Blues on the Tube: The Ensemble! TV Show on Cable 14 (Hamilton) will feature the Spencer Mackenzie Band (David Hollingshead, Matt Burns, Justine Fischer) on Sat August 2: 2:30am / 9am and Sunday August 3 at 3am or live stream on cable14now.com. Hosted by Dave Rave and recorded at Clifford Brewing Co.

In the Studio: The Johnny Max Band are working on a brand new album (their 8th) for release this fall, and have been road-testing the new material at Festivals across Europe and Ontario including the Belfast City Blues Festival, the Letterkenny Blues & Roots Festival and New Orleans Meets in Zofingen, Switzerland. They will be touring on the East Coast from October 15- 20 with stops in Sackville NB, Margaretsville, NS, Bearly’s in Halifax and in St John NB before they join their pals in The John Prine show “In Spite of Ourselves” for stops in PEI, NS & NB(Oct 22-25).

Singer/songwriter keyboard player, Lily Sazz, (former WBR bandleader) is nearing the finish line recording her first solo album. The last session is scheduled six months almost to the day from when the first beds were laid with Hamilton bassist Carrie Clark and drummer Robin Pirson, with an autumn release expected. “Robin and Carrie laid a solid foundation with me, and then it was such a treat to be able to dream up exactly what instrument I wanted to feature (besides me) on the first three tracks. It was such an enjoyable process that I decided to keep going with the concept. I took a leap of faith and asked some of my favourite people, and not one hesitated to say yes. I am really touched by the generosity of these giant talents. They all met my ‘pie in the sky’ wish list and add a lot of colours and interesting sounds to the songs. I even had Jack Pedler (Teenage Head) on cowbell, and Scotty Bakalar on güiro.”

The 10-song album features a who’s who of well-known musicians on individual tracks as guests. A few sessions had to be done remotely, like Colin Linden beaming slide guitar in from Nashville, Harry Manx singing and adding slide from Salt Spring Island, Steve Marriner on harmonica from the comfort of his home, and folk group Boreal (Katherine Wheatley, Tannis Slimmon, and Angie Nussey) with 3-part harmonies at their scattered locations around Ontario. Trombone Charlotte and Suzie Vinnick (guitar and vocals) made it down to Dundas in person, and Darcy Hepner (sax, formerly with Blood Sweat and Tears) enjoyed the hang at the private studio Sazz jokingly calls “an undisclosed location”. Recent sessions featured Mike Branton on guitar, along with Scott Apted and Wayne DeAdder, and coming up are Colina Phillips and Jill Zadeh (Jeliz). “I’m excited about the session with Colina and Jill, as they’ve never met, but both have sung with the world’s best, and they both live here in my town”. Jill, who is from the U.S., but lives in Dundas (neighbours with Lily) toured with Janet Jackson for years, and sang with many other stars during her years in L.A. Colina is part of Canada’s rich music history having sung on records by Bryan Adams, Anne Murray, Alice Cooper, etc. She was also a member of The Tiaras with Jackie Richardson

Going to the Folk Conference? If you’re an artist thinking of attending the Folk Music Ontario conference in Ottawa (your best shot at playing one of the many folk festivals across the country), the deadline for private showcase applications has just passed but there is one more window of opportunity:   MusicOntario is presenting two nights of spotlight showcases and one night of private showcases on October 18, 2025 (11pm-late!), applications are welcomed from folk artists from across Ontario and from any folk tradition.  Deadline is August 12

You must be an Ontario-based artist to be eligible.

MusicOntario members in good standing will receive priority consideration.

Showcases are brief – 15 minutes each, with 5 minutes to change over.

Showcases take place in a hotel room in the host hotel, so you must have an acoustic configuration, with only light percussion permitted.

In order to perform, you must be registered with the Folk Music Ontario conference: https://www.folkcanada.com/events-1/folk-music-ontario-conference-2

We suggest you start exploring funding/grant opportunities ASAP if you hope to offset costs related to attending a business and showcase conference like FMO.

A non-refundable administrative fee of $15.00 per submission is applicable if you are not a current member in good standing of MusicOntario.

MusicOntario members can apply for free.

During this unique folk-conference experience, Folk Music Ontario Conference Delegates wander room to room into hundreds of unforgettable concerts, impromptu jam sessions, and spontaneous collaborations that keep the magic going into the wee hours. If you just want to attend, The Advance Rate Registration Deadline  is Sept 15
(Special Rates Available for members of Music Industry Associations) and they are always looking for Volunteers which is the cheapest way to attend. www.folkcanada.com

A new Blues Label: Rosa’s Lounge, a fixture on the Chicago Blues scene for 40 years, is launching a record label and their first signing happens to be the first artist to play that room when it opened, Billy Branch.  The blues legend has been a regular on Rosa’s weekly livestream most week-ends on their FaceBook page.  Great production and no paywall – but they invite tips for the band and/or the club. Just like being there.

Billy  Branch was discovered by Willie Dixon, the “father of modern Chicago Blues,” while Billy was still in college. Willie encouraged Billy to finish his college education, which he did, but instead of going to law school after receiving his political science degree, Billy began touring with the Willie  Dixon Chicago All-Stars. This gave Billy the unique opportunity to travel and work as an understudy for the legendary Carey Bell who was planning to leave the All-Stars and form his own band. When Carey took his leave, the young Billy Branch took his place, touring with Willie Dixon for 6 years.

Since those early days, Billy has played on over 300 different recordings including 15 albums under his own name.  Billy has recorded with Willie Dixon, Johnny Winter, Keb’ Mo, Lou Rawls, Koko Taylor, Eric Bibb, Eddy Clearwater, Honeyboy Edwards, Syl Johnson, Lurrie Bell, Ronnie Baker Brooks, John Primer, and Taj Mahal, just to name a few. He served two consecutive terms on the NARAS Grammy Board of Governors and founded the First Grammy Blues Committee.  Because Billy’s Blues credentials include dozens of years spent working side-by-side with many of Chicago’s illustrious Blues musicians of years gone by, he is considered an ambassador of Chicago Blues.

Billy Branch and The Sons of Blues (SOBs) celebrated their fortieth anniversary by headlining the 2017 Chicago Blues Festival. Billy has toured the Peoples Republic of China 5 times and he is a Blues education pioneer.  He was one of the first artists to develop a Blues in Schools curriculum.  Since 1978, in addition to recording and performing, he has taught hundreds of thousands of children around the world.  His internationally recognized Blues in Schools Program is committed to teaching students of all ages about the Blues as the roots of America’s music. Billy received the Blues Foundation’s KBA (Keeping the Blues Alive) Award for his unique program in which his curriculum and instruction strategies open his students’ eyes to music history, & music theory.