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This week, we're joined by JUNO-nominated Indigenous Country artist and advocate, Desiree Dorion. Dorion discusses the meaning behind some of her lyrics and what it's like to put personal stories out into the world, and shares some insights on raising kids as an artist. Dorion recently released her fifth studio album, That's How I Know, featuring songs co-written with Crystal Shawanda and Dave Wasyliw (Doc Walker). Having appeared on Canada's Top 100 Country Charts a whopping six times, Desiree is celebrated for her exceptional storytelling ability and relatable songs. The album navigates a variety of themes, from dealing with a loved one's addiction, to exploring a crush and simply having fun. The title track from her latest project is a fun, upbeat song that celebrates love through actions, no matter how small.

This week, we're joined by guitar Workshop Plus Founder Brian Murray, who takes us through his years running the show. We explore the past, present, and future of Guitar Workshop Plus, and the past, present, and future of guitar music.

This week, we're joined by Mares of Thrace's Thérèse Lanz, who fills us in on her band's new music, touring plans, and much more. Mares of Thrace, the Calgary sludge/doom metal duo, is riding high after returning from a decade-long hiatus, and things just aren't slowing down. Also, for anyone wondering whether the band is looking for a bassist, the answer is no, and Lanz explains why here.

This week, our guest is Chris Tsujiuchi, one of the Artistic Directors of SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival, which runs May 29-June 4. This year, SING! will feature all kinds of a cappella arts, from broadway singing to beatboxing, and much, much more. Listen on to learn about what to expect at this year's edition.

This week, we catch up with North By Northeast (NXNE) President Michael Hollett ahead of this year's festival. NXNE takes place June 13-17 in Toronto and features nesrly 300 emerging artists. Listen on to hear about wehat went into NXNE building back up aftet the pandemic to come back stronger than ever.

Our guest this week is solo artist and TikToker Justus Hajas, a young shredder who has already amassed an impressive online following. Hajas takes us through his beginnings as a musician and content creator, his recent trip to NAMM, his endorsement with Ernie Ball, and more. He even critiques our host's guitar in a shout to one of his most popular series of TikToks.

So Fierce Music is a Canadian-based entertainment and education company founded by DJ/Producer Velvet Code. So Fierce is Canada’s leading record label home for 2SLGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Two-Spirit, Intersex, Asexual) creators. So Fierce Music’s non-profit organization, the YOU DO YOU Foundation supports 2SLGBTQ+ and QBIPOC (Queer Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) music artists and musicians with an opportunity create music and express themselves. We caught up with Velvet Code and artist Brayo Brians to talk about the work being done by the You Do You Foundation.

As we’re one week away from the Canadian Independent Musician’s Association (CIMA)'s first ever Make It Music summit, we caught up with CIMA president and CEO Andrew Cash to talk about the event. The Make It Music summit will take place April 25-26 at Toronto’s Offworld. Listen on to find out all about the event and what to expect.

This week, we're joined by Brandon Wolfe Scott, best known as the guitarist of Yukon Blonde. With a recently released solo effort, Scott has been trying out new, different things, and discovering more about his own musicianship in the process. Here, Scott talks about finding a balance between his work with Yukon Blonde and his solo endeavours, as well as some of his prized and coveted musical istruments and accessories.

Just ahead of the 2023 Juno Awards, we caught up with MusiCounts Music Teacher of the Year Award nominees Stephen Richardson and Heidi Wood, as well as MusiCounts' Nick Godsoe to talk what makes effective music education, and why it's important to have access to. Richardson is the music teacher for École St.Joseph School in Yellowknife, NWT, while Wood teaches at Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School in Calgary, AB. Godsoe is Senior Manager, Programs & Education for MusiCounts. The three each bring a unique perspective to this roundtable discussion.

PEI’s Sommo Festival boasts a massive line up for a first-year festival. With hopes to make it an annual event, Ben Murphy and his team at Whitecap Entertainment (the group behind the award-winning Cavendish Beach Music Festival) put a lot of work into the launch, and the festival will be taking place this July. Before starting on the panning, the team did a deep dive into what the community enjoyed about live music events and how they could make it the most enjoyable for all. Of course, everyone said the only thing they like better than live music is delicious food, so Sommo was born.

This week, we’re joined by Ernesto Cervini, one of Canada’s premiere jazz artists, who also runs Orange Grove Publicity. The drummer, composer, and bandleader chats about making a life and a living in the music business, and the literary inspirations behind his latest offering, 2022’s Joy. The Juno-nominated Joy was inspired by a series of book’s Cervini loves: Louise Penny’s Three Pines series. The album is a musical journey through the soul and heart of the series and the characters who inhabit it, guided by an adoring fan. Cervini’s music and personality beam with unbridled joy and this album is a true reflection of that.

This week, we're joined by Tim Chaisson and Jake Charron of Canadian pop-folk band The East Pointers, who recently received a JUNO Award nomination for Contemporary Roots Album of The Year for their EP, House of Dreams. In January 2022, the band suffered an unimaginable loss with the sudden passing of member Koady Chaisson, but Tim Chaisson and Jake Charron have continued to carry on and keep Koady’s spirit alive with the release of their recent album and more new music to come.

This week we are joined by Luc Lemay, lead vocalist and guitarist of the Canadian death metal band Gorguts. Originally from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Gorguts has been around since 1989, with Lemay as its only constant member. The band was in a years-long period of inactivity since 2016, but they've recently gotten back together are laying out plans for a new album, with some new shows announced coming up this spring.

It's obvious that online teaching saw a huge rise during the pandemic, and for some, it proved to be a more efficient model. This week, Teach Music Online's Carly Walton joins us to talk about what it takes to pivot to a new teaching and learning model, and explores the benefits of being an online teacher, but also the results students can see from learning at home.

This week, we're joined by Ottawa blues artist and Juno nominee Angelique Francis, whose latest album, Long River, is up for Blues Album of the Year at the 2023 Juno Awards. Francis delves into her writing process, shares her tips for keeping a neat schedule, and explores the themes of her music, as well as what it's like to be a true multi-instrumentalist and major award nominee. Francis is known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including blues, soul, folk, jazz, gospel, and rock. She has shared the stage with or opened for a roster of well-known musicians such as Gary Clark Jr, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales, Keb’ Mo’, Jimmy Vivino, Beth Hart, Tom Cochran, Burton Cummings, Sugar Ray, and more.

William Carn is one of Canada’s leading contemporary jazz trombonists and composers. His latest release, Choices, is the culmination of over two years of work during the pandemic, and a major stylistic departure. With the help of Toronto producer HiFiLo (aka Todd Pentney), this recording was augmented, edited, and mixed remotely as well. The compositions on Choices were all inspired by various major events from the past two and a half years: the fear of the unknown, BLM and HK protests, the war in Ukraine, the passing of their beloved eldest cat, as well as general feelings of gratitude and love. The two central themes of this recording are reaction and reflection.

We delve behind the scenes on the making of many of the lyric videos we’ve all seen for some of our favourite songs, but probably haven’t thought too much about, as far as who made them goes. Lyric Vids is one of the music industry's leading lyric video production companies, with quite the portfolio under its belt. The 100% Canadian company has garnered more than 250 million YouTube views to date; and produced videos for some of the biggest names in music.

Today, we're joined by a stalwart Canadian musician, who is none other than Honeymoon Suite’s Derry Grehan. Here, Grehan chats about the process of making his new Godin Guitars signature model, as well as his practice routines, writing process, and new material. Honeymoon Suite, formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls, ON, is one of Canada's best-known rock bands, with hits like "New Girl Now," "Feel It Again," and "Burning in Love."

Today we have an interview with with Vancouver-based rock band Chase The Bear’s vocalist Troy Gilmore, as well as producer Danny Craig. Chase The Bear is set to release their debut album Honey on January 20, 2023 via Rock Is Dead Records. Honey was produced by Danny Craig, who is the co-founder of new Vancouver-based record label Rock Is Dead Records (the first-ever label to be distributed by 604 Records) and a member of Canadian rock band Default. Originally hailing from Fort St. John, BC, Chase The Bear includes vocalist Troy Gilmore, along with guitarists Leo Gilmore and Jordan Philips, drummer Connor Brooks, keyboardist Kevin Parker and bassist Braedan Royer. The act has performed over one hundred shows, including a sold-out show opening for The Trews at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom.