relentlessly, Shawna took a break to rest, reflect, and focus on songwriting. It was in those moments of stillness and solitude that she confronted her own experience of burnout, anxiety, and struggle with self-worth. In working through the shadowy parts of herself, Shawna discovered more ways to practice gratitude and appreciate little victories. This process of slowing down and looking inward resulted in her most raw, honest, and personal writing.

She strives to tell the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable, to empower listeners to come to terms with the parts of themselves and the world that they might find scary, and to look for hope in the dark.

Shawna’s album comes out on August 27, but you can preorder the CD or the postcards with her beautiful artwork at shawnacaspi.com or through Bandcamp.

Again, I’ve got a little left over from my chat with Shawna that I’ll share on the July 18 episode of my other show, Tell the Band to Go Home. Check that out at tellthebandtogohome.com

Anxiety, like other mental illnesses, can be scary and isolating. These illnesses can be severely detrimental to a person’s wellbeing and quality of life, and can even be deadly. Luckily, there are a lot of treatments available, so these illnesses are manageable and you can make life a lot better by getting help. I always recommend starting with a visit to a doctor, but if your doctor isn’t being as helpful as you’d like or just gives you that list of strangers that you could call, find another doctor or reach out to an organization like The Canadian Mental Health Association (cmha.ca) or here in Manitoba we have a great organization called Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba (adam.mb.ca) but there are similar organizations in most areas.

On this episode, a conversation I had with one of the most respected and acclaimed contemporary Canadian songwriters. He’s able to write songs that convey simple thoughts and ideas in beautiful, poetic ways. He’s written about love and sorrow and joy powerfully and perfectly.

David Francey (www.davidfrancey.com) was born in Scotland, but his family moved to Canada when he was 12. The value and importance of hard work was instilled in him early. Until the release of his debut album, Torn Screen Door, which was released in 1999 when Francey was already in his 40s, he was a carpenter and construction worker, working on job sites, rail yards, and far flung places across Canada. All the while, he would make up melodies and words in his head, content to sing them to himself and maybe a few close friends.

At the urging of his wife, artist Beth Girdler (bethgirdler.smugmug.com or www.bethgirdlerbees.com), he started performing and made an album of some of the best songs he’d come up with. Since Francey wasn’t much of a guitar player at the time, he hooked up with Quebec acoustic guitar master Dave Clarke (daveclarke.ca), who provided tasteful, melodic, and interesting instrumentation. The reaction was immediate. Within a year, he was in demand at the biggest folk festivals in Canada.

After three strong albums, Dave Clarke stepped back to dedicate himself to his solo albums and his band Steel Rail. Francey went on to make an album with Nashville heavyweights Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, and Fats Kaplin.

That was all within the first 5 years of his recording career, when Francey was on the road far more than he was home, as he was touring the world and taking his songs and stories all over the world.

Prior to the release of his 2013 album, So Say We All, Francey fell into a deep depression, brought on by the death of one of his closest friends. It was writing, and the love of his family that pulled him out, and he’s been honest about his struggles with depression since then in songs, poems, paintings, and conversation.

The wear and tear of nearly 20 years of constant touring finally caught up with Francey around the time of his 2018 album, The Broken Heart of Everything. He’d been struggling with his voice, but being the dedicated worker that he is, he just pushed through. It really started to fail him during a Canadian east coast tour and he knew that he’d pushed it too far. He drove straight home and resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn’t be able to sing for quite some time. He dedicated himself to his other hobby, painting.

The terrible irony is that he was just preparing to resume some of his tour dates in early 2020, before COVID-19 put a stop to those plans. For the meantime, David Francey remains at home with his family, where he paints and writes songs and poetry until he can get back up on stage and do what he does best once again.

Tune in to the July 4th edition of Tell the Band to Go Home, where David will talk about the new material that he's been working on, as well as introduce us to some of his favourite songwriters at the moment, including Terra Spencer and Chris Coole.

Music Credits:

David's albums are available at his website and on iTunes.

"Lonely Road" is from the album The Broken Heart of Everything.

"Harm" is from the album So Say We All.

"Paper Boy" is from the album Far End of Summer.

"Broken Glass" is from the album Skating Rink.

Paul MacLeod was a super talented singer/songwriter from Kitchener, Ontario. He built his reputation locally and regionally as a captivating solo performer who mixed great original songs alongside a vast and diverse repertoire of covers.

He was first introduced to many of us nationally and internationally when he joined legendary, long-standing roots-rock band Skydiggers in the mid-90s. He had the difficult task of replacing founding and high-profile and much-loved member Peter Cash in the band, but he did so admirably, more than holding his own alongside the accomplished band. He brought a new edge, his acclaimed skill on the guitar, and powerful vocals. He would often open for the band, then join them for the headlining set.

In addition to two Skydiggers studio albums and one live release, Paul released a great rock album with a band called Hibakusha, and four albums of his own.

I took the name of his first CD for my campus and community radio show, Tell the Band to Go Home, which debuted in September, 2002. Paul was a guest on the show, and I got to know him a bit at shows and occasional correspondence. His music, wit, and energy inspired and amazed me. His albums are among my very favourites.

Five years ago today, June 18, 2016, Paul took his own life. I was devastated. His music has been a mainstay on my radio show for almost 19 years.

Along with John Bottomley, who I talked a lot about in episode 2 and episode 3 of this show, Paul's struggles and death contributed to my desire to further conversations about mental illness, and motivated me to create this show.

I wanted to talk to some of his closest friends and get them to tell stories and remember Paul for the brilliant, creative, hilarious individual that he was. I wanted it to be honest and paint the full picture of what it was like to know Paul. It was a treat to speak to others who loved him and who miss him like I do.

You'll hear more memories from my guests, and their favourite Paul MacLeod songs, and some of the songs that he covered, on the June 20 episode of Tell the Band to Go Home.

Guests:

Lynn Jackson - Kitchener singer/songwriter and close friend of Paul's. Find out more about her and find her music at https://lynnjackson.net/

Mark Logan - owner of Encore Records in Kitchener and of Busted Flat Records, the label that released Paul's last two albums, Bright Eyes Fade and Gauge. Mark was instrumental in Paul's career, as well as the careers of Shannon Lyon, Brock Zeman, Matt Andersen, and many more. He's an unsung hero of the Canadian music industry.

Jason Schneider - these days, an in-demand publicist through his busy public relations agency, Jason Schneider Media, but a longtime music journalist and an accomplished author and musician. He was one of three musicians responsible for one of my favourite books of all time, and one that I refer to often, Have Not Been The Same: The CanRock Renaissance 1985-1995. 

Andy Maize - founding member and lead singer of Skydiggers, one of the most popular, accomplished, and longest-lasting bands in Canada. Their friends, colleagues, and contemporaries include Blue Rodeo, The Tragically Hip, and episode 16 guest Suzie Ungerleider. 

music credits and more info: https://flywithyourshadow.com/tribute-to-paul-macleod-w-andy-maize-skydiggers-jason-schneider-mark-logan-and-lynn-jackson-episode-17

Suzie Ungerleider (suzieungerleider.com) is best known as Oh Susanna, a moniker that she chose to take on when she started performing her own songs in the mid-1990s. In the beginning, she was writing and performing songs that were often dark and sad, with murder ballads and difficult tales being a common theme.

Her songs and subject matter expanded over the course of 5 albums made with a few different record labels. When it came time for the sixth, she reconnected with old friend Jim Bryson (who’s known for being a producer and band member alongside Kathleen Edwards) and began a musical partnership that continues to this day. Together they planned for an album that would eventually be called Namedropper, where Suzie reached out to some talented and pretty famous friends to write original songs specifically for the album. It includes submissions from Ron Sexsmith, Joel Plaskett, Jim Cuddy, and our episode 11 guest, Amelia Curran. Also included was Winnipeg’s own Keri Latimer, who is known for her bands Nathan and Leaf Rapids.

In the middle of a crowdfunding campaign for the album, Suzie was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to delay the project. Luckily, she overcame her cancer and is healthy and strong today.

After re-releasing her first two Oh Susanna albums, as she made and prepared for the release of a new album, again made with Jim Bryson and featuring contributions from Keri Latimer, Bazil Donovan of Blue Rodeo, and others, Suzie made the difficult but right decision to drop the Oh Susanna name. It turns out that the folk song that we all have known all of our lives, was originally written with some very racist lyrics, sung in a fake African American accent, in the “minstrel show” style, which was based on racist characterizations of black people. (You can read those lyrics HERE, but they are offensive)

After years of being based in Ontario, Suzie, along with her husband and drummer Cam Giroux, and their son and dog Willow (who got pretty hungry during our interview and made her presence known), moved to Vancouver, where Suzie was raised.

Music credits and more information can be found at:  https://flywithyourshadow.com/episode-16-suzie…merly-oh-susanna/

Sean Burns (seanburns.ca) came into music naturally, he’s the son of a professional, hard-working musician. Between 2009 and 2014, Sean released four albums, each one more distinct and impressive than the last, and made a name for himself on the road.

Sometime after the fourth one, he fell in love and found his way to Winnipeg, where he quickly inserted himself into one of Winnipeg’s main hubs and training grounds for roots-based live music, the Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club. There, he and Grant Siemens (Corb Lund's Hurtin' Albertans) became fast friends, and together they put together Sean’s talented band, Lost Country, and recorded a real turning point album for Burns, Music for Taverns, Bars, and Honky Tonks.

Last year, he had plans to travel down to Texas to make an album with one of his heroes, legendary pedal steel player and producer Tommy Detamore, who’s produced and worked with a who’s who of American country and roots music, but COVID derailed those plans. Instead, he made one album at home and a couple inside the closed Times Change(d).

When he’s not making or playing music of his own, Burns is a longtime host of Boots and Saddle, Earth’s greatest country music program, featuring beautiful music by beautiful country music singers. That show airs on local campus and community station CKUW.

Recently Burns also joined the team behind print-only country music magazine, The Honky Tonk Times, where he writes The Northern Report, exposing Canadian talent to a largely American audience. That column recently evolved into a podcast called The Northern Report Podcast, where Burns interviews up and comers and Canadian music icons.

More info and music credits: https://flywithyourshadow.com/episode-15-sean-burns/