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SiriusXM Strengthens Mental Health Programming with New 24/7 Streaming Channel

Eric Alper
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SiriusXM Strengthens Mental Health Programming with New 24/7 Streaming Channel

SiriusXM announced new programming initiatives focused on mental health, including the launch of a full-time streaming channel, Mental Health Radio (ch.779), in conjunction with NYU Langone Health. In addition, SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio channel (ch. 110) is more than doubling its mental health programming, with the channel now airing live daily shows.

On Mental Health Radio, listeners will hear the week’s top mental health programming from Doctor Radio, which will include calls and questions from listeners, as well as searchable highlights from the channel’s vast archives. Programming will include discussions about breaking medical stories and new medical research, plus studies on topics such as substance abuse, psychedelic research, and drug supply issues. There will also be a focus on issues including depression, anxiety, pandemic-related stress, trauma disorders, and much more. The channel can be streamed 24/7 exclusively on the SXM App.

Along with the new streaming channel, Doctor Radio is expanding “The Psychiatry Show” to now air Mondays through Wednesdays, and “About Our Kids” to air Thursdays and Fridays. The shows will re-air each weeknight at 8pm and midnight ET. Both live programs provide a safe space for real-time discussions with medical professionals who are leaders in their field, who listen and offer advice, free of charge. These top professionals from NYU Langone tackle subjects including emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and are leading experts in the fields of trauma-related disorders, anxiety and mood disorders, alcohol addiction, depression, and much more.

“Everyone can benefit from better mental health, and we are pleased to offer interactive mental health and wellness programming that can change and save lives,” said Charles R. Marmar, MD, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Peter H. Schub Professor of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “All of the doctors you hear on the channel offer world-class medical advice and are prepared to handle callers’ concerns, whether they’re general mental health related issues or true crisis-like situations, guiding listeners in need of help.”

“Since its launch in 2008, Doctor Radio, with advice from NYU Langone’s top doctors and experts has been a tremendous asset for those needing medical advice,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of SiriusXM.

“The Psychiatry Show” focuses on emotional highs and lows we may all experience. Hosts of the show include Dr. Charles Marmar, and Lenard A. Adler, MD, Vice Chair of Education and Director of the Adult ADHD Program in the Department of Psychiatry at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The program will now air Mondays (11am-12pm ET), Tuesdays (12-2pm ET), and Wednesdays (4-5pm ET). Additional hosts will include Michael Aronoff, MD; Thea Gallagher, PsyD; and Jessica Stern, PhD.

“About Our Kids” features experts from the Child Study Center within the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone, who discuss the essentials of child, teen and family mental health, from psychiatric and learning disorders to self-esteem and school success. One of the show hosts, Jess Shatkin, MD, MPH, leads the educational efforts at the Child Study Center, part of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, and is the vice chair for education and a professor in the Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The program will now air on Thursdays (3-4pm ET) and Fridays (8-10am ET). Other doctors joining the hosting chair include Blake Phillips, MD; Yamalis Diaz, PhD; Lori Evans, PhD; and Pantea Farahmand, MD.

Besides its live and interactive mental health programming, SiriusXM offers a suite of mood-based streaming channels in its app, including Soothe, Tranquil, and The Sleep Channel, to name a few. Pandora, the ad-supported and premium music streaming service owned by SiriusXM, also offers listeners several wellness stations: Happy Radio, Sleep Radio, and Meditation Radio, which feature guided meditations for sleep, music, and sounds for relaxation, as well as mood-boosting feel good playlists.

SiriusXM not only offers around-the-clock mental health programming, but listeners can also tune in to Doctor Radio channel 110 to hear free advice and information from NYU Langone Health’s world-renowned medical team about a range of other health issues. The channel’s diverse lineup is focused on reporting the most important information to the public, from major medical news, to the latest research, to rare diseases, and everyday health topics.

Shania Twain Announces Second Leg Of 2023 Queen Of Me Global Tour

Eric Alper
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Shania Twain Announces Second Leg Of 2023 Queen Of Me Global Tour

Today, five-time GRAMMY Award-winning legend and the best-selling female artist in country music history Shania Twain announced the second leg of her 2023 Queen of Me Tour. Due to phenomenal demand following the wildly successful announcement of the first leg, Shania is adding 19 new fall dates to her highly anticipated tour in support of Shania’s forthcoming album Queen of Me, out February 3, 2023.

Produced by Live Nation, leg two kicks off on Thursday, October 12th in San Antonio, TX at AT&T Center with stops across North America in Nashville, TN, Toronto, ON, Buffalo, NY, Edmonton, AB and more before wrapping up on Tuesday, November 14th at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. Full routing for both legs of the tour is available below.

The Queen of Me Tour marks one of Shania Twain’s biggest tours to date with over 70 dates taking place across North America and Europe next year. This is also her first tour in nearly five years, following a highly successful residency run in Las Vegas.

Shania and Live Nation have announced that $1 of every ticket purchased to Shania’s “Queen Of Me” Tour will be donated to SKC. Established in 2010 by Shania Twain, SKC provides services that promote positive change in children’s lives in times of crises and economic hardship. SKC provides children with one-on-one consultations, academic support and group activities, as well as nutritious snacks and meal programs where needed, all while in the safe, confidence-building environment that is the Shania Kids Can Clubhouse. These children are learning the skills to cope with and overcome family hardships which, in turn, improves their ability to succeed in school. For more information about Shania Kids Can, please visit: www.shaniakidscan.com

This evening, Shania Twain will also receive the Music Icon award at the 2022 People’s Choice Awards. As the top-selling female country pop artist of all time, Twain is being honored for her record-breaking career which has spanned over four decades. With such enormous hits like “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!,” Twain has expertly bridged the gap between country and pop music, leaving an everlasting impact on the music industry and pop culture. The 2022 People’s Choice Awards will air on NBC and E! at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA.

In addition to receiving the award, Twain will take the stage to perform a medley of her greatest hits as well as her new song “Waking Up Dreaming” off her forthcoming sixth album ‘Queen of Me,’ set for release on February 3, 2023 via Republic Records. It will mark her first return to the PCAs stage since 2005, when she took home the award for Favorite Country Female Singer.

SHANIA TWAIN ‘QUEEN OF ME’ 2023 TOUR LEG TWO – JUST ANNOUNCED
10/12 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
10/13 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
10/16 Knoxville, TN Thompson Boling Arena
10/18 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena
10/20 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center
10/22 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
10/24 Quebec City, QC Videotron Centre
10/25 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
10/27 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
10/28 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center
10/31 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
11/02 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center
11/03 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
11/05 Fargo, ND FARGODOME
11/07 Winnipeg, MB Canada Life Centre
11/09 Saskatoon, SK Sasktel Centre
11/11 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
11/12 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
11/14 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena

SHANIA TWAIN ‘QUEEN OF ME’ 2023 TOUR DATES LEG ONE
4/28 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena ^
4/29 Seattle, WA Climate Pledge Arena ^
5/02 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena ^
5/03 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena ^
5/05 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place ^
5/06 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place ^
5/09 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome ^
5/10 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome ^
5/12 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre ^
5/14 Winnipeg, MB Canada Life Centre ^
5/16 Madison, WI Kohl Center #
5/17 St Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center #
5/19 Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena #
5/21 Denver, CO Ball Arena #
5/24 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre #
5/26 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre #
5/28 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl #
5/30 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion #
5/31 Thousand Palms, CA Acrisure Arena #
6/03 Tulsa, OK BOK Center +
6/04 St. Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL +
6/07 Nashville, TN GEODIS Park +>
6/09 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion +
6/12 Halifax, NS Scotiabank Centre ~
6/14 Moncton, NB Avenir Centre ~
6/15 Moncton, NB Avenir Centre ~
6/17 Quebec City, QC Videotron Centre ~
6/18 Montreal, QC Bell Centre ~
6/20 Hamilton, ON FirstOntario Centre ^
6/21 London, ON Budweiser Gardens ^
6/23 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage ^
6/24 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage ^
6/27 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion &
6/28 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion &
6/30 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center &
7/01 Tinley Park, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre &
7/03 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts &
7/06 Ottawa, ON Ottawa Bluesfest *
7/08 Syracuse, NY St Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview +
7/09 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center +
7/11 New York, NY Madison Square Garden +
7/13 Burgettstown, PA The Pavilion at Star Lake +
7/15 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center +
7/19 Kansas City, MO T-Mobile Center =
7/21 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion =
7/22 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion =
7/24 New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center =
9/14 Glasgow, UK OVO Hydro
9/16 London, UK The O2
9/19 Dublin, IRE 3Arena
9/22 Glasgow, UK OVO Hydro Arena
9/25 Manchester, UK AO Arena
9/26 Birmingham, UK Utilita Arena Birmingham
9/28 Leeds, UK First Direct Arena

* Non-Live Nation Date

Support Key
^ Lindsay Ell
# Hailey Whitters
+ Breland
> Kelsea Ballerini
~ Robyn Ottolini
& Priscilla Block
= Mickey Guyton

Bush Continue Into 2023 With Winter Headline Run Including NYC, LA, DC, Boston, And More

Eric Alper
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Bush Continue Into 2023 With Winter Headline Run Including NYC, LA, DC, Boston, And More

Iconic GRAMMY nominated rock band BUSH’s hard-hitting and hypnotic single “More Than Machines” has reached #1 on the Active Rock Radio Chart – their 7th #1 at radio — topping out against strong competition from tracks from the likes of Godsmack, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink 182, Ozzy Osbourne, Smashing Pumpkins, Nickelback, and Metallica, to name a few. “More Than Machines” has also become NFL’s Monday Night Football favorite new anthem for major late game moments, while Jimmy Kimmel Live! also recently featured a dynamic performance of the song in their live concert series.

After an incredible summer on this year’s hottest rock concert package with comrades Alice In Chains & Breaking Benjamin that sold close to 400,000 tickets, BUSH announces they are hitting the road again in 2023 in support of their new album, The Art Of Survival. Their must-see US tour kicks off on January 28th in Reno, Nevada, along with some very special guests including Jerry Cantrell, Candlebox, and Silversun Pickups. Full dates below. Tickets on sale Dec 9th at 10am ET and you can find more info HERE.

Singer and guitarist Gavin Rossdale stated: “We’ll always love playing those big summer shows and the big stages, but we wanted to do some shows where we could get close to the die-hard Bush fans again. We’re excited for this run coming up.”

Earlier this year, BUSH’s latest album The Art of Survival ranked in the Top 10 for both Hard Music and Alternative Albums as well as the Top 20 for Rock albums radio chart. The Art Of Survival received praise from Billboard, Stereogum, Consequence, AllMusic (who gave the album a 4/5 star review) and E! News, who said “BUSH …proved once again that they have no plans to slow down.”

UPCOMING TOUR DATES
Friday, December 30, 2022 – Highland, CA – Yaamva Casino
Saturday, December 31st 2022 – Las Vegas, NV – Fremont Street NYE show
Saturday, January 28, 2023 – Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort *
Sunday, January 29, 2023 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium *
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove of Anaheim
Wednesday, February 1, 2023-Phoenix, AZ- The Van Buren
Friday, February 3, 2023 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
Saturday, February 4, 2023 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Monday, February 6, 2023 – Minneapolis, MN – Fillmore Minneapolis
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 – Kansas City, MO – The Midland Theatre
Thursday, February 9, 2023 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Friday, February 10, 2023 – Cleveland, OH – MGM Northfield Park
Saturday, February 11, 2023 – Waterloo, NY -the Vine @ del Lago Casino Resort
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway –
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 – Washington, D.C. – The Anthem –
Friday, February 17, 2023 – Atlantic City, NJ – Ocean Casino Resort –
Saturday, February 18, 2023 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom –
Monday, February 20, 2023 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace
Friday, February 24, 2023 – Battle Creek, MI – FireKeepers Casino
Saturday, February 25, 2023 – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed +
Sunday, February 26, 2023 – St Louis, MO – The Pageant

*Jerry Cantrell joining
– Candlebox joining
+Silversun Pickups

The Year In Music On TikTok

Eric Alper
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The Year In Music On TikTok

Via TikTok

In 2022, the TikTok community elevated and celebrated creative expression in new ways – discovering, creating and sharing content that captured our collective imagination. This year, the creativity and engagement on TikTok continued to spark joy and foster learning and collaboration globally, and once again music has been right at its heart.

From breaking countless hit records and driving chart success to opening the door to emerging artists, TikTok continues to empower and support the next generation of superstar artists whilst also breathing life into catalogue classics. Artists like Canadian musician @yeahitsak, use the platform to build engagement, connect with their fans and find new ones, laying the foundations for future careers and creative success.

As the community continues to grow and artists and creators find their fans, more opportunities emerge for every part of the music business.  Whether going it alone or signed to a major, creating, performing or simply experimenting, TikTok is driving success and real-world impact, both artistically and commercially in every market.

The Canadian Playlist – Top Tracks 2022

  1. “MEAN!” – Madeline The Person
  1. “L$d” – Luclover
  1. “Ginseng Strip 2002” – Yung Lean
  1. “About Damn Time” – Lizzo
  1. “Forever” – Labrinth
  1. “As It Was” – Harry Styles
  1. “Jiggle Jiggle” – Duke & Jones & Louis Theroux
  1. “oui” – Jeremih
  1. “Own Brand Freestyle” – FelixThe1st & Dreya Mac
  1. “THATS WHAT I WANT” – Lil Nas X

 

The Canadian Hitmakers – Most Viewed Artists

  1. Dax [www.tiktok.com/@thatsdax] From comedy to sobriety, independent rapper Dax took us through a journey of life.
  1. Tate McRae [www.tiktok.com/@tatemcrae] As her career continues to soar, Tate McRae has everything we want and is who we wanna be this year.
  1. Jordan Wav [https://www.tiktok.com/@jordan.wav] With his guitars by his side, Jordan Wav captivated our heartstrings with his solo covers and community requests, even if it did mean playing via a bowl of pasta.
  1. Lauren Spencer-Smith [https://www.tiktok.com/@laurenspencersmith] Dominating BreakupTok in 2022, rising Canadian star Lauren Spencer-Smith deserves all the flowers without heartache.
  1. Crash Adams [https://www.tiktok.com/@crashadamsmusic] – Crash Adams proved the world wrong with their bad-singing-turned-mini-concerts across North America.
  1. Justin Bieber [https://www.tiktok.com/@justinbieber] – Justin Bieber continued to share moments from his day-to-day life, including his Justice tour, days off and days in the studio.
  1. Faouzia [https://www.tiktok.com/@faouziaofficial] – Contrary to her single “RIP, love”, TikTok has made Faouzia their Habibi for life.
  1. Johnny Orlando [https://www.tiktok.com/@johnnyorlando] – No stranger to success on TikTok, Johnny released his debut album ‘all the things that could go wrong’ this past August.
  1. bbno$ [https://www.tiktok.com/@bbnotiktok] – Slow down, hold up, it looks like bbno$ flew through TikTok this year with catchy tunes like “sophisticated” and “top gun”.
  1. The Weeknd [https://www.tiktok.com/@theweeknd] – We’ll never be “Out of Time” for The Weeknd.

The Canadian Risers – Artists with Most New Followers

  1. Dax [www.tiktok.com/@thatsdax] From comedy to sobriety, independent rapper Dax took us through a journey of life.
  1. Justin Bieber [https://www.tiktok.com/@justinbieber] Justin Bieber continued to share moments from his day-to-day life, including his Justice tour, days off and days in the studio.
  1. Avril Lavigne  [www.tiktok.com/@avrillavigne] Twenty years after her debut album and Avril Lavigne is still the pop punk princess we all love.
  1. Connor Price [www.tiktok.com/@connorprice__] From Duets and challenges to global collaborations, rapper Connor Price has shown us that being bold is the way to go.
  1. Crash Adams [www.tiktok.com/@crashadamsmusic] Crash Adams proved the world wrong with their bad singing-pranks turned mini-concerts across North America.
  1. Jordan Wav [https://www.tiktok.com/@jordan.wav] With his guitars by his side, Jordan Wav captivated our heart strings with his solo covers and community requests, even if it did mean playing via a bowl of pasta.
  1. The Weeknd [https://www.tiktok.com/@theweeknd] At whatever age he may be (or transition to with makeup), we’ll never be “Out of Time” for The Weeknd.
  1. Lauren Spencer-Smith [https://www.tiktok.com/@laurenspencersmith]  Dominating BreakupTok in 2022, rising Canadian star Lauren Spencer-Smith deserves all the flowers without heartache.
  1. bbno$ [https://www.tiktok.com/@bbnotiktok] Slow down, hold up, it looks like bbno$ flew through TikTok this year with catchy tunes like “sophisticated” and “top gun”.
  1. Tony Ann (Chainsmokers) [www.tiktok.com/@tonyannn] Tony Ann brought ‘golden hour’ to a whole new level with his piano renditions of some of TikTok’s favorite songs.

Natalie Merchant’s First Album of New Songs in Nearly a Decade, ‘Keep Your Courage,’ Due April 14

Eric Alper
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Natalie Merchant’s First Album of New Songs in Nearly a Decade, ‘Keep Your Courage,’ Due April 14

Nonesuch Records will release Natalie Merchant’s Keep Your Courage, her tenth solo studio album and first of new material since 2014’s self-titled record, on April 14, 2023. An eclectic album, produced by Merchant, it features two duets sung with vocalist Abena Koomson-Davis (Resistance Revival Chorus), contributions from the Celtic folk group Lúnasa and Syrian virtuoso clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, and horn arrangements by jazz trombonist Steve Davis. There are lush orchestrations throughout by seven composers including: Gabriel Kahane, Stephen Barber, Colin Jacobson, and Megan Gould. Keep Your Courage comprises nine original songs by Merchant as well as an interpretation of “Hunting the Wren” by Ian Lynch of the Irish band Lankum. The vinyl LP edition of Keep Your Courage includes four bonus tracks from earlier albums, previously unreleased on vinyl.

Nonesuch Store pre-orders include access to an exclusive virtual pre-release listening event on April 6 via FlyMachine featuring songs from the new album and a conversation between Natalie Merchant and a host. Further details will be sent prior to the event. A link and unique access code will be sent on April 5. Re-stream access will be available for 72 hours.

In celebration of the release, Merchant will embark upon a US tour this spring, going into the fall (schedule below and visit nonesuch.com/on-tour). Pre-sale begins this Wednesday at 10am with code KEEPYOURCOURAGE. European dates will be announced shortly.

Merchant writes in her album’s liner notes, “The songs contained within this album were written and recorded during the global pandemic that began in the winter of 2019 and is in its fifth wave as I write, in the autumn of 2022. It has been, and continues to be, a period of great flux and fear on every level: global, national, communal, familial, personal. But this is not an album about the coronavirus or the chaos it caused. For the most part, this is an album about the human heart.” She continues: “The word ‘courage’ has its root in the Latin word for heart, cor, and we see it over and over in many languages: le coeur, il cuore, o coração, el corazón. This is a song cycle that maps the journey of a courageous heart.”

Over her forty-year career Natalie Merchant has attained a place among America’s most respected recording artists. She has earned a reputation for being a songwriter of quality and a captivating stage performer and has distinguished herself as a social justice and environmental activist. Merchant began her musical career as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the pop music band 10,000 Maniacs and released one platinum, two double-platinum, and one triple-platinum records with the group: The Wishing Chair (1985), In My Tribe (1987), Blind Man’s Zoo (1989), Hope Chest (1990), Our Time in Eden (1992), and 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged (1993). Merchant left the group in 1994 and has subsequently released nine albums as a solo artist with combined sales of seven million copies: Tigerlily (1995), Ophelia (1998), Natalie Merchant Live (1999), Motherland (2001), The House Carpenter’s Daughter (2003), Leave Your Sleep (2010), Natalie Merchant (2014), Paradise Is There (2015), and Butterfly (2017).

Merchant has collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Billy Bragg, Gavin Bryars, David Byrne, The Chieftains, Cowboy Junkies, Philip Glass, Kronos Quartet, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Mavis Staples, REM, and Wilco. She served on the New York State Council on the Arts from 2007 to 2011 at the appointment of Governor Elliot Spitzer and was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center by New York State Senator and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Merchant’s awards include: The Library Lion Award from the New York Public Library (2011), The American Society of Authors Composers & Publishers (ASCAP) Champion Award, and The John Lennon Real Love Award. More information about Merchant’s career and philanthropic work may be found here.

NATALIE MERCHANT ON TOUR

Apr 15 Bardavon, 1869 Opera House Poughkeepsie, NY
Apr 18 Byham Theater Pittsburgh, PA
Apr 19 Paramount Theater Charlottesville, VA
Apr 21 Kimmel Cultural Campus Philadelphia, PA
Apr 22 Hershey Theatre Hershey, PA
Apr 24 Peace Center Concert Hall* Greenville, SC
Apr 26 Ruth Eckerd Hall Clearwater, FL
Apr 27 Broward Center for the Performing Arts** Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Apr 28 Saint Augustine Amphitheatre St. Augustine, FL
Apr 30 Atlanta Symphony Hall** Atlanta, GA
May 9 Merrill Auditorium Portland, ME
May 10 Emerson Colonial Theatre Boston, MA
May 13 Keybank State Theatre Cleveland, OH
May 14 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH
May 16 The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts Carmel, IN
May 17 Michigan Theater Ann Arbor, MI
May 19 Chicago Theatre Chicago, IL
May 20 Pabst Theater Milwaukee, WI
Jun 2&3 Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center** New York, NY
Jun 28 Veterans Memorial Auditorium** Providence, RI
Jun 30, Jul 1 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts** Washington, DC
Jul 8 Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater*/** Chautauqua, NY
Sep 20 Martin Woldson Theatre at The Fox Spokane, WA
Sep 22 Venue TBA* Seattle, WA
Sep 23 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Portland, OR
Sep 26 The Masonic San Francisco, CA
Sep 27 Mountain Winery* Saratoga, CA
Sep 29 Humphrey’s San Diego, CA
TBA Venue TBA* Los Angeles, CA
* on-sale timing TBD
** w/symphony orchestra

Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues Make History with National Canadian Museum

Eric Alper
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Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues Make History with National Canadian Museum

Vancouver-based band Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues, formed in 1978, are finally history, in the most literal sense. The National Canadian Museum of History has just completed an acquisition of Powder Blues artifacts that will become a part of the CMH permanent collection.

“We are incredibly honored that the National Canadian Museum of History has chosen to preserve our legacy. It is our hope the display will convey some of the joy, passion and energy that we have shared with and received from our great audiences over the past 44 years,” says Lavin. “It’s satisfying to know that these items will be protected and shared for years to come. I could not have asked for a more perfect home than this great and respected museum in Gatineau.”

Items include a rare, transparent blue vinyl, LP of the band’s first release in 1979, Powder Blues ‘UNCUT’, the ‘million-mile guitar case’, Lavin’s custom blue D’Angelico New Yorker archtop guitar, the original manuscript for Tom Lavin’s travelogue of their 1990 tour of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, numerous historical photos, and a Canadian Recording Industry Association Double-Platinum award. Much of the collection has never or rarely been seen by the public.

The Canadian Museum of History is a national museum of anthropology, Canadian history, cultural studies, and ethnology in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The purpose of the museum is to promote the heritage of Canada, as well as support related research.

For over four decades Powder Blues has been Canada’s leading blues band. The mix of swing, blues, jazz, rock & roll and R&B has an appeal so wide that people from seven to seventy swing side by side at Powder Blues shows. Over the years the band has toured non-stop through Canada, the United States and overseas, spreading feel-good music that makes folks dance and shout.

Powder Blues debut album, ‘Uncut’, was ignored by major labels who said there was ‘no market for the blues’. Undiscouraged, the band sold it off stage and sent it to radio stations whose switchboards lit up with calls asking, ‘who’s that?’ After selling 30,000 copies in a few weeks, the same record labels competed to distribute this ‘non-commercial’ product. To date Powder Blues have sold over a million records worldwide.

Band highlights include winning Canada’s Juno, headlining the world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, winning the Blues Foundation Award in Memphis, Tennessee and touring the US and Europe with legends like Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, James Brown, Albert Collins, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Leader, Tom Lavin wrote many of the band’s best-known songs including ‘Doin’ It Right’ (‘On the Wrong Side of Town’) and ‘Boppin With the Blues’. Born in Chicago where he worked with local bands and blues legends, Tom moved to Vancouver gigging the nightclub scene. This led to work as studio musician, song writer, band leader, record producer and film composer.

Tom has won BCMIA awards for ‘Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter and Producer of the Year’, a JUNO award for ‘Best New Band’ and the American W.C. Handy award. He has over a dozen gold, and platinum records for Powder Blues, Prism, April Wine, Long John Baldry, Amos Garrett, and many others.

2023 is the band’s 45th Anniversary. Their more than dozen CD titles and DVD continue to sell world-wide making Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues one of Canada’s longest-standing musical ambassadors.

Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues are winding up their 44th Anniversary Tour Saturday, December 3, 2022, with a show at the HUB International Theater in Chilliwack, BC.

Confirmed dates for their 45th Anniversary tour in 2023 include February 11, 2023 at the Sagebrush Theatre in Kamloops, BC, February 12, 2023 in Kelowna, BC, July 29 Festival d’la Baie, Petit Roche, NB, August 26 Edmonton International Blues Festival, August 27, Rocky Point Music Bowl, Port Moody, BC. More dates TBA in the near future.

Jazz Duo Alex Bird and Ewen Farncombe Release Stunning New Album ‘Songwriter’

Eric Alper
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Jazz Duo Alex Bird and Ewen Farncombe Release Stunning New Album ‘Songwriter’

From the heady feeling of being the only one awake at night, to the brooding at the end of a relationship, to the coziness of a rainy day, to the slithering sexiness of a night out on the town, Songwriter is a jazz album of deliciously dark tones and stormy sonic landscapes. It’s the third album – available now – on which vocalist Alex Bird and pianist Ewen Farncombe combine their singular talents, and it reflects deeply on the full spectrum of human mood and the act of songwriting itself.

Songwriter introduces itself with “This Song Is Ours,” meandering in between sunlight and melancholy – “nightbirds that sing” – and featuring introspective interludes juxtaposed with cascading piano. Conversely, “I’ve Seen The Sun” is marching and jaunty, tinkling with hopeful optimism. The following track, “The Soul I’ve Left Behind” is dark and bereft, brooding on a relationship that’s come to an end and lingering on all the ways the narrator has fallen short as both a person and a lover. The gothic theme continues with “Nighttime Grooves,” slinky and sexy with Bird’s voice shimmying through the dark-horse galloping of piano as he challenges, “Can you feel them, those nighttime grooves?”

“Symphony of Love” alternates between lighthearted confessions of love, and the stormier frustrations of being led on by someone who’s not all in – “So I am waiting and you, you’re contemplating.” Next, “Raindrops” meditates on gray moods and indoor days with beautiful “drizzling” piano, mimicking the sounds of rain in all its iterations and concluding with audio of an actual storm. “If You’re Not Laughing” is a bluesy, full-of-attitude ode to keeping your chin up, staying realistically positive, and maintaining a sense of humor – “If you’re not laughin’, you’re cryin’, my friend.”

“What’s Inside” gives us floating, gauzy vocals and piano sections that beat like the wings of a bird. It’s a particularly dramatic track, sonically cinematic and lyrically dark and poetic, delving into the unknowable psyche of another human being. “I’ll Go Where You Lead” is velvety and exploratory, as lover pledges trust and devotion. “Tiny Warbler,” meanwhile, is a song of nature’s innocence and the beauty of steadfast love. The album concludes with “Songwriter,” another bluesy number that turns the album inward on itself, an honest pulling back of the curtain on the sometimes-punishing grind of writing songs – “Wake up and write that song.”

Bird and Farncombe have taken centre stage on the Canadian jazz scene. Creating timeless and heartfelt originals for a modern audience, this talented duo has spent the past four years producing an alchemy that’s completely unique. 2022 brought JUNO nominations, reviews from around the world, and even the crafting of the single “The Sweetest Moments,” which became known as Canada’s “Thanksgiving Anthem” (it was broadcast across the country with a national ad campaign and interviews on CBC, CityTV, and many other news outlets). Bird and Farncombe are making themselves known.

Toronto Award-Winning Canadian Pop/Jazz Artist Harriet Chung Caps a Busy Year With “Old Montreal”

Eric Alper
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Toronto Award-Winning Canadian Pop/Jazz Artist Harriet Chung Caps a Busy Year With “Old Montreal”

A wistful pop ballad with a subtle jazz feel, Harriet Chung’s latest single “Old Montreal” relates a timeless situation to a history-rich locale, love lost in a romantic city.

Offering a different local vibe from her earlier single “Vancouver,” “Old Montreal” is introspective, just this side of sad, questioning a star-crossed relationship gently, without bitterness or anger:

Maybe your flight began to depart
As I strolled along Clock Tower Beach
You’re off to break another heart
In some distant land so far out of reach.

Against the sympatico backing of her band, Chung’s performance is easily accessible as the places scattered through her lyrics plant themselves in the listener’s imagination. You can see her pondering the breakup while walking the old city’s cobbled streets, tracing the path not taken.

Singer, actress, and dancer/choreographer Harriet Chung was born in Hong Kong, but currently makes Toronto her home. Praised for her performances in productions of The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, The King and I, and Golden Lotus (a role she originated), she has also worked with students across the globe with her school. Harriet Chung Performing Arts.

“Old Montreal” is available now, and Chung’s debut album is scheduled for early 2023.

Andrea England Gets Honest About Holiday Bitter-Sweetness On “Jolly Melancholy Christmas”

Eric Alper
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Andrea England Gets Honest About Holiday Bitter-Sweetness On “Jolly Melancholy Christmas”

Christmas is a difficult time for many – if not most – people, even if that isn’t the way it’s usually portrayed by retailers and in the media. With that in mind, alt-country artist Andrea England gets refreshingly, reassuringly honest about the bitter-sweetness of the holiday in her new single “Jolly Melancholy Christmas.”

A slow, thoughtful guitar ballad, “Jolly Melancholy Christmas” is introspective without being a complete tearjerker (although you’re absolutely allowed to cry). Like many people, England recently lost some people who were close to her, and the loss has tinged the holidays with sadness over the last few years.

“I like to keep it real, as much as possible, in songs and in life,” England says. “When I think of Christmas, and the holidays, the first one is always the hardest when you’ve lost someone. Every ‘first’ without them is hard, not only for me, but for all of us.”

So have a jolly melancholy Christmas
It’s the best and worst time of the year
So raise a glass to good and bad
To all we’ve lost and all we have
At least we’re all in this together

Her first Christmas song ever, “Jolly Melancholy Christmas” came to England when a broadcaster from Nova Scotia, her hometown, asked her last year if she had a holiday song he could play during the East Coast Rising. She didn’t that year, but it sparked an idea.

“I thought, what would I write about? It’s going to be so melancholy – so ‘Jolly Melancholy Christmas’ came to mind.” Coincidentally, she had a writing session scheduled with two of her friends and long-time collaborators, Liz Rodrigues and James Bryan, and the song was borne of that session and that nurturing friendship. “They’re both very sensitive, emotionally tuned-in people,” England says.

Andrea England is an award-winning singer/songwriter; the founder, curator, and host of Toronto’s hottest songwriter series, Four Chords & the Truth; and has released two critically-acclaimed albums – Lemonade and Hope & Other Sins, the latter of which was produced by Grammy-winning producer Colin Linden. Andrea’s third release, Evidence of Love, is currently in pre-production with producer Hill Kourkoutis, and is slated for a May 2023 release.

Win a 7-day All-Expenses-Paid Trip to London with BritBox

Eric Alper
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Win a 7-day All-Expenses-Paid Trip to London with BritBox

From the lush rolling hills of The Cotswolds to the buzzing streets of London, there’s no shortage of stunning British destinations on display in BritBox’s series. This year, BritBox is giving fans the chance of a lifetime through its One Way Ticket sweepstakes. With each purchase of a gift subscription*, gift-givers will be entered to win the ultimate fan experience: a trip to Britain to visit these locations and a live set!

The grand prize winner will receive a trip for two to London and the Cotswolds, including round trip airfare, lodging, and planned excursions. Best of all, the winner will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the live set of an upcoming BritBox series during filming. Second prize winners will receive an exclusive BritBox item.

Gift-givers will be automatically entered to win with each purchase of a one-year gift subscription on BritBox.com. Those who choose not to participate will be given the ability to opt out—just uncheck the designated box.

For shoppers looking for a quick, easy, or even last-minute gift, a BritBox gift subscription is a thoughtful solution that will always be in stock. For $99.99, get 12 months for the price of 10 and give the best of British TV, all year long.

*Entrants must be 18 years or older and a legal resident of the U.S. or Canada. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on January 5th, 2023. Must travel summer 2023. Purchase not required for entry. See official rules for details.

BritBox is available for $9.99 per month/99.99 per year—after an introductory free trial period—on Roku, Amazon Fire TV stick, Apple TV 4th Gen, Samsung, LG and all iOS and Android devices, AirPlay, Chromecast, and online at https://www.britbox.com/us/. BritBox is also available on Amazon Channels for Prime members and on Apple TV Channels on supported devices.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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