Meet The Artists

Steve Poltz has spent more than three decades as a singer-songwriter-performer of the first order, earning international applause and fans around the world with his inspired brand of rockin’ countrified folk Americana.

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia but living most of his life in Southern California, he first made his bones as frontman for underground legends The Rugburns and has gone on to establish a critically lauded 14-album solo catalog. He also collaborates with such diverse artists as Jewel (an ongoing creative partnership that includes co-writing the RIAA Platinum-certified #1 hit, “You Were Meant For Me”) GRAMMY® Award-winning bluegrass phenom Billy Strings, GRAMMY® Award-winner Molly Tuttle, The Wood Brothers, and Andy Frasco, to name but a few.

Steve positively owns a crowd when he’s on stage. His shows are the stuff of legend. He can take an unsuspecting audience from laughter to tears and back again in the space of a single song. And he is a master of improvisational songwriting, working without a set list to be free to react instantly to the mood of a room.
Get ready for an evening of authentic music and heartfelt stories… you’re going to laugh, sing along, and leave uplifted!

Manitoba’s Don Amero is a captivating singer whose soulful sound and heartfelt storytelling have made him one of Canada’s most beloved performers. With powerful vocals, a lovable stage presence and a soulful sound, he genuinely connects with his audience sharing encouragement and positivity. His 11 albums have generated multiple national and international awards, as well as three JUNO nominations and three CCMA nominations.

Don was exposed to a broad variety of musical genres while growing up in a small town in Manitoba, and as a Cree Nation member, was also inspired by Indigenous music which greatly shaped his sound and style. Don describes his music as a way of life… citing how music has the ability to unite people, heal them, and motivate the world to change for the better.

Don was last on our Saturday Night Special stage in 2016 helping us celebrate our 40th anniversary, and we’re so pleased to welcome him back for our 50th season!

There are only two kinds of people in the musical world: those whose lives have been profoundly changed by Prine, and those who haven’t heard him yet.

In Spite of Ourselves: A Celebration of the Music of John Prine brings together the interpretive talents of multi-instrumentalist/producer Doug Cox, the Juno Award-winning Tom and Kalissa Landa from the Paperboys, and Nashville/Vancouver Island songwriter/artist Steve Mitchell. All lifelong Prine devotees, the members of In Spite of Ourselves aren’t messing around in these performances.

Tragically for all of us, John Prine left this world at the beginning of the pandemic. Thanks to his songs, music fans everywhere have a permanent portal into the little universe of John’s singular mind. And this talented group takes you through that door and shows you the house that John Prine built. You’re never going to want to leave.

A voice that commands the stage and captivates the world… Irish Mythen is one of the most electrifying live performers in the folk/roots world.

Originally from Ireland and now based in Prince Edward Island, Canada, Irish's career highlights include a JUNO nomination, multiple award wins, and performances at iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and Glastonbury Festival. Irish has performed with Rod Stewart, Gordon Lightfoot and Lucinda Williams, at major festival stages the world over - and is a globally acclaimed artist known for their raw vocal power, magnetic stage presence, and ability to forge deep connections with audiences.

Raw, honest, and utterly fearless, Irish performs a live show that is unforgettable - immersing audiences in a whirlwind of emotion, stories, and unparalleled artistry that leave a lasting impact.

Best known for powerful songs and rich storytelling, high-energy and deeply engaging live performances, Tanglefoot is a distinctly Canadian voice that presents folk music that connects history, heart, and audience. Their powerful, song-driven sets with engaging stories and historical context draw their audiences in with a masterful balance of musical precision, strong vocal harmony and spontaneous energy.

Formed in the early 1980s, the band spent nearly three decades touring extensively and releasing a body of work that became a cornerstone of contemporary Canadian folk music. Their live shows became known for their warmth, musicianship, and connection with audiences. Drawing on traditional folk instrumentation while maintaining a contemporary songwriting voice, the band's music explores themes of place, memory, and shared experience.

Now reuniting for select performances, Tanglefoot brings the songs, the stories, and the spirit of Canada back to our Saturday Night Special stage! It’s going to be a very special evening with one of Canada’s defining folk bands.

Born in N.W. Calgary and now based in Ontario, James Keelaghan has been called Canada’s finest singer-songwriter and is an artist who has proven to be a man for all seasons.

James truly has one of the most distinctive and readily identifiable voices of not only the Canadian scene, but as a member of the international singer-songwriter community. His masterful storytelling has earned him his share of nominations, awards, and acclaim from Australia to Scandinavia, and is embraced by audiences around the world.

Throughout a career that now spans almost four decades, the Juno and Canadian Folk Music Award winner has created a repertoire of incalculable importance – a unique body of work, either inspired by or drawn from the folk tradition. Ten solo albums flush with enduring lyrical relevance.

James has been a frequent guest on our Saturday Night Special stage. He helped us celebrate our 40th Anniversary, and we are so pleased to welcome him back to help us celebrate our 50th!

An award-winning Métis singer-songwriter and storyteller, Amanda weaves history, resilience, and heart into her music. She creates anthemic, guitar-driven songs punctuated with lively Métis fiddle, which brings audiences on a journey through history with every song.

Amanda is a chronicler of stories and people whose acts - out of necessity and opportunity alike - cascade through time and space, from the 18th century Red River Settlement to her own doorstep. With curiosity and empathy, Rheaume has become a bearer of history, unearthing and preserving Métis stories in song. In her gutsy guitar-driven style, punctuated with lively Métis fiddle, her Heartland rock is built to last, resolute in rhythm and unswerving in purpose.

The recipient of the 2024 Spirit of Folk Award, 2023 Canadian Folk Music Award for Indigenous Songwriter of the Year and the 2023 Capital Music Awards’ Album of the Year, Amanda has released six full-length albums to date. She is also co-founder of Ishkode Records and International Indigenous Music Summit and founding board member of the Indigenous Music Office, a commitment to raising Indigenous sovereignty through the medicine of music.

A truly authentic folk singer, David Francey is a documentarian of the working person who never imagined earning a living from his music. But when he was in his 40s, his wife, artist Beth Girdler, encouraged him to share his songs and sing in public. The reaction was instant. His first album Torn Screen Door came out in 1999 and was a hit in Canada… and the rest, as they say, is history!

"David’s straightforward songs tell honest stories of real people and real places. Poetic perception and a keen eye for the heart of the matter are trademarks of the man and his music. His songs and stories are a direct connection for audiences seeking depth and meaning in the day-to-day."  ~Shelter Valley Folk Festival

An outstanding poet/songwriter/storyteller, David has released 13 albums and won numerous awards, including 4 Junos... but it is his wry humour, astute observations and openhearted style that has so endeared him to Saturday Night Special audiences many times over the past 20 years.

When fedora-hatted Mexican/Canadian Tom Landa formed The Paperboys in 1993, success in the music industry meant finding a genre and staying there. The gifted vocalist/guitarist/bandleader never got that memo. On any given night, this globe-touring sextet has a playlist without borders: Celtic reels, Mexican folk, New Orleans brass band music, classic pop songcraft, bluegrass, philosophical waltzes, and Latino/West African singalongs.

A Canadian treasure making critically acclaimed music now for over 30 years, The Paperboys were among the earliest, most enduring indie bands from Vancouver to sport an eclectic mix of roots and multi-cultural sounds starting with Celtic grooves. Over the years critics and members of the band have struggled to define what the band does and one of Landa’s own descriptions; “Guinness with a tequila chaser while listening to an American jukebox” works as well as any.

They reinvent their live show every time they step onstage. Once the band agrees on the opening song, there is no set list. The song finishes, the crowd reacts, Landa reads the room, and the journey begins. Every night. As Tom puts it: “We’re a live band that tries to make each show an event.”  That means the final show of our 50th Anniversary season is going to go out on a very festive and joyful note!