Last week we presented our #233 Podcast – Art Bergmann and Author Jason Schneider.

This week it's the same interview but with  MUSIC.

The conversation was like driving during rush hour at Le Mans

A three-way dialogue about punks, music, drugs, lost partners, the shit show called the music business, and friendships.

Thing is – it's all contained in Art’s music.

And so, we’ve decided to encore the Bergmann interview but include the music that best reflects the man.

The man is goodness- in-a-can!!!

And Jason Schneider is a damn WRITER.

Here comes Episode #234

Tdm

The Rounders are:

Shari Ulrich – iconic singer, songwriter, and musician.
Roy Forbes – Host of Roy’s Record Room and much-admired artist.
Barney Bentall – He’s everywhere and always making great music. Bringing joy!
Shaun Verreault –  One half of Wide Mouth Mason.  String Slinger. Sings like a bird
Jim Byrnes – St Louis born…West Coast raised. Carries the blues with him.  Fine actor.
Craig Northey – co-founder of  Odds. Touring with Steven Page Trio. Currently a member of Trans Canada Highwaymen.   Solid Songwriter.
Everyone brings a favorite Christmas song and personal story to exchange.
Fun was had by all…  Hope you like it.
Susan would have loved it

Our guest is Matt Layzell from The Matinee. They have released a new album Change of Scene

They’ve been friends making music for 15 years. This feels like the album that pays off all the hard work.

Produced by Steve Dawson who brought with him into the studio Allison Russell and The McCrary Sisters.

“Before the pandemic, I felt burnt out, I was exhausted, I was getting sick. It wasn’t great, from a mental health perspective and a physical health perspective. In fact, it was quite terrible at points. And now we’re opening things up, and I think a lot of people are asking themselves, ‘What do I keep? What do I bring with me into this new open world, back into social situations?’ ”

I’m reconnecting with a lot of people and a lot of old friends and my parents’ friends and all those kinds of things,” he says of being back home in New Brunswick without losing any musical momentum. “I think it also gives you a sense that it’s a special career, and a bizarre and interesting and magical profession that I’m lucky to do”

Saltwire – Atlantic

David Myles and I shared the airwaves at CKUA. Me with The Stew and he with Myles from Home

He did, however, close Myles from Home so he could restart his singing and songwriting career after the pandemic. Also so he could  heal himself , as he will explain.

His new album  It’s only a little loneliness has the same sweet voice, dry humor and sharp human focus that’s made him so popular.

Tracks included are

It’s only a little loneliness

Making’ Believe

Mystery

When it comes my turn

You can’t hurt me

Solitaire

He is back on tour now..click on the link below for dates and times.

He returns to Alberta for dates Oct 19/20

https://davidmyles.com/pages/live

davidmyles.com

Here’s what you might know about Chief Clarence...

CLARENCE LOUIE has been chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band, in the south Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, for almost 40 years. In 2013, Maclean's named him one of the “Top 50 Canadians to Watch.” In 2003, Louie was chosen by the U.S. Department of State as one of six First Nations leaders to review economic development in American Indian communities... He is a member of the Order of British Columbia, the Order of Canada, and in 2019, he was the 1st  First Nations person ever inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.

And some info you may not know.

When you talk to  Chief Clarence, ask your question, and then Get Out of The Way.

He’s talking about Respect. Truth. Reconciliation. Healing. Wellness. Land. Justice. Economic Freedom.

He believes in Native names for Sports Teams. He believes in renaming mountains, parks, rivers and cities/towns after the original nations who called it home for 10,000 years.

“tribes have been hanging around the Funding Trough for far too long.  I was taught by the old-timers that there is no such thing as a free lunch – Indians gotta stop looking for that free lunch. I’ve learned we have to move from spending Grant money to making our own money.”

The Osoyoos Indian Band leases include Arterra (Jackson Triggs), Spirit Ridge Resort, Sonora Dunes Golf course, District Wine Village, a provincial prison, 1,100 acres of prime vineyards, etc.

OIB businesses include a 300-acre vineyard, Nk’mip Cellars, a culture center, campground RV park, daycare, gas stations, cannabis stores, etc.

“A raw and honest perspective on First Nations leadership.”
—Manley A. Begay, Jr., former co-director, The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development.

“A common-sense blueprint for what the future of First Nations should look like as told through the fascinating life and legacy of a remarkable leader”  Google Books

I'm told I did the last interviews with Red Robinson. 

He was in a retirement home in Vancouver and living with his memories.

Red was directly responsible for the turning point in my career. He phoned me at CKCK in  Regina and asked "Would you like to come home.? Back to the West Coast?

One of the happiest moments in my life. 

We became friends and co-workers. 

We revisit two Canadian icons who join forces and become partners in music.

One is/was Gord Downie. Lead singer and songwriter of The Tragically Hip.

Truly beloved. And hugely missed after losing his fight to cancer but went out in a blaze of songs with The Hip and the last Cross Canada Tour.

The other is Bob Rock. Known for his production work with Metallica, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Ron Sexsmith and The Tragically Hip.

Bob tells the story of how they became friends and how Gord contacted him and asked if he had any tracks he hadn’t used because he had  words he hadn’t used..” so let's put them together”

The album took years to complete but when they last met. Gord says to Bob “Please finish it”

Bob told us " I had to fulfill the promise "

Bob Rock on Gord Downie and their album Lustre Parfait Saturday on Mulligan Stew.

Kevin Kane and The Hooper Brothers  Chris and Tommy have been an original Canadian band for over 40 years.

The Grapes of Wrath.

Same three guys. Still making music.

This podcast is their first complete band interview in over 10 years.

Like many, I had presumed that the guys had moved on to solo efforts or other bands or other dreams.

When I saw that they were playing and selling out The Carleton in Halifax I started to dig and found – amazed – that they were in fact playing the Filberg Festival in Comox, Vancouver Island  Aug 3.

Also Edmonton, The Maritimes, Vernon and  The Dream Café in Penticton.

Bringing with them songs containing people's memories, whole lifetimes.

Peace of Mind

You may be right

These days

And the still brilliant…

All the thing’s I wasn’t.

Platinum records, multiple tours of Canada, the USA and Europe.

In 1992 they went separate ways only to rediscover the power of their friendship and music in 2010 at a festival in Surrey, BC.

The same three guys…Let’s celebrate The Grapes of Wrath. Enjoy the stories and the music.

Tour Dates:

www.grapesofwrath.ca

Guest Michael Calabrese – Lake Street Dive.

New album Fun Machine – The Sequel  Just out Friday.

It's 10 years since their breakout album Fun Machine.

They're even looser and cooler 1- year later and waaaaay more popular.

The band described the new EP: "Imagine you walk into your favorite local dive bar and Lake Street Dive is on stage, doing our regular weekly gig for $5 a head. These are the songs we'd be covering there and how we'd be playing them. Some deep cuts, some sentimental favorites, and some (hopefully) epic crowd pleasers.”

Covers of Pointer Sisters, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, etc..but all with a cool groove, great singing, and bang-on arrangements.

Hugely popular – this is the second visit to The Mulligan Stew Podcast from Michael Calabrese, original member and drummer of Lake Street Dive.

Play the Orpheum in Vancouver Oct 11

First Podcast guest is Buffy Sainte Marie.

Buffy has announced after a glorious 60-year career, she’s not touring anymore and her documentary Carry it on has been nominated for an International Emmy Award. They’re announced Nov 20.
The only Canadian entry.
I’ve been honoured to know Buffy for much of my life.   Buffy’s first comment was “How long have we been doing this Terry?”  We cover off the film, why touring can be a hard road.

Early days in Greenwich Village NYC.  Her role in the indigenous community. Reveals why she’s been so committed to tribal education. Lots of other stories.

Second Podcast  Guest is Tom Wilson

Tom brings his music to Calgary Festival Hall October 19 and Festival Place Sherwood Park Edmonton Friday Oct 20. 
He’s been just a tad busy. A new documentary, two new albums. An Indigenous Scholarship program.

Named to the 2024 Order of Canada list. Working on BARK music. Reuniting his 90’s band Junkhouse and re-releasing their 30-year-old Strays album. And his art has exploded up and out.

Writing lately with Daniel Lanois, Terra Lightfoot and Colin James.
There’s another book coming and Lee Harvey Osmond things.
And that’s why we have him guesting. To support this up-and-coming new artist!!!

Next week – Barney Bentall and Cariboo Express

Two weeks – Susan Tedeschi – celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Just Won’t Burn.

Her second album earned her a Grammy Nomination and started her career.

More at www.mulliganstew.ca

Jimmy will be so proud!

His Mom and Dad are guesting on the  Mulligan Stew Podcast.

Jimmy is the 10-year-old son of Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet of Whitehorse. Jimmy likes the music his Mom and Dad make so much that he’s sitting in on drums during house rehearsals.

Luke and Melissa have just released their 8^th album I’m not crying You’re crying.

What started as a possible lockdown country covers project quickly turned into writing their own songs, as though they were writing and singing in the 70s. In Nashville.

What’s best about this album is they sound like they’ve been writing and singing country all their musical life. Which is what they did.

When they met and started Whitehorse it was as a country band. So, they’ve come full circle. Through the blues and back into country.

This podcast tells the tales of those years and their relationship.

It’s a winner and so are Jimmy’s parental unit.

www.whitehorsemusic.ca

The Sept 9 Mulligan Stew has a special guest – Ariel Posen.

He’s just achieving liftoff in his career but there's absolutely no denying he has a profile arc heading up.

A session guitarist in Winnipeg (I saw him as the second guitarist in Bros. Landreth. If Ariel is  playing beside Joey Landreth and more than  holding his own, you know he is good)

He began his career quietly showcasing new guitars online for the companies making them.

He had no idea the effect he was having on the guitar and music fans of the world, especially in Europe.

So. when he finally decided to start his solo career and released his first album How Long  (2019)  Ariel was gobsmacked to find a ready and willing audience in Europe and across Canada, then in the USA.

Then came Headway, Mile End, Mile End 2, Familiar Ground, the Downtown EP and just now Reasons Why.

He’s touring Canada

Sept 26^th in Calgary

Sept 27 in Edmonton

Sept 28 in Saskatoon

Sept 29 Winnipeg  (home town)

BUT FIRST – On Sept 23 he performs at the 2023 Eric Clapton Crossroads Festival in LA.

Also invited by Eric are The Bros. Landreth. Also from Winnipeg.

Colleen Rennison and Wide Mouth Mason

Both with fine new albums

First hour Colleen Rennison.  Year after year one of the voices to keep an eye on in Vancouver, then Austin, Texas.

Formerly the lead singer of No Sinner and a self-admitted artist living a life of booze and partying that bordered on harmful – to self and career.

Finally, back in Vancouver, Colleen has found friends who’ve cared for and helped her recover and do what she was meant to do – write and sing.

New album Persephone. not named after the tug.

Finally, she’s put all the gifts together. Man, is this a good album Check out I Do.

Colleen brings tales of dark times and new hope.

The second Guests are Shaun Verreault and Safwan Javed – Wide Mouth Mason

They have released a new album Late Night Walking

They are always pushing forward. Finding a new edge to their music.

For example,  one track, Minus 2 Minutes features Joey Landreth on guitar in the left channel only, with Shaun on the right.

and Safwan right down the middle.

On the album with them Gordie Johnson and Ryan Dahl.

Sandra Oldfield is one of the leading voices for and in the Okanagan Wine Industry.

Was team leader and winemaking leader at Tinhorn Creek in the South Okanagan.

Now, she and her husband Kenn lead a popular consulting firm called Elysian Projects. Sandra is also one of the leaders in BC Tourism.

She’s a highly respected spokesperson for the wine community in BC.

No one hired her, she just is.

Sandra is also a world-class troublemaker and people love her for that.

She speaks her mind but does it from knowledge and passion for who and what she’s standing up for.

Several years ago the Liquor Control bureaucrats would not allow wine fans to buy BC wine in BC and drive it back home to Alberta.

I drove a case of wine across the BC/Alberta border but was not detained.

Sandra ordered a shotgun from the prairies to show that a gun could be sent across borders but not wine. We’ve been friends ever since.

Now the same Alberta Liquor agency is telling BC Wineries that they cannot send their wines to wine club members in Alberta and if they do, all their wines will be pulled from store shelves in that province.

This is all happening just as many of the small BC farmers who grow the grapes are staggered from the almost complete loss of vineyards and fruit in the Okanagan from two Winter cold snaps that killed many many vines.

I found Sandra in Victoria on Vancouver Island and sat down for a frank talk about the state of her industry and possible solutions for all involved.

He also has revealed a video she shot with her husband Kenn. Boxes arriving from Alberta were sent directly to her house in BC.

Sandra will explain what that says about the playing field here.

Delighted to welcome Shotgun Sandra Oldfield

The film is a documentary Doug and the Slugs and Me.  The Me is Teresa.

The doc is working its way through film festivals and will eventually appear on CBC Gem.

It's been said if there was no Doug and the Slugs there would have been no BareNaked Ladies.

Led by the charming and clever writer/artist man Doug Bennett, The Slugs cut a swath through a sea of really average 80’s bands to become the darlings of Canada’s music charts. Lots of hits. One after the other.

They sold out all 40 of their Commodore Ballroom gigs.

So....what happened to The Slugs and Doug Bennett?  That’s the bittersweet and complex story of this film.

Doug Bennett died at age 52 in 2004. The music lives on.

Appearing in the doc are:

• Sir Bob Geldof
• Ed the Sock
• Bif Naked
• Ron Sexsmith
• Steven Paige
• And yours truly.

“Comedy is the ultimate truth. Jazz is hitting the notes that no one else would hit, and comedy is saying words that no one else would say.” ~ Tommy Chong

“Marijuana was a new phenomenon when we started. Now it’s for everyone – doctors, lawyers, presidents.” ~ Cheech Marin

I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Again.

While I was doing rock radio in Vancouver, Richard Marin and Tommy Chong were creating comedy stand-up in a strip club. Between the strippers sets,  they would take the stage and riff for 10 minutes.  Tommys' family owned the club so they could work the stage as much as they liked.

Things got funny.

One night I was walking through Bacedas..a swanky 5 room club downtown and there in the comedy room were Cheech and Tommy gathering up camera gear from around the stage.

Me - “whaddya doing guys?”

Cheech  – “we’re recording all the bits we do  and whatever gets the most  laughs, we’re turning it  into a pitch for a stoner movie”

Years later “Up in Smoke”  was a blockbuster, made for chump change and they were off and running.

As Tommy says in the interview – we got so successful we broke up.

Cheech headed into films and tv work – Tommy did one-nighters and scratched out a living.   Tommy then famously got busted for manufacturing glass bongs.  He turned his 9 months in jail into a book and a documentary.

 It wasn’t until they sat down and talked things through that Cheech and Chong returned to tours and work and fame.

I found this interview hiding in an old file. If I happen to get my hands on the rest of the interviews, I’ll let you know.

This was in Vancouver at the Opus Hotel during their reunion tour. First time back on stage in Vancouver in many years.

Survivors. Going bigger and better than “the man” ever thought they would.

Enjoy -

Legendary artist/producer/songwriter Booker T Jones takes us through his life and music on The Stew and Podcast and YouTube.

Leading the house band at Stax records in Memphis.

Working with Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Rufus Thomas, and Wilson Pickett. Also, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young, backing Otis at the Monterey Pop Festival and leading his own band Booker T and the MG’s.  His thoughts on the most memorable person he met and his induction into The  Rock Hall of Fame.

Lots of stories and music to go with it.

Booker leads a 10-piece Stax Revue Band on stage at Jack Singer Hall Saturday, Feb 25.

Mariel Buckley  Is On A ROLL

Two  Western Canadian Music Award Nominations for Breakout Artist and Roots Artist, Polaris nomination, Americana Festival in Nashville in September, Winnipeg Folk Festival, King Eddy gig with Tim,  released a version of album Everywhere I Used to be (deluxe) Two new tracks – Prairie Town Dreams and Sad all the Time.

And she’s not done yet!!! Heading to the Edmonton Folk Festival as well.

Mariel brings tales of relationships, sadness, depression, and small-town loneliness that can squeeze the life out of you. Not exactly feel-good songs but there is hope throughout. And a fight-back spirit.

The complete interview – a romp – can be heard on the Mulligan Stew Podcast and the video version on terrydavidmulligan YouTube Channel

E talked about when she realized that words, music and voice could be the way out of her dark life and relationships.

I wrote this album for losers and underdogs. I want every outsider and lost soul to feel seen and safe with these songs.

I wrote it for anyone who’s ready to make a change and especially for those who aren’t. 

Onward !!!!!!

Two Words

Mariel Buckley

We have all watched Mariel find her voice  - on stage and in the studio.

She’s played backyards, living rooms, and stages just large enough for one.

So you just have to be happy for her success.

#1 on the CKUA Top 30. Opening for The Bros. Landreth.

This Summer all over America and starting in September,  London, the UK, and then Europe.

Mariel closes The Stew this Saturday... The interview is a Hoot. But we do talk about standing your ground and not taking any grief from the music business. She certainly appreciates the support that we’ve given her on air and off.

What goes around comes around..#1 on the chart. #1 in our hearts.

Complete interview on Mulligan Stew Podcast and video version on the Terry David Mulligan YouTube Channel

Terry talks with Rhiannon Giddens at the Edmonton Folk Music Fest in 2020

The Stew is Bruce Cockburn..bringing stories of  his 35th album O Sun O Moon. Plus memories of Gordon Lightfoot and his place in the music of the World and especially Canada.

Answers the question: Was/is Gord the Sound of Canada?

Could you hear the space and place in his songs?

The Podcast is the complete interview with Bruce Cockburn on the release of his 35^th album O Sun O Moon. And his thoughts on the music of and the loss of Gordon Lightfoot.

New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the World’s greatest music cities.

Mac Rebennack was Dr. John,  one of the singular faces and voices of New Orleans music.

A true leader in the studio, on the streets and on stages of the World,  Mac won 6 Grammys and became friends with Ken Ehrlich, the long-time producer of the show.

Mac was planning future projects when his life was unexpectedly cut short in 2019. Now, 3 years after his passing, Things Happen That Way will see the light of day. The album, which features three brand new original compositions, an amazing reworking of Dr. John’s 1968 classic, I Walk on Guilded Splinters, and new interpretations of songs by Willie Nelson, Cowboy Jack Clement, Hank Williams, and The Traveling Wilburys was released on Friday.
 
Things Happen That Way marks the fulfillment of a long-time goal of the six-time GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter/pianist and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, who first began plotting a country-inspired album decades ago. The album also features guest appearances by Aaron Neville,  Mac’s long-time friend and frequent musical collaborator Willie Nelson, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. 

Our guest this week is Mac Rebennack’s and Dr. John’s good friend, Ken Ehrlich.

When Mac passed, Ken was asked to write the liner notes for the album and give a farewell speech at Mac’s  Celebration of Life.

Ken paints a warm verbal picture of the man called Dr. John. Through his dark days of prison and drugs, breaking free of addiction to light up the stages of the world!   

And he reads the closing paragraphs of his farewell speech.

Join us as Ken Ehrlich remembers the legendary Dr. John and tells the story of  his last album Things Happen That Way

The Oscar Awards are always one of the stand out events of any year!

This year is no exception.  It is, after all,  the year following

The Slap!!

Oscars  take place Sunday March 12 Live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

For many delightful  years I was the co-host and then host of Movie Television for CityTV.

The key to the success of MT across Canada and around the World was the support staff. We talked film 24-7.

That’s what I wanted to recapture with this Episode of The  Mulligan Stew Podcast.

Film fans and film friends just riffing  thoughts and calling out the possible winner of various awards.

Actor/Actress

Supporting actor/actress

Director

Screenplays

Adapted Screenplay

Film of the year

Our guests and my dear friends are –

Lorraine Clark – Associate Producer

Alfred Tonna – Post Production Director & Segment Producer.

Dan Duford – Producer.

Between we four, we have visited 100’s of film sets capturing the story of the film and 1000’s of media junket interviews with the stars.

Have a listen and see if you agree.

Let the names tell the story –

With Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar, Leland Sklar and drummer, producer, and writer  Russ Kunkel created and played music history.

Historic albums by Carole King, Jackson Brown, James Taylor, Warren Zevon, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Steven Stills,  Neil Young, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Jimmy Buffet, JJ Cale, Ringo, Lyle Lovett, George Harrison, Dolly, Linda and Emmylou  The Trio album, Stevie Nicks, Don Henley, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt, Tracey Chapman, Joe Walsh, BB King, Steve Winwood.

On and On and ON.

Now, along with seasoned guitarist and vocalist Steve Postell,  they’ve established the opportunity to be their band. The Immediate Family. Their new album Skin in the Game arrives Feb 16.

Skin in the Game references the fact that they aren’t sidemen here. It’s not a play-and-walk-away kind of thing. They’re taking the music they wrote and played,  out on the road for themselves. No one else.

For the rest of the story, check out the documentary The Immediate Family. Screening now.

The annual Critics Choice Awards take place in LA Sunday at 7 PM Eastern.

Hosted by Chelsea Handler.

Ive gathered four opinionated critics (are there any other kind)

We met on Zoom and went at it.

Discussing the film year 2023 and who’s going to win what…

Shawn Edwards  Kansas City

Hillary Atkin LA

Teri Hart Toronto

Bonnie Laufer Toronto

It’s a wild ride friends..come  along.

“…and then there was one “

One of the greatest bands to ever walk our stages and play with our hearts has been taking the final curtain – one by one.

Ricky Danko

Levon Helm

Richard Manual

This week – the heart of The Band -  Robbie Robertson

Left to carry the flag Garth Hudson.

Very few artists can ever lay claim to changing popular music. Just a handful.

Then one day it hits you– hammers you actually.  You get total clarity and begin to change everything you’ve known and held sacred.   So it was when Eric Clapton heard The Bands Music from Big Pink.  It was like all of a sudden he heard this record and said to himself, “Now this is what music should sound like.” For me personally– this has always been one of the most interesting moments in rock music history.

My pal Corey Wood called me just as I was finishing recording Saturdays Stew. “sorry to tell you this but Robbie’s gone”

He knew how special I thought Robbie Robertson was.

Dixie Down, Cripple Creek, I shall be Released, Chest Fever, King Harvest, Stage Fright, Acadian Driftwood, Somewhere down the crazy river. Once were brothers.

On the eve of the 50th anniversary of The Band’s landmark self-titled 1969 album, Terry David Mulligan catches up with Robbie Robertson. As the lead guitarist and principal songwriter for the brotherhood known to all as The Band, Robertson holds an esteemed place in music history.

On September 20th, his sixth solo album Sinematic will be released. The record will be followed by the release of the documentary Once Were Brothers, the story of The Band on film. Robbie talks with Terry about his many projects, including the soundtrack he wrote for Martin Scorcese’s film The Irishman.  

This Christmas Stew features the last Christmas in the Round recording we did.

The year was 2020 – full Covid lockdown. Many good people lost to this virus. Far too many.

We gathered online at Dan Mangan’s Sidedoor Access.

Shari Ulrich and Barney Bentall.

Both on Bowen Island. Opposite Horseshoe Bay!

Bill Henderson

Not too far down the Georgia Strait on Salt Spring Island.

TDM

Two very special friends. Both are culinary leaders in Canadian food.

Ned Bell.  Executive Chef and co-partner at Naramata Heritage Inn. A spokesperson for multiple culinary and seafood sustainability movements. A true force….leading by doing.

He’s the chef ambassador for the province of BC through the Buy BC Program.

He’s a week away from launching the 4^th annual BC Seafood Festival. On Mt Washington, Vancouver Island

June 23-25.

Lots to talk about with Ned and his event next weekend.

To Ned’s West on Vancouver Island is the official end of Canada. In Tofino.  A surf and food heaven.

Lisa Ahier started her SoBo restaurant as a food truck, making tacos for the surfers and then the tourists.

Her restaurant has become the epicentre of life in Tofino.

Surrounded by fancier and slicker dining, Lisa just does what her heart asks of her…give your community a place to gather, eat and celebrate how lucky you all are to be there. Lisa’s written and released her second book Together at Sobo.  The celebration continues.

In our interview, Lisa hints at what her future holds as she begins to move beyond Sobo and into our food destinations.

Two Pals. Doesn’t get much better than this.

I’ve had the distinct pleasure to host and produce Tasting Room Radio for 17 years.

Most weeks we consider featuring some of those stories on the podcast but music, arts and music history seem to carry the day.

These two interviews deserve to be featured because they tell the story of the current state of the BC wine industry.

The Okanagan has been burned by summer fires and choked by summer smoke, blocked by road closures at the peak of the summer season, deep frozen by two successive winters and disappointingly shunned by liquor governing bodies in Alberta.

All the while the BC wine industry is making better and better wines. So it all feels like three steps forward and two back

Kimberly Hundertmark, the GM of Okanagan Wine Festivals brings great news. Right now, they are kicking off the Spring Wine Festival all over the Okanagan Valley. It’s an amazing collection of events. Huge gatherings like 2024 BC Top 50 and the Wine of the Year. The TASTE series, carefully curated in locations North and South, the Naramata Bench this Sunday, June 2 and the District Wine Village in Oliver Sat-Sun June 8/9 and Saturday, June 8^th at the Summer Sips at Spirit Ridge Osoyoos. Kimberly brings all the news and tips for making plans.

The complete list of events can be found at  www.thewinefestivals.com

John Skinner is the co-owner/co-founder of Painted Rock Estate Winery, on the Skaha Bench in Okanagan Falls.

If you go to their website www.paintedrock.ca have a look at the wines and also the awards those wines have won over the years.

Pages and pages of awards and outstanding reviews.

John’s comments about his wines and two new releases – Rose and Chardonnay can be found on Tasting Room Radio. www.tastingroomradio.com

These comments by John are about the state of the BC wine industry – the good and not-so-good.

Above all, it’s John’s belief in BC Wine. He shows leadership and well-thought-out decision-making.

If you’re interested in supporting the BC wine industry – and I truly hope you are – then John brings clarity and commitment to all of us.

John Skinner reminds us that most of these wineries are owned by small farming families.

“support the little wineries first. Find your favourites and support them when you can”

In 2016  stellar  Canadian band 54.40 released an album La Difference: A History Unplugged. It was a brilliant reworking of their greatest hits.

You could instantly tell it was one of their songs but the instrumentation and overall sound had been changed and made fresher. It brought new life to older songs and I thought it was a great move. Clever and classic.  It takes a band working together to allow each member to express what they feel about a song they’ve been playing for years.

7 years later, here comes The Northern Pikes. They also have a nice collection of hits and the commitment to reimagine those hits and bring new life to them. Acoustically inspired.

Before Covid changed the World,  they had planned to release a 30th-anniversary salute to their landmark album Snow in June.

A collection of Pikes songs driven by one of the best radio hits ever released in Canada – She ain’t Pretty.

This interview takes us through the group think about how to carry on and what it would sound like.

The Pikes have just released an acoustically driven album called TIME TO TIME that includes 7 songs from Snow in June and three new songs.

Between my radio life and many years at Much West, I crossed paths and got to hang with Jay Semko, Bryan Potvin, Don Schmid and the “new kid” in the band Kevin Kane (also a charter member of The Grapes of Wrath)

This Mulligan Stew Podcast features a delightful gathering of Jay, Bryan and Kevin and myself. We could have filled the time just remembering stories from the late ’80s and ’90s but we had new versions of Pikes hits to talk about and play.

Girl with a Problem, a Celtic feeling Green Fields, a smashing reworking of the title track and a She Ain’t Pretty that still rocks – acoustically.

Come hang with The Pikes and their album Time to Time

Making great whisky is serious business.

Whisky takes time. You can create it and leave it in barrel “while your kids grow up and head off to college” kind of time.

For example, Paradigm Spirits -The Heritage Collection -  Whisky of the Year in Canada spent 19  years in barrels. Then along came friends and partners Michelle deBus and Irma Joeveer who were just beginning their whisky journey. They purchased the filled barrels to start Paradigm.

Then blended in some Oloroso Sherry and found a stunning balance between the corn whisky and sherry.

Davin de Kergommeaux Canada’s Whisky authority and founder of the Canadian Whisky Awards describes The Heritage as having

“sublime complexity and elegance with fresh fruity top notes”

This is a really nice story of people who dreamt a dream of making whisky and how it all led to being named Whiskey of the Year in Canada. Besting 200 other whiskeys.

Our guests are Irma Joeveer and Michelle Debus

It all started as a single interview about the Edmonton Folk Festival. We seemed to be talking about the “other“ festivals and could they survive the Covid years.

That conversation turned into the first group interview with the artistic directors of Calgary, Winnipeg, Canmore and Vancouver Folk Festivals.

It was fun and informative, so we’ve decided to make it a yearly gathering.

Here’s the guest lineup this year. They each bring with them stories of the artists they booked and why.

[caption id="attachment_29315" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Vancouver Island Music Festival[/caption]

Doug Cox – July 12-14 Vancouver Island Music Festival (Courtney)

Chris Frayer – July 11-14  Winnipeg Folk Festival

Fiona Black – July 19-21 Vancouver Folk Festival

Kerry Clark – July 25-28 Calgary Folk Festival

Jenna Klein Waller – Aug 3-5 Canmore Folk Festival

Terry Wickham – Aug 8-11 Edmonton Folk Festival

 This week our interview guests are…

Artistic Directors of Vancouver Island Music Festival (Doug Cox) & Winnipeg Folk Festival (Chris Frayer)

Both festivals start next weekend. Next Saturday it’s Fiona Black from Vancouver FF and Kerry Clark from Calgary FF.  Bringing insights into their artist guest list and special events.
The complete interviews can be seen on  the terrydavidmulligan YouTube Channel

The first guest is singer/songwriter/composer Marc Jordan.

He and his love Amy Sky were show-stopping guests on the 2023 CKUA Juno Couch.

Then,  they sang songs from their nominated album  He Sang. She Sang.

Now Marc returns to The Stew with his latest solo gem, Waiting for the Sun to Rise.

Marc continues his journey through his jazz-influenced songbook..getting cooler and more focused by the year.

Tracks like Rio Grande (with Randy Brecker), and Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World. And the standout Coltrane Plays the Blues.

A small suggestion when listening to Marc Jordan play and sing. The songs invite you to – LEAN IN.

Jordan and Sky are both national UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors for Canada.

Our Special Guest on Episode 248  is Dan Mangan.

Yes, he was just a co-host on The Juno Couch.

We had already done this interview before the Couch was a thing.

And we didn’t really get to talk during our Juno special because we were busy with all our other guests.

The focus here is Dan’s new album Being Somewhere.

This interview is the complete conversation.

Dan also openly reveals the vocal health issues he’s been dealing with.

"I managed to put all of the stress in my body, into my jaw. I’m dealing with it now. There’s a softer touch to the vocal delivery”

Complete interview on Mulligan Stew Podcast and the Terry David Mulligan YouTube channel.

Susan Tedeschi co-partner with  Derek Trucks in life and music is our guest this week.

We first talked to Susan in May when the first Moon album,  Crescent was released. This  is the rest of the story

Tedeschi Trucks Band has created “one of those albums” that will become the standard by which all other such albums are created.

It’s an amazing story and we are thrilled to have Susan share it with us .  It’s our complete 30-minute interview – with the tracks from the first album.

The concept behind I Am The Moon, the GRAMMY-winning band’s fifth studio recording, was suggested by TTB vocalist Mike Mattison in May 2020, two months after the band was forced off the road by the pandemic.

The 12th-century poem Layla & Majnun by the Persian poet, Nizami Ganjavi, was the title inspiration for Eric Clapton’s 1970 double-LP with Derek and the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs – an influential album for Tedeschi Trucks Band.  Interestingly,  Ganjavi’s source material resonated with Mattison and the rest of the band in an altogether different way. Finding complex themes and storylines that inspired their creative process, they forged a new, modern interpretation of the vast 100-page poem.

The thought that started the project was “Instead of Majnun,  lets see this story through Layla’s eyes.

Operatic in scope, Tedeschi Trucks Band explores romantic relationships, collective struggle, faith, and the human experience on I Am The Moon.

“It’s amazing,” Trucks says, “because we wrote most of this music in a pretty short time span. There are even chord changes that mirror other tunes on the albums – themes and variations, lyrical allusions, that pop back up.” He continues: “You always want to do something bigger and thematic. This is the first time it happened naturally.”

The decision to sequence and release I Am The Moon in four distinct episodes came “when we started thinking of records we love,” Derek says, citing Axis: Bold as Love, the 1967 LP by the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

“It’s 36 minutes long. That’s the way to digest a record.”

With that approach in mind, TTB will also present I Am The Moon: The Film, immersive visual companions to each album. The corresponding films will debut three days prior to each audio release, offering fans an early opportunity to digest each album in its entirety as a communal listening and viewing experience via the band’s YouTube channel.

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND – I AM THE MOON: ALBUM + FILM RELEASE DATES:

I Am The Moon: I. Crescent
Film Premiere: May 31
Album Release: June 3

I Am The Moon: II. Ascension
Film Premiere: June 28
Album Release: July 1

I Am The Moon: III. The Fall
Film Premiere: July 26
Album Release: July 29

I Am The Moon: IV. Farewell
Film Premiere: August 23
Album Release: August 26

I Am The Moon – All Vinyl Configurations: individual LPs + the 4-LP Deluxe Box  now available

Tedeschi Trucks Band tour:

October 21 – Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene
October 22 – Stockholm, SE – Cirkus
October 25  – Berlin, DE – Verti Music Hall
October 26 – Hamburg, DE – Edel-optics.de Arena
October 27 – Prague, CZ – Forum Karlin
October 30 – Rotterdam, NL – RTM Stage
November 2 – Dublin, IE – The Helix
November 4 – London, UK – The London Palladium
November 5 – London, UK – The London Palladium
November 6 – London, UK – The London Palladium
November 9 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy
November 10 – Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy Glasgow
November 12 – Paris, FR – Le Trianon
November 13 – Paris, FR – Le Trianon
November 15 – Paris, FR – Bataclan

Two Words – Jann Arden

Long time friend. A completely singular artist.

In concert she’ll have you laughing so hard it will be through tears.

Then she sings – man does she sing – and you’ll find yourself freely flowing more tears.

I have been blessed to have had a close-up focus on this life and career.

For over 35 years Jann and I have crossed paths and occasionally stopped to talk with a microphone between us.

While I was busy telling music and film stories Jann was nominated for 19 Junos – Winning 8. Won MuchMusic awards and now is on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

She’s been acting, hosting, judging, recording, and touring with her small group and with orchestras large and small.

Basically, with the support and guidance of manager Bruce Allen, Jann Arden has become a Canadian Super Star.

These two interviews are from our archives.

The first is from April 2016 – at the Junos in Calgary where she was co-hosting.

I attended a press conference and she was completely surrounded by the media ..so I went off to the corner and found the only two chairs in the room, with a small table.

I set up my field recorder and waited.

When she was done, Bruce walked Jann over and we had a chat. Here’s the exchange of ideas and thoughts.

[caption id="attachment_26146" align="alignnone" width="645"] Juno Interview-Terry David Mulligan, Corey Wood, and Jann Arden[/caption]

The second interview is from Dec 2017...Jann’s on tour and I wanted to talk to her about her book Feeding My Mother: Comfort and laughter in the kitchen as my Mom lives with memory loss. 

She and her Mom were best friends and a force.

This interview has stayed with me for the last 5 years. Heartbreaking and revealing,

Thank You Jann.

“Friendship is like Whisky – the older the better”

Yes, my friends, it's our annual trek to Victoria’s inner harbour for the 18^th annual Victoria Whisky Festival and the Canadian Whisky Awards.

It was the founder of the awards Davin de Kergomeaux who whispered in my ear wondering why I wasn’t attending or tasting or writing about his Whisky Awards.  On second thought I think the voice in my ear was me saying

“How could you possibly miss this?” just after I had missed the events about 6-7  years ago.

I knew almost nothing about Whisky but my thinking was the same as wine – 17 years ago – every interview is going to be a master class. Pay attention and you could learn all about wine and pass it on to the listeners.

I’m pleased to welcome  to Tasting Room Radio –

Davin de Kergommeaux – founder of the Canadian Whisky Awards.

The Canadian Whisky Awards, held annually with the Victoria Whisky Festival, is the first and only competition dedicated solely to Canadian Whisky.

The Awards have become the first stop for whisky producers, distributors, retailers and fans looking for the very best Canadian whiskies.

Davin is the world’s leading authority on Canadian Whisky. He also has three books available on Canadian Whisky with a fourth coming in March!

Davin assembled 10 judges and sent them nearly 200 competing whiskies to blind taste.  Davin announces the winner in his interview. We talk to the winners next week.

www.canadianwhiskyawards.com

www.canadianwhisky.org

[caption id="attachment_28306" align="alignnone" width="800"] Graeme Macaloney[/caption]

Dr. Graeme Macaloney PEng, PhD. – Macaloney’s Island Distillery (Saanich)

Proud owner of 5 world whisky awards including World best Potstill – Kildara. They are a non-chilled, filtered, no colour-added distillery.

In our 8-10 minute interview, I think I asked 3 perhaps 4 questions – Dr. Graeme handled the rest.

It was like a masterclass. A charming man in a Cameron Kilt.

He won Gold for his 54ppm Peat Project.

www.macaloneydistillers.com

Tish Harcus –  Manager Canadian Club Whisky since 1988.  Canadian Club itself since 1858.

www.canadianclub.com

James Neil – Bowmore Distillery. The oldest distillery in Islay. On the shores of Lochindaal since 1779. Also home to one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses – The No. 1 Vault.

James poured Bowmore 22 Aston Martin

www.bowmore.com

They took part in the Great Whisky Debate with

Micah Dew from Maker’s Mark.

Words flew, one-liners were exchanged and they still remain long-time friends. Micah was busy with a masterclass but we thank Tish and James for coming by.

www.makersmark.com

Chris Read –Shelter Point Distillery. Campbell River.

Distinctly Vancouver Island. Uniquely Shelter Point.

By the time Chris sat down we knew Shelter Point had won 2 Bronze medals for their Oak Cask Single Malt  (smoke, spices, honey, leather and a wiff of ocean)

and their flagship Evans Family Reserve.

(vanilla, tannins, dark chocolate, coconut, citrus, berries, cloves.)

Chris explained the unique influences in their island location. It was like poetry.

www.shelterpoint.ca

Crash the Time Machine The Odds 7^th album has been released. The basic Odds lineup of Craig Northey, Pat Steward, Murray Atkinson and Doug Elliott are joined by the 5^th Odd – Steven Page.

This is songwriting at a very high level,  then taken even higher by players who are truly gifted.

I’m so glad that these guys got back together again after a hiatus from 2000-2007.

You can hear multiple influences in each and every track.

They’ve backed Warren Zevon, they wrote and played the soundtrack for  Kids in the Hall Film Brain Candy and their TV series Death Comes to town, toured with and played with The Tragically Hip and Barenaked Ladies, wrote music for Corner Gas.

Crash the Time Machine deals with religion, the days we’re all living in and several songs in memory of their friend Spirit of the West leader/writer John Mann.

The song is Somehow in a Dream. The Waterboys are mentioned. As Craig tells us ..

“John told me that in his last hours, he’d like to have someone play “Whole of the Moon”

It’s not just a story of the life of Leonard Cohen.  It follows the life of his song Hallelujah.

Leonard wrote 130-150 verses for the song. Took him years and years. Then when he released it on the album  Various Positions, his label in the USA,  Columbia Records, refused to release it.  It never got played and was forgotten…until John Cale recorded it for the tribute album I’m Your Man and it began a life of its own. Now, it's legendary.

Started as a spiritual journey and ended, with various Leonard rewrites,  to become a secular and sexy anthem.

Hallelujah took Leonard Cohen to audiences all over the World and into the soundtrack of “Shrek”.

The film is released this Friday in the USA and I’ve heard it opens across Canada very shortly.

This is smashing filmmaking and epic storytelling.

The directors are Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine and they are my guests on Saturdays Stew

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings.

The name alone gets your attention. I mean, they all wear black suits. So, you may ask, which one is Blackie.

They are all Blackie.

Stephen Fearing, has a fine solo career with a seriously growing fan base, outstanding critical reviews and he’s a Blackie.

Tom Wilson is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, artist, and author. A bear of a human, a Mohawk soul, and a good man.

Colin Linden is a music lifer. He’s doing what his head and heart told him to do. Starting when he was perhaps 8.

Colin left Canada fully formed and famous,  for Nashville and set up his studio. He’s been making music ever since. Solo career, writing, creating, and producing Blackie music.  Produced Keb’ Mo’s Grammy album.

Toured as part of Bob Dylan’s band.

So Blackie is Stephen, Tom, OK I am loading now,  and Colin. Together, in spirit, in spirituality, and bound by 12 notes and the truth.

New album is O Glory; Lost those blues again

(Stephen spent a great deal of time teaching n the Maritimes this Summer. Was not available for our Zoom interview)

The zoom video can be seen and heard on our terrydavidmulligan YouTube Channel

www.blackieandtherodeokings.com

colinlinden.com

stephenfearing.com

tomwilsononline.com

This is what Podcasts were created for.

Long, extended conversations between guests and hosts.

Deep dives into opinions on music, film, food, wine, books, travel, history etc.

One of the biggest and brightest podcasts today belongs to our guest Nardwuar, The Human Serviette!

Millions of people all over the World can’t seem to wait for his next interview with hip-hoppers, rappers, punks and metal artists.

Countless fans everywhere dress up as Nardwuar, every Halloween.

Have a visit to his website  www.nardwuar.com

What he brings to the interviews are personal facts and rumours that only the artist would know. Pulling out posters, photos, handwritten notes and albums that only the artist would remember. Minds are blown. Records are played. Lifetime friends are made!!

Our first Podcast – co-produced by Elliott Garnier – Was 6 years ago. Nardwuar was the very first guest!!

On the occasion of Episode #300, we welcome back the original – the one and only – Nardwuar – The Human Serviette!!!

HARRISON KENNEDY was awarded the 2016 “Blues Album of the Year” JUNO for his album “This Is From Here”.  This was the 6th nomination for the Hamilton, ON. based artist.

Now comes his latest album Thanks for Tomorrow

Harrison Kennedy was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario.  His family had roots in New Orleans and Tennessee,^[ Kennedy sang in the Stewart Memorial Church Choir as a boy, when childhood trips took him over the border to visit relations in Arkansas, Rogersville, Tennessee,^[9] and Detroit, Illinois, United States, and all these experiences expanded his love of music.,  The other border his family crossed was the Canadian border. They decided to stay and live there.
Harrison grew up in a house filled with music and famous visitors such as Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Lonnie Johnson. In 1969 he took a hiatus from college to become a founding member of the million-selling Detroit Soul Super Group “The Chairmen of the Board” with whom he toured the world, as well as appearing on Soul Train, American Bandstand, and the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Harrison Kennedy has released almost a dozen internationally acclaimed albums and developed into one of the 21st century’s most insightful and original Blues singer/songwriters.

To quote my friend Tom Coxworth 

For anyone not familiar with Harrison Kennedy, he has been nominated for
12 Maple Blues awards and 4 Junos and was touted by BB King as Canada's
premier Blues performer

We're going to talk to Harrison about his family, his spirituality and his music!!

Afie Jurvanen – more famously known as Bahamas!

A fascinating artist and human. Never satisfied to remain in the same groove or attitude. What’s constant is his ability to create memorable songs,  surrounded by sonic texture that is his territory alone.

You know it's him as soon as you hear the song.

He’ll be doing summer festivals and supporting his album Bootcut -  a heavily inspired classic Country record which has recently seen his catalogue surpass a billion streams. He was awarded a pile of gold/platinum/double platinum singles while attending the JUNOs this year. . Rolling Stone covered Bootcut saying that a Canadian indie rock kid made one of Nashville’s most Country records of the year: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bahamas-bootcut-country-music-album-nashville-1234826097/

Oh..and he was featured on The Bachelor and released an album on Valentine's day called Repackaged Love Songs.

And best of all,  he’s guesting on Mulligan Stew Saturday 4 Pacific / 5 Mtn  at CKUA RADIO  ckua.com

Juno Couch:  a luxurious seating area where artists may gather during Juno Weekend and exchange opinions, questions and minor insults. All for the entertainment of music fans everywhere. Music can also be played from the stage conveniently located right next to the Couches.

Just for the record, the Juno Couch only happens when the awards are hosted in Alberta. It's been co-hosted by Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo – except for this year.

Year one was in the bar lobby of the Hotel MacDonald, Year two was in a restaurant at the base of the Calgary Tower and Year Three was on the streets of Calgary.

Just over a week ago, Edmonton hosted the Junos Awards. Right across the street from the Juno home base was CKUA Radio.

A perfect home for the Juno Couch because we already had two couches and a performance area.

Jim Cuddy was playing Juno Cup hockey to raise funds for Music Counts—Canada’s music education charity.

Jim made a guest appearance from the rink via The Net.

My co-hosts this year were Tom Wilson (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) and Dan Mangan.

Guests include

• Angelique Francis
• Digging Roots
• Shawn Hall (The Harp and Axe)
• Jon Dore
• Shakura S’Aida
• The Weather Station
• Marc Jordan and Amy Sky
• CKUA Hosts
• Holger Petersen
• Cam Hayden
• Kate Stevens
• Marek Tyler
• Grant Stovel
• Kerry Clarke

This podcast is an edited combination of guest comments over the two-hour show. Best exchanges on the day!

Please enjoy!

And thank you all. 

Guests, crew,  staff, volunteers, Vintage West, Rigoletto.

It's movie award season...

One after the other nominations and awards are presented to films,  actors, musicians, art direction, directors, and veterans of the industry.

The next awards gathering is this Sunday, Jan 14 in LA.

It’s the Critics Choice Awards on The CW and streamed on the Net. 7-10 Eastern – slight delay on the West Coast. Hosted by Chelsea Handler

These awards have weight and meaning as they're voted on by the critics who screen hundreds of films annually.

Choosing one critic to guest is as tough as voting but there’s none better than Shawn Edwards on  News 4 Kansas City.

He’s one of the founders of Critics Choice and the driving force behind The annual Celebration of Black Cinema and TV.

Enjoy the ride It’s a film cage match.

It took me the whole of Summer 2022 to read and complete Tara McGuire’s book Holden After and Before.

I’ve known and really liked Tara for a long time.

We were in radio together and apart but – in radio. It’s a small community,  at times.

I’ve written and said publicly that this was the hardest book to read and toughest interview in memory but that’s because of my friendship with Tara. I felt tied to the story and a cloak of guilt that I didn’t know what she was going through – after and before.

But that’s just me – please don’t let me steer anyone away from seeking out the wisdom of this book.

When her beloved Holden died from an overdose, she collapsed and it took many many months for her to stand up and just breathe. Then she decided to commit herself to tell this story but going back through Holden’s friends, reconnecting his texts and emails. Imagining how he handled certain situations and dealing with the guilt that came like a wave.

If you’re a Mother,  or dream of being a parent or you currently are a parent, you will find yourself wondering “what would I have done?”

Holden After and Before is a brave, honest, unspeakably painful but simultaneously beautiful attempt by a 'mother who was a light bulb striking pavement' to come to terms with her young son's life and death. Once I began reading, I could not tear myself from this account, which offers a rich tapestry of memoir and fiction - basically, anything Tara McGuire could recall, discover or imagine - about her son Holden, who died accidentally at age twenty-one after he ingested a toxic mix of alcohol and heroin. As I read, Tara McGuire enveloped me with her empathy, her desperate hunger to make sense of the senseless, and her humanity. She inspired me with her courageous and unflinching journey - in the wake of any parent's worst nightmare - to become a writer as a means of honouring her lost son. -Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negroes

There’s really no such thing as an overnight success!

Dreams can be experienced but it takes the work of time to find the crossroads between dreams and reality.

The Bros. Landreth dreamt of making music, just like their Dad Wally in Winnipeg.

Wally wanted that too because he kept spinning vinyl at home,  like a music teacher. But no schlock..only the good stuff.

Little Feat, The Eagles, Neil Young, CS&Nash, and Bonnie Raitt.

Years later the Brothers are playing at the Winnipeg Folk Festival when they were approached by the headliner – none other than Bonnie Raitt.

She asked if they would send her songs to record because they reminded her of her friend Lowell George from Little Feat.

David and Joey Landreth wrote and rejected many songs. They felt they weren’t up to Bonnie's standards but eventually – again years later – they sent a song they had recorded Made up mind.

Just so happens it’s the same song Bonnie heard them play and she said – that’s the song.

Two years later the boys hear from friends in Nashville that Bonnie is recording that song and then she makes it the first single off of Just Like That.

Both album and song go on to win Grammys this year and The Bros. Landreth has become “a thing”.

Here’s a discussion with David Landreth about those Grammy moments and the rest of the story.  Well done boys.

Congrats Wally!!

What a win for Bonnie and great music.

All  5 guests are Artistic Directors of their folk festivals. 

Four are in a group discussion about surviving the Covid years, this year's artist lineups and celebrating the renewal of live music. The fifth is a single interview with Terry Wickham,  Artistic Director of the Edmonton Folk Fest.

Yes, they’re all competitors but they’re also participants and partners. So when Covid and lockdown took over our world they formed a group to help and support each other.

The guests are

Fiona Black –  Vancouver Folk Music Festival (July 14-16) Thefestival.bc.ca

Chris Frayer –  Winnipeg Folk Fest. (July 6-9) Winnipegfolkfestival.ca   

Sue Panning – Canmore Folk Festival (Aug 5-7) Canmorefolkfestival.com 

Kerry Clarke – Calgary Folk Fest (July 27-30)  Calgaryfolkfest.com 

Terry Wickham – Edmonton Folk Fest (Aug 10-13) Edmontonfolkfest.org 

We’ll find out how Vancouver Folk Fest survived the near collapse of their festival.

How they all worked together, as a community, to support one another.

Also, their talent lineup and who they think could steal the show.

Complete discussion on Mulligan Stew Podcast and TerryDavidMulligan YouTube Channel.

Make your plans …Summer and festival Season is upon us.

Thanks all

tdm

Joe Keithley (Shithead) is the leader of hard-core punk band DOA and has been since the late 70’s.

In 2008  The Vancouver Sun named Joe one of BC’s most influential people – of all time!

DOA played for benefits, rallies, protests, and anything with the word environment in it.

Joe and DOA still tour. 20 dates all across Canada in June and July of this year.

So it should come as no surprise that Joe is now Burnaby City Councilor Joe Keithley.  It took him years to get voters' attention in Burnaby but now he’s no long shot, he’s running for re-election.

This month.

There’s a documentary film crew following him around..hoping to figure out how he finds the balance between being an angry rocker and a well-spoken politician.

One of the people is Beto  O’Rourke – in Texas.

Joe’s s talking about affordable housing, human rights, Quality child care, helping the most vulnerable, and assisting seniors and the homeless.  He’s just an all round great guy..and scary good on stage as well.

The Burnaby Election is October 15^th I believe. If you can donate or support Joe’s fight...Please contact him at

www.Suddendeath.com

joe@suddendeath.com

@joe.keithley

Bob Dylan turned 80 on Monday the 24th.

As part of our coverage at CKUA, I started digging into old interviews looking for comments on Bob’s music, influence, and legacy.

I’m delighted to bring you a select group of artists who bring insight into the singular artist we’re celebrating.

A man for many. Matched by few.

Bob Dylan – Thank you for those 80 years.

Guests are:

David Bowie

Susan Tedeschi &  Derek Trucks

Robbie Robertson

Colin Linden

The Avett Brothers

Barney Bentall and Steve Dawson

Greg Keelor

Dear Podcast Peeps

We’ve been trying to come up with an excuse for re-running the Kids in the Hall Podcast..

Why would we want to be listening – Again - to the dialogue between myself, Bruce McCulloch, and Scott Thompson.

Maybe if it were Mark McKinney, Kevin McDonald, or the wonderous Dave Foley it would be sexy fresh,  alive and legal.

Keep in mind that somebody from KITH had to work the “secondary markets” and  Scottie and Bruce drew the short straws.

Please enjoy this encore performance on Mulligan Stew Podcast and don’t let it spoil your weekend.

Thanks, tdm

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays All

From  1974 to 1979 I was lucky enough to host Great Canadian Goldrush on CBC Radio  National.

Every Christmas we had a Christmas Jam – in the studio. Produced by Susan Englebert. (with assistance from Claire Lawrence)

Except for the mixed drinks, it was nothing fancy but it was an hour of heart-felt stories and songs.

The artists included Roy Forbes and Shari Ulrich.

When Goldrush left the air Christmas Jam disappeared UNTIL Roundhouse Radio in Vancouver came on air and again I had a studio to capture this magic.

I talked to Shari, Roy, and Barney Bentall and they all signed on for a reconnect.

We got 3 years of Christmas in the Round recorded and then Roundhouse went dark.

Keeping the tradition alive, this year we present Year 3 of Christmas in the Round  (2017)

The Lineup includes

Jim Byrnes

Shari Ulrich

Barney Bentall

Bill Henderson (Chilliwack)

Craig Northey   (Odds and Steven Page Trio)

On percussion Geoff Hicks (Colin James, Barney, Cuddy, Byrnes, Northey etc)

Rob Becker (guitar/vocals)

Kirby Barber (guitar/vocals)

Roy Forbes was unavailable in Year 3 BUT I found him hiding in Year One

He brings with him two songs and the slide guitar of Shaun Verreault from Wide Mouth Mason.

And yes..he does tell the story and rolls out his Christmas Classic Mince Meat Tart

It’s Festival Season. Wine, Music, Blues and Roots, Food, Fishing, Camping.

The annual Cowichan Valley Wine Festival returns to its Month of August setting.

Its kicks off July 27  with Sunset Soirée from 6-9 PM at the gorgeous Campbell Commons at  Brentwood College School in Mill Bay.

13 wineries will be pouring some of their favourites plus some chosen especially for this event. Attending and tasting allow you to actually meet the maker of the wines. There’s nothing better than getting the real story of the wine. Expect high-end, new releases and a few surprises being poured.

This year the food program will be created by  Mensch Catering, so you know it will be very interesting.

Wineries pouring on the night will be Alderlea, Blue Grouse, Cherry Point, Damalli, Devino, Deoll, Enrico, Rocky Creek, Unsworth, Venturi Schultze, Zanatta and Emandare.

August in the Cowichan Valley  Aug 1 – 31.  12 wineries.

Wine Passport.  

Your map and tasting glass are your ticket to all 12 participating Cowichan Valley Wineries.

Everyone who purchases a ticket is automatically entered into draws. Accommodations, wine, tours,  transportation and gift baskets.

Details at www.cowichanwineries.com

Our guests are

Alderlea – Julie Powell co-owner/co-winemaker

Blue Grouse – Bailey Williamson  Head Winemaker

Enrico Winery – Lorin Inglis  General Manager and Pres Cowichan Wineries Society.

(Jim Moody from Zanatta had tech issues and I will do a follow up)

www.cowichanwineries.com

www.alderlea.ca

www.bluegrouse.ca

www.enricowinery.com

@zanattawinery

Chef Kristian Eligh – Marilena Café and Raw Bar.  Victoria

It felt like the longest opening of a new restaurant I’ve seen in many years.

It feels like 3-4 years ago I knew that Kristian and his family were moving back to Victoria with a plan to create a singular restaurant.

Then came years of COVID and post-Covid.

Finally, the day has arrived and Marilena Café and Raw Bar was just launched.

Kristian is a chefs chef.

From Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry to culinary director of Hawksworth Restaurant and now Top Table Group Executive Chef.

The Top Table Group includes Blue Water Café, Eliza, Cin Cin, Araxi, Il Caminetto, Bar Oso.  Quite a line up and it doesn’t include their two New York City restaurants.

Marilena is two rooms in one. They’ve been described as “pockets of ambience”.

The Raw Bar, led by Chef Clark Park. The Café is the turf of one of the best managers Aaron Matsuzaki.

The wine directory is large. It’s overseen by the brilliant Shane Taylor

This is a destination, my friends...

Go to www.marilenacafe.com and check out the dazzling menu and wine list.

The café is a blend of Japanese-inspired small plates, Italian salads and large sharing plates of whole fish, lobster and  48 hr Beef short rib.

Cocktails on tap and a list of variables called lively, adventurous and sophisticated.

Pouring select Vancouver Island Wines. One from Basque country and Aquilini   Cab/Merlot Family Blend from Red Mountain.

Marilena is now open. It was well worth the wait.

www.marilenacafe.com

Jim Cuddy joins us at the top of the second hour.

That’s today 6 PM Mtn.

 Just about then Blue Rodeo will be backstage at the  Northern Alberta Jube prepping for the second of two nights on that stage.  There’s a nervous energy, that’s to be expected. While that never really goes away, remember that this is Blue Rodeo.  Been touring since 1984.  16 or more studio albums, four live. A truckload of awards. So, backstage there’s a lot of laughs, storytelling, small acoustic jams, great food and wines, friends and family.

Blue Rodeo bring with them their latest album Many a Mile.

As always,  Jim brings with him great  stories

From the studio

From lockdown

From ”the road”

And from inside the band.

From their latest album Many a Mile, Jim says he and Greg Keelor have different views of the road.

Jim’s is I think about you. The Yin and Yang about leaving home to make music.

In Opening Act Greg writes about his love/hate relationship of the road.

And it all works.

 That’s the very dynamic that keeps this band active and totally interesting.

 Enjoy!!

When Ron Carter's name comes up, one of the first things people write or say is – he’s played bass and cello on over 2500 albums.

That’s impressive and awe-inspiring. Totally agree.

When I hear the name Ron Carter I think of the bassist who played in Miles Davis’ second band, alongside Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams & George Coleman.

“The List” of bands and recordings would include Wayne Shorter, Blue Note recordings with Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, and 100’s of others.

I talked to Ron about his recordings in popular music.  Roberta Flack, Eddie Harris, Aretha, Billy Joel, Bette Midler, Erykah Badu, A tribe called Quest, Phoebe Snow, The Rascals, Gil Scott-Heron, Carlos Santana.

Ron has taught music for many years at esteemed colleges and schools, his current documentary is Finding the Right Notes, also the name of his bio book.

Ron Carter turns 87 years old today – Saturday, May 4 !!  we wish him WELL.

Enjoy the conversation – I sure did.

Grant Lawrence (The Smugglers, CBC Podcast, multiple best-selling books) is on the road with his Stories and Song LIve.

Grant and Joel Plaskett, Ashleigh Ball, played Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney by the Sea north of Victoria Thursday night.

Friday on Galiano Island and Saturday in Maple  Ridge with his love  Jill Barber added.

We met at The Five and Dime Diner across from the venue and talked for 20 or so minutes about EVERYTHING.

He told the story of two teens,  Grant and Nardwuar knocking on my front door Halloween night to ask questions about their favourite bands. I did the best I could and sent them along with extra promo records. Grant still has his.

 We've been friends for 36 years. That’s the kind of podcast this will be.  Corey Woods (Associate Producer) shot it on video as well..so it's also on terrydavidmulligan YouTube channel.

On the occasion of Bruce Allen’s birthday, I thought I’d sit down for an early morning Zoom call.

Bruce has a roster of talent that plays the World’s stages, so you can find him at 8 am just finishing a call to South Africa.

He’s a full-speed guy. Never outworked,  no matter what the project.

In over 50 years Bruce has become one of the best artist managers in the entire music business.  Bruce Allen Talent.

After a start with BTO,  Bruce decided to take a chance on a young singer/songwriter Bryan Adams. They agreed to be a team with a handshake and started to make music history.

His roster now includes legend Anne Murray, Michael Bublé (there’s a story), Jann Arden, mega-producer Bob Rock and his first band in a while The Offspring.

In the 23 minutes that I have his attention, Bruce tells tales about

The state of the current music business..

The loss of Gordon Lightfoot

Bryan Adams – his place today

Jann – she’s busy Mully

Michael Bublé – we trade Bublé stories. Love it

Bob Rock and Gord Downie – amazing story

The Offspring – first band he’s signed in years.

The Loss of our dear friend – Red Robinson DJ Legend.

Enjoy Big Bad Bruce. Next Week and very special feature on the early rock life of Red Robinson. His last two interviews.

Corby brings new, acoustic, live off the floor music in his new album El Viejo (The Old One) in memory and tribute to his pal Ian Tyson.

Corby says that this album may be his best yet.

He brings memories of Ian and also how his audiences are different depending on where he’s playing,

For El Viejo Corb and the Hurtin’ Albertans played live, letting the songs reveal themselves. It was all captured by CKUA Alumni Scott Franchuck.

Corby describes it as “organic”.

We talked about his name “is that the name of the band?”

Touched on  his time with The Smalls and how this music connects to those days. “half urban/indy and half cowboys/ranchers”

We touched on Hearts on Fire Michael Barclay’s book on “6 years that changed Canadian music” which in its promo mentioned cowboys who used to play speed metal. 

“the alt-country music in the late 90’s and 2000’s was littered with x-punks who suddenly discovered acoustic guitar.”

That’s Corb. The Poet Laureate of the Albertan people.

March 5 Corb is in Vancouver at The Orpheum

March 7 Grey Eagle Calgary

March 9 Midway Edmonton

March 22 Zankel Hall / Carnegie Hall NYC

May 28 Amsterdam

And multiple dates in Europe with The Dead South.

Dec 17^th was never going to be just another Stew.

It’s the first of two Christmas shows.  The Christmas vibe is always different for so many reasons. Some want nothing to do with it. Many embrace it fully. I’m an All In guy.

Thankfully some find a way to give back and make a difference. Food Banks, shelters, packages left on doorsteps, etc.

I grew up in North Vancouver where my Father was a Game Warden.

His close friends were police officers and firefighters.

So I’ve always had a connection to that location and community.

I saw a posting go by a week ago and it shone a light for me.

I hope it does the same for you. Please let your audience know that they can help the people of Ukraine through a brutal Winter and War. The complete interview can be heard on Mulligan Stew Podcast and my YouTube Channel. THANK YOU

North Shore Fire Departments Launch Project Frozen: Winter Clothing & Blanket Blitz for Ukraine In a Canadian first, all three North Shore fire departments have teamed up in a two-week collection blitz to send a mountain of winter clothing and blankets to Ukraine. This winter in Ukraine will be the bleakest in anyone's lifetime. No power, no heat, no light, or intermittent at best, for much of the country, which is bigger than Canada. Project Frozen, led by the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (DNVFRS) and Defend Ukraine Foundation (DUF), hopes to collect 3,000 winter jackets and blankets, and $15,000 for shipping, by December 20. This is an ambitious project: Reynolds and Mudry hope to fill a 40-foot sea container with 20 pallets of winter gear, each 40' x 48" x 8 feet high

Tax-deductive donations to fund shipping can be made through either: - District of North Vancouver Firefighters Charitable Society: www.dnvfirecharity.ca (PayPal, credit card, cheque - mark "Ukraine") - Defend Ukraine Foundation www.defendukrainefoundation.ca (cheque or wire)

My guests at the  top of hour two are Firefighter Jared Reynolds and Retired Investigator Brent Mudry.(paternal grandparents from Ukraine)

We can help this humanitarian effort:  clothing for a Ukraine Winter

by donating to

DNVFire Charity.ca

DefendUkrainefoundation.ca

Thank you

Our guest Danny Cohen is a Melbourne-based director who has filmed and photographed some of the most interesting and influential figures in contemporary music.

Shot on vivid 16mm film over a three-year period, ANONYMOUS CLUB chronicles notoriously shy, Melbourne-based musician Courtney Barnett’s ups and downs on the world tour for her album Tell Me How You Really Feel. Featuring Barnett’s unguarded narration from her audio diary, recorded on a dictaphone provided by filmmaker Danny Cohen, the film delivers frank and unprecedented insight into Barnett’s creative process, the sacrifices and inner conflicts set in motion by fame, and the sometimes dark backdrop to her whimsical, relatable poetic compositions.

Based for much of her adult life in Melbourne, Courtney Barnett first found critical acclaim with 2013’s The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, and broke into the mainstream in 2015 with her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. Garnering a coveted Best New Artist Grammy nomination and numerous other accolades, the album stands as a generational classic.

Barnett is also a powerhouse live act, playing slots at festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, Governor’s Ball, Primavera, and Lollapalooza. In 2021, she released Things Take Time, Take Time, a remarkable artistic step forward.

Anonymous Club opens across Canada over the next several weeks.

I’ve been waiting for new music from Winnipeg’s Madeleine Roger for four years.

That’s how long it's been since I discovered her voice, playing and gifted songwriting.

Maddy took a solo career detour through the stellar chops of The Fretless.

They needed an exceptional vocalist who understood and was comfortable with, classical music.

Madeleine needed a different “band” to shine with. Perfect!

So here we are in early September and both artists are releasing new albums.

Madeleine has just released NERVE a new album filled with tales of lost love and found freedoms.

Produced by Josh Kaufman (Anais Mitchell, Bonnie Light Horseman)  Recorded in four days. They threw away the headphones and sat 8 feet apart..making music.

There are actually four extra songs waiting to be released.

I am here to state – in my opinion -   an exceptional new star has risen – her name is Madeleine Roger.

Enjoy the complete interview and the music included.

www.madeleineroger.com

Welcome to the Long Weekend Edition of the Mulligan Stew Podcast...

And because it’s a long weekend, we have a longer podcast – two of them actually.

Starting things off is the birthday boy Bruce Allen – One of Canada’s most successful talent managers EVER!!

Bruce and his world-class team are responsible for planning,  leading and supporting the careers of Bryan Adams, Michael Buble, Bob Rock, Jann Arden and The Offspring. When you get the attention of Bruce all bets are off. You can fire questions off in every direction. The thing is you have to be prepared to have the answers smack you upside the HEAD.

I wanted Bruce’s thoughts on the loss of our mutual friend Red Robinson – The Last DJ.  And the loss of Gordon Lightfoot as well.

Then we talked about the state of today's music business. Like throwing a steak to a pit bull.

Bruce then launches into an update on the 2023 years of Offspring,  Jann, Bryan, Michael and Bob Rock.

Rock has released an album with the late Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip. It's amazing. Bruce has that story as well..

Happy Birthday Happy Bruce!!

Bob Rock interview to follow soon.

The second interview is with Doug Cox, the artistic director of the Vancouver Island Music Festival. July 14-16  in Courtney/Comox.

Every year I’m fascinated by Doug’s artist lineups.

This year the headliners are Sarah McLachlan, Rickie Lee Jones and The Bros. Landreth. He asked Roy Forbes to return to his BIM character and revisit the tracks from his Thistles Album.

Two legends. Dave Alvin and Jimmy Dale Gilmore with The Guilty Ones.

Here’s Doug  Cox with backgrounds on all those artists and more.

NEXT WEEK – The Artistic Directors of Folk Festivals in Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Canmore. PLUS Terry Wickham reveals his lineup for Edmonton Folk Fest.

Have a memorable weekend - tdm

This weeks terrydavidmulligan YouTube is a tour with music from the heart.

Every year, just about this time, Barney Bentall gathers up friends and hits the road with a travelling barn burner. Everyone on stage is the leader of their career or a band. There are at least 16 artists in this years Express. AND best of all, they’re raising funds for the charities listed below.

Barney Bentall writes his own introduction. This was his newsletter a week ago.

Hi ya all. Gearing up for the Cariboo Express shows. Depending on how we mark the birth of this whole thing, it’s the 18th or 19th year! I think for all of us that play in this big ol’ bad ass band, it is  a musical highlight of our year.

With the help and hard work of some worthy charities, we’ve managed to raise over 5 million dollars over the years.

Here are the dates:

Come on out! There are always great guests that show up along with all the regulars. For those of you in the Toronto area, spread the word. This will be our second year and we want to keep coming back and develop what we have going out west. We are supporting Classroom Champions at the Glenn Gould show. Cheers and see you soon! Barney

𝙈𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝘼𝙉𝘿 ☟

𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡 ⭒ Barney Bentall

𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 ⭒ Matt Masters

𝘿𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡  ⭒ Dustin Bentall

𝙍𝙞𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙩 ⭒ Ridley Bent

𝙒𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙮 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙙

𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙆𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙮

𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙖𝙣 ⭒ Stephanie Cadman

𝙎𝙘𝙤𝙩𝙩 𝙎𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙝 ⭒ Scott Smith

𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙃𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙨

𝙍𝙤𝙗 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧

𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙆𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙡

𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙃𝙞𝙡𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙩

𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙭𝙞𝙚 ⭒ Trixie

𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙃𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮 ⭒ Wild Honey Band

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 ☟

Classroom Champions

CASA Mental Health

Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank

ISLAND COMMUNITY SERVICES FOOD BANK: Nanoose Community Services

Potluck Catering

DELTA FIRE FIGHTERS HEALTHY SNA

Friday Oct 27  Bella Concert Hall – Calgary (special guest William Prince)

Saturday Oct 28 Festival Place Sherwood Park Edmonton

Thursday Nov 2 Glenn Gould Studio  Toronto  (Special guest Terra Lightfoot and Tom Wilson)

Rest of the dates can be found at

https://thecariboo.express

Terry Wickham, long-time Producer of Edmonton Folk Fest responds to the possible demise of the Vancouver Folk Fest and how it may affect other Festivals.

He also talks about the state of today's touring industry. Off stage and on.

Let’s face it, music production and essential business is changing rapidly.

Costs are skyrocketing.

Artists are finding new and creative ways to make a living and extend their careers. Will your favorite festival still be up and running by the Summer? Have a listen.

Is there anyone or anything that can save Vancouver Folk Festival?

Maybe it’s you.

The Mulligan Stew Podcast  Guest is Devin Cuddy. (Devin Cuddy band)

Son of Jim Cuddy and very definitely his own man.

Jim has said, on this very podcast, that he offered to school Devin and son Sam on the fine art of songwriting and playing but the guys went their separate ways.

Now, Jim says he’s very impressed with their growth and creativity.

They’ve been singing together for years but just casually at fundraising events. Devin talks about a maritime tour they just did.

Devin has released his first new music in 5 years. The album is called Dear Jane – with a reference to Hotlips Houlihan on the Mash TV series.

The album is a soulful mix of New Orleans, honky tonk, roots and Randy Newman. Devins originals are storytelling taken to another level. He’s become his own storyteller.

Devin is creating his place in Canada’s music world, just like his Father.

One of the great surprises is Devin’s cover of Barney Bentall’s hit Come Back to Me. Barney sings on the track. Barney, Jim and Devin have been friends a long time.

Devin says he’s been waiting to sing these songs for 5 years. Should be a great 2024 for The Devin Cuddy Band.

Tracks are included in the podcast.

In the spectrum of popular music in Canada, which is as wide as the country, Tom Cochrane falls somewhere between an electrified Gordon Lightfoot and a solo Gordon Downie.

Between the universal prose of Leonard Cohen and the blood passion of Tom Wilson.

Three times we went to the war-torn fields and roads of Africa for World Vision and became lifelong friends. That’s what seeing men, women and children dead or dying will do to you. You seek humanity. Tom’s got humanity in spades.

He came back from the first trip under a heavy dark load and sought out the only thing that he knew would lift him up. Music. He wrote a song called Life is a Highway. It became an anthem for millions. All lifted up by his music.

Tom Cochrane is heading back West now. The tour is called Duo.

Friday night in Medicine Hat, Saturday night  in Edmonton (Expo Centre)

Then to the coast and a complete tour of Vancouver Island.

Wednesday Victoria

Thursday Courtney

Friday Nanaimo

Sunday Campbell River

Monday, Nov 20 – Duncan (in the Cowichan)

www.tomcochrane.com

Mike Grgich – His 1976 Napa Chardonnay in USA/France blind tasting in Paris was The Shot Heard Round the World.

Winemaker Mike Grgich died Dec 13^th 2023.  He was 100 years old.

This is his story,  as told to yours truly into a nasty microphone in the lobby of the Hotel Vancouver 2016.

He had just released his memoir A Glass Full of Miracles.

(Note – on his way from Croatia to Napa he travelled across the Atlantic and by train across Canada to Vancouver for a lumberjack job he had applied for. The job was gone by the time he reached the west coast. So,  Mike washed dishes until he heard of a winemaking job in Napa and South he went)

Steven Spurrier, a wine expert from England who ran a fine wine shop in Paris, decided it would be fun to organize a blind tasting to coincide with America’s Bicentennial celebrations in 1976. For the tasting, he gathered together the best French judges, and the finest French wines, and to salute America on its 200th anniversary he added in a few wines from some upstart winemakers in California. Steven hoped the tasting would bring favourable attention to his wine shop. But he didn’t have any idea of the impact that his Bicentennial tasting would have on the world of wine.

André Tchelistcheff, along with Jim Barrett, had hand-carried an armload of California wines to Paris for the competition. The blind tasting was held at the InterContinental Hotel in the center of Paris. The morning competition was devoted to white wines and the afternoon to reds. And Steven Spurrier brought together the very best white wines of Burgundy: a 1973 Meursault-Charmes, a 1973 Beaune Clos des Mouches, a 1973 Bâtard-Montrachet, and a 1972 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles.

Alongside these French legends, there was the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay crafted by Mike Grgich, and other Chardonnays from California that the French judges had never heard of either. The judges expected to sniff and gag when they tasted the California wines.

But it didn’t happen that way. The nine French judges blind-tasted the white wines and graded each of them. The winner was the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that Mike Grgich had made, with 132 points, the highest total scored of any of the wines, red or white, in the tasting. It was the champion! Then, to add insult to injury, the third and fourth places went to Chalone Vineyard and Spring Mountain Vineyard.

In the afternoon tasting of the red wines, the French judges gave their top ranking to Warren Winiarski for his 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, beating the best wines of Bordeaux, among them a 1970 Château Mouton-Rothschild, a 1970 Château Haut Brion, a 1970 Château Montrose from Saint-Estèphe, and a 1971 Château Léoville-Las-Cases from Saint-Julien.

The judges were shocked as was Steven Spurrier.

Upstarts from Napa Valley had won both categories, against the very best wines of France. The French judges were speechless and a few tried to suppress the results, but without success. The following week, George Tabor’s story in Time magazine announced the American triumph, and it sent shock waves throughout the world of wine. Mike received the news that they had won by a congratulatory telegram from Jim Barrett in Paris. That was the first he learned that his wine was even in the competition.

Soon, though, the importance of what had happened began to sink in..

On July 4, 1977, Mike Grgich and Austin Hills, of the Hills Bros. Coffee Company, broke ground to start Grgich Hills Cellar, which from the start sold wines that were in high demand, based on Mike Grgich’s reputation as the winemaker who won the Paris Tasting. Gradually, the winery purchased 366 acres, spread over five vineyards within the Napa Valley, allowing all Grgich Hills wines to be produced solely from estate-grown grapes. In recognition of that significant achievement, the winery changed its name to Grgich Hills Estate.

The Paris Tasting revolutionized the wine world, establishing Napa Valley’s reputation as a world-class wine region! First, it shattered the myth that only French soil can produce world-class wines. For decades New World winemakers had all been stuck in that mindset and this finally broke through it.  Second, the victory pumped new energy into the California wine industry, particularly in Napa Valley. Vintners were proud to be part of what was a revolution in American wine but they still had a long way to go. So they redoubled their efforts to make better wines each year.

California’s victory also inspired other winemakers in different parts of the world. Breaking the myth of French superiority gave new hope and energy to winemakers in South Africa, Italy, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and even in Mike’s native Croatia. Now they joined the race to make world-class wines, and as the years unfolded California winemakers also shared with them their technology and know-how. As part of that effort, Mike returned to Croatia in 1996 and started a new winery in order to share what he had learned with young winemakers in his homeland.

George Taber, the Time magazine journalist who first reported the tasting, in 2005 wrote a detailed account of the event and its impact in his book, “Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine.” 

As a result of his historic contributions to making world-class wine in California, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich was inducted into the Vintner Hall of Fame in 2008.

A Hollywood version of this story was true but not by much.  It was called Bottleshock.

We salute the great Mike Grgich.

Can a 3-year-old change the direction of a band?

This week the return of the force known as Paul Janeway – leader of  St Paul and the Broken Bones. Checking in from Birmingham Alabama.

We’re going to be talking about their latest album Angels in Science Fiction

Paul tells us it's a turning point for the band after 10 years together.

Even though the core members are mostly unchanged,  this is not the soul band that swept over all of music in 2012 with the EP Greetings from St Paul and the Broken Bones.

Now 5 albums later they’re taking their fans in another more introspective direction., The funk and groove can still be found but now Paul is writing and singing about being a father and his conversation with his wife about

“do what kind of  world are we bringing our daughter into?” They had a daughter.

Songs with lyrics like

“Dust to Dust”

“Try your best to make a difference. Starting with the people around you”

Songs about denial, fear, and acceptance.

There’s a renewed sense of spirituality throughout the album.

One question I wanted to include was

“how will these songs mesh live with the horn/soul band songs that you were playing over the past 10 years”.

Lots of stories and discussions.

Two things – they play the Saskatoon Jazz Festival on July 8

And the Calgary Stampede July 9

AND

Her name is Marigold.

We know Ottawa-born Sue Foley from the blues albums she’s created and released. Plus Multiple blues awards on both sides of the border.
Her new album is One Guitar Woman. A tribute to the female pioneers of guitar.

This was/is a very personal journey for Sue. She’s studied the many women who played guitar before her and left their legacy to study and pass on.
Female singers and players like Memphis Minnie, Elizabeth Cotten, Maybelle Carter, Sister Rosetta Tharp, Geeshe Wiley,  Lydia Mendoza etc.
Many tales and tunes are connected to the album.

Four-time Blues Foundation Traditional Female Artist award winner, Sue Foley’s new album One Guitar Woman is a heartfelt tribute to the female pioneers of the guitar - including Memphis Minnie, Lydia Mendoza, Maybelle Carter, Ida Presti, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The album showcases the dexterity of Foley’s acoustic nylon string guitar skills as she expands on her blues playing into other genres like Piedmont fingerpicking, traditional country, the Carter Scratch,  flamenco and classical.

“From the time I decided to be a professional guitar player, I’ve always looked for female role models. These are the women who were expressing themselves through the instrument as far back as the 1920’s, at the inception of radio and recorded music. They are the trailblazers and visionaries whose footsteps I walk in,” 

Sue  Foley.

Two Canadian icons join forces and become partners in music.

One is/was Gord Downie. Lead singer and songwriter of The Tragically Hip.

Truly beloved. And hugely missed after losing his fight to cancer but going out in a blaze of a song with The Hip and the last Cross Canada Tour.

The other is Bob Rock. Known for his production work with Metallica, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Ron Sexsmith and The Tragically Hip.

Bob tells the story of how they became friends and how Gord contacted him and asked if he had any tracks he hadn’t used because he had  words he hadn’t used..” so let's put them together”

The album took years to complete but when they last met. Gord says to Bob “Please finish it”

Bob Rock on Gord Downie and their album Lustre Parfait Saturday on MulliganStew.ca

Two Words. Bruce Cockburn.

Having sold more than nine million albums worldwide, acclaimed songwriter, performer, author, and activist Bruce Cockburn is a member of both the Canadian Songwriter and Canadian Music Hall of Fame, a winner of Folk Alliance’s People’s Voice Award, as well 13 JUNO Awards.

Bruce  Cockburn has written almost 400 songs. Released 34 albums over a 50 year span. Who better to gather up his rarities and present them as partners with his hits? The man has rarities.

His new album RARITIES  contains music for a film (Going down the Road)

Music honoring Mississippi John Hurt, Kenji Miyazawa, William Hawkins, Gordon Lightfoot, Pete Seeger, Mississippi Sheiks, etc.

Unreleased demos and music for benefits.

AND  many stories.,

It's basically a mini-history of Bruce Cockburn’s place in Canadian music.

We also talk about his next new album – O Sun O Moon ( May).

His Tour dates through Canada in February

And his connection to Joni Mitchell.

Bruce Tour Dates

Feb 2 – Royal Victoria

Feb 4 – Centre Theatre Vancouver

Feb 5 – Community Theatre Kelowna

Feb 6 – Singer Calgary

Feb 8 – Winspear Edmonton

www.brucecockburn.com

Wonderful article from Charles P. Pierce   Esquire Magazine May 25

Let's get the whole gang together: Davey Moore, Hattie Carroll, Hollis Brown, Einstein disguised as Robin Hood, the motorcycle black Madonna two-wheeled gypsy queen, Ma Rainey, and Beethoven, John the Baptist, the Commander In Chief, Louis The King, Napoleon in rags, Lucille, Johanna, Sweet Marie, John Wesley Harding, St. Augustine, the joker, the thief, Big Jim, Lily, Rosemary, and most of all, the Jack of Hearts, Rubin Carter, Isis, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Blackjack Davey, Charlie Patton. All of them. Play me a song, Mr. Wolfman Jack, because if you want to remember, you better write down the names.

Bob Dylan turned 83 on Friday. All of him did. All of them did. All the personae, the entire kaleidoscope of masks, the false fronts and head fakes, and, finally, the last, and in many ways, best of them all. The travelling storyteller, the seanchai as the people in the old country would call him. Out on the endless tour, up the endless highway. I think of him and I think of Turlough O'Carolan, the legendary blind Irish harper who would travel the countryside, composing his songs on the spot for whomever would give him food and drink. Go back further. Go back to Homer. Sing to him, O muse. When Dylan dropped "Murder Most Foul," virtually out of a clear blue sky, blessing us with it as consolation for the years when America had gone so terribly wrong, it was Homer of whom I thought, poet and historian both, protector of the shadowland between myth and reality, chronicler of what Greil Marcus called "the old, weird America," a phrase I wish I'd written.

He'll be around all summer, travelling with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp and a whole clutch of other artists in something called the Outlaw Music Festival Tour. It's a high-priced extravaganza but, in a very real way, he's just on the road, heading for another joint. Move along, brother Bob. The highway, as you taught us, is for gamblers, and we take what we have gathered from coincidence.

Here’s a collection of comments and reflections from Dylan's artistic partners and others just sharing the same spaces with Bob. Interviews I’ve done over the years to be added to when Dylan turns 85.

Interviews with

David Bowie

Robbie Robertson

Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks

The Avett Brothers

Barney Bentall and Steve Dawson

Greg Keelor (Blue Rodeo)

And Colin Linden (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings)

Wine and Dine – Tofino June i/2.

The second story takes place next weekend June 1 and 2 in one of Earth’s most beautiful places -  Tofino,  British Columbia. The western edge of Canada on Vancouver island. The community includes surfing, golfing, fishing, underwater adventures and an unusual gathering of chefs. It is where they come to learn how to create seafood dishes and cook with what the forest and oceans give them – and surf their minds out.

It's the second annual Wine and Dine gathering on the front lawns of Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort.

All of the details can be found at  www.tofinowinedine.com 

Our guests are the organizers and founders  of Tofino Wine & dine

Ronnie Lee and Ryan Orr.

“Could the King of Country Music be the daughter, not the son”

The 5th Tami Neilson Album is called Kingmaker.

The song Kingmaker “addresses the gatekeepers and kingmakers who hold tightly to the keys of equity and minorities in the music industry and, more largely, society as a whole.”

It's an amazing breakthrough album for this Canadian/New Zealand singer and songwriter.

The song Beyond the Stars is about loss and grief.  Tami lost her Father.  As Tami wrote the song, she kept hearing a duet with her father's voice. She thought the best voice on the planet should sing her Father Ron’s lyric – Willie Nelson.  Willie was fully in,  as he had just lost his sister.

Tami moves through, blues, country, rock, and roots, with an ease that comes from years of street busking.

As we talked via Zoom I was thrilled to tell her that she had the number 1 album on the CKUA Top 30.

For a total treat,  check out the Zoom video on our TDM - YouTube Channel. (TerydavidMulligan)

They are Canadian music royalty.  Who better to have joined us on the Canada Day weekend than Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo?

AND  Jim brings his 6^th solo album All the World Fades Away.

There is much to talk about. In the first half of the Podcast Greg and Jim take us through Blue Rodeo's plans for their 40^th year together in 2025.

Taking part in the Lightfoot celebration at Massey Hall. Being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.. Then Greg bugs out and Jim and I talk about his 6^th solo album with The Jim Cuddy band.

It's called All the world fades away and it’s a beauty.

Stories about his Father, our friend the late  John Mann and his family, his early years on The Yukon, and his duet with Greg on the solo album. The dialogue between the two of them on the meaning of the song is WILD!

We talk tours and plans for the year.  Comments about playing the Canmore and Edmonton Folk Festivals this summer. Our thanks to the boys...

Enjoy – Happy Canada Day

@TerryDavidMulligan talks with Canada’s punk poet laureate, Art Bergmann has been tearing up stages, and terrifying the music industry, for half a century. Often referred to as “Canada’s Lou Reed,” Art’s story is one of rock and roll’s great tales untold. Until now. From his days helping to lay the foundation of the Vancouver punk scene with The K-Tels, to his acclaimed solo work in the ’80s and ’90s, and a late career resurgence that has culminated with being named to the Order of Canada, The Longest Suicide chronicles every unlikely twist and turn Art’s life has taken.

Working with veteran music journalist Jason Schneider, Art lays it all out in his own inimitable way, with dozens of people who took part adding their own voices to corroborate (and sometimes dispute) the often-incredible chain of events. With cameos by John Cale, Bob Rock, The Clash, Bob Geldof and many others, The Longest Suicide is both a triumphant story of personal survival, as well as a unique glimpse inside the rise of alternative rock. Above all, it is a tribute to Canada’s most unheralded singer-songwriter, whose greatness is only now being widely recognized.

Illustrated throughout.

From the Introduction:
“The story of Art Bergmann’s career is perceived by many to be a succession of failures, but the story of Art’s life? If Art doesn’t have the best story, it is always the most magical.”
— Michael Turner, author of Hard Core Logo

Praise for The Longest Suicide:
“ a brisk, plain-spoken and thoroughly well-researched rip through the genuinely wild, wild life of a genuinely committed rock-’n’-roller.”
— The Toronto Star

Welcome to the first Podcast of 2023.

Two guests  - From the Gulf Islands of BC The Family Curse and from the US deep south Early James. 

You may not have heard of A Family Curse but you’ve certainly heard of the Family Father – Neil Osborne. Founder, singer, songwriter, and vocalist for 54.40.

He’s joined by his daughter Kandle.  I love the fact that they imply that their music is “found material”.  That’s where some of the best music lives.

Kandle has been making music and finding herself in Montreal but at heart, Kandle and Neil are west coast islanders.

Check out their self-titled album and crazy videos.

FYI – 54.40 play The Grand Prairie North Winter Festival  next Saturday, Jan 14th

March 3 at Midway in Edmonton

March 4 Deerfoot Inn in Calgary

The second guest is Early James from Birmingham, Alabama.

Early got a guitar in his hands at a  very young age and started writing songs and gigging with friends.

He came to the attention of Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, who offered to produce his first album What a strange time to be alive!

His songs are strong but his voice is very unique. Like a young/old  Tom Waits.

I just looked at his tour dates…he’s crazy busy

All over Europe, then Australia, and mid-year everywhere in the  USA.

Please welcome Early James to the Mulligan Stew Podcast

NEXT WEEK – Doug and the Slugs Documentary

Robbie Robertson passed away Aug 9, 2023.

We were born a year apart and once we were both making and playing music we crossed paths over the years.

What was special about the relationship was that we talked like two friends who loved the same music and artists.

I was fascinated by his Indigenous roots and he couldn’t believe that I had been a Mountie.

We discovered that we both found our musical roots through late-night radio. I was completely in awe of the Border Radio of  Wolfman Jack on XERB Del Rio Texas. Hard driving r&b, blues, conjunto and zydeco at midnight. Radio under the blankets and pillows.

Robbie was doing the very same thing in downtown Toronto and with his Mom’s family at  Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve.

Robbie of course went on to become a legendary guitarist and songwriter.

From Ronnie Hawkins Hawks to The Band to playing with Bob Dylan when he decided to introduce electric backing to his folk audience. They were decidedly not happy with Bob or The Band.

Robbie, Levon, Garth, Rick and Richard created historic music.  First in the basement of Big  Pink in Woodstock with Dylan then on their own.

The songs became the fabric of what was to become Roots and Americana Music.

Several became anthems.

The Weight, The Night they drove old Dixie down, Up on Cripple Creek. All three were written by Robbie.

I was lucky enough to be in the audience at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco for The Last Waltz.  November 25, 1976. Their final concert.

The only reason I got into that magical event was because Robbie had invited me to come.

I did interviews with him while he mixed the film’s audio a year later.

Another one was when the  Martin Scorsese film actually came out in 1978 and another was when Robbie released his autobiography,  Testimony.

Some interviews are locked away in network archives and some are lost.

However, in putting this special together I did discover, at the last minute,  another partial interview and I’ve added it into the Mulligan Stew Podcast.

It's nearly impossible to include every project that Robbie either planned or executed. He was never not busy creating.

However, I’ll leave you with a partial awards list.

The Band and/or  Robbie were inducted into the Juno Hall of Fame, Rock Hall of Fame, Aboriginal Lifetime Achievement Award,  Canada’s Walk of Fame, Songwriting Hall of Fame, Govern General’s Performing Arts Awards for Life Time Achievement, Grammy Lifetime Achievement, Order of Canada, and many more.

Robbie and I talk, The Hawks, Bob Dylan, growing up at Six Nations, heading for the Mississippi Delta as a 16 year., The Last Waltz (and one magic moment) and talks about his three most famous songs.

If I'm lucky enough to locate more of our interviews, I’ll add them to the Podcast mix and repost them.

Thank you all..for Remembering Robbie and his life!

The last time I had the privilege of interviewing Rhiannon Giddens it was in 2017 at Edmonton Folk Fest.

In the next five years, she became a World star.

For example:

In October 2017, Giddens was named one of the 2017 class of MacArthur "Genius" Fellows.

In 2017 and 2018, Giddens appeared in the fifth and sixth seasons of the CMT's 

In January 2018, Giddens co-produced Songs of Our Native Daughters for Smithsonian Folkways.

in early 2018, the Nashville Ballet announced that Rhiannon Giddens has been commissioned to write the music for Lucy Negro, Redux. In 2019, Giddens released two studio albums: Songs of Our Native Daughters  and There Is No Other with Italian musician Francesco Turrisi

Giddens earned an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for her lasting impact on the UNCG community and her work in music. In 2023, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music from Princeton University

In other words, the last 5-6 years have been a delightful blur.

Thus my first question was …what do you remember of the last 5 years?

If anyone is going to change music in her lifetime – it's Rhiannon Giddens!!

Enjoy.

Christopher Waters has been writing about wine for two decades. He is the wine and spirits columnist at The Globe and Mail, education director of IWEG Drinks Academy and a WSET certified instructor at the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, Brock University.

For 21 years, he was the editor/co-founder of Canada's largest circulation wine publication, VINES, and author of the nationally syndicated column, Waters & Wine.
An internationally recognized wine judge.  Chris has developed and conducted masterclasses and seminars and moderated panels for organizations, such as The Wine Marketing Association of Ontario, Wines of British Columbia, Wines of Chile, Wines of Germany and Wines of South Africa.

That’s what the bio says.

Here’s what it didn’t tell you.

Anyone with a passionate interest in all things wine has always sought out the wine column in The Globe and Mail.

It has a history of getting the facts and figures right.  With not a whiff of hype anywhere, the column becomes a tutorial that can be trusted and held close.

Yes, there are times it completely geeks out and becomes a wine version of Wordle.  That’s to be expected because it's like a weekly master class on wine and wine culture.

Chris Waters was the perfect person to take over the master class from retiring Beppi Crosariol.

After tasting Q&A (Red Blend)  and Q&A MRV  (Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier) Chris requested a Zoom interview with myself, winemaker Michal Mosny (Winemakers

Cut) and our partner Jason Priestley.

[caption id="attachment_26785" align="alignnone" width="837"] tdm and jason
Globe&mail[/caption]

Michal and I get to tell the story of how he was convinced to move himself and his wife from Slovakia to Oliver, BC after watching our wine program Hollywood and Vines.

Michael Mosny

After listening to the Zoom audio recording,  I realized I was really liking a  very open and revealing Chris Waters.  Have a listen as Chris talks about how he finds the magic in the wines he tastes, how the wine world is going through rapid changes and what makes a wine truly special and what can make it truly not!

Ps.. Chris gave Q&A 91 Points and MSV 92 points. “truly exciting”

Enjoy Chris Waters Globe and Mail Wine Columnist

Thanks to Michal Mosny and Jason Priestley.

(and Chad Oakes. Producer of H&V)

Robbie and look back at Nov 25 1976 and the final concert by The Band at the Winterland Ballroom in SF.

Called The Last Waltz.

This is a combination of 2 interviews I did over the past few years 

Complete interview on the Mulligan Stew Podcast and the video version on the TerryDavidMulligan YouTube Channel 

My pal Jason Priestley and I have stepped into the world of wine. The difference is, we’re not consumers,  we’re partners with winemaker Michael Mosny at Winemakers Cut in Oliver, BC.

Jason for several years had been an investor in Black Hills Winery, the maker of the iconic Nota Bene.

After the sale of Black Hills, I continued to search for exceptional terroir capable of producing a peerless Bordeaux-style blend. Throughout this journey, I merged paths with Terry and then Michal. Together, we questioned what we already know, over and over again,” said Priestley. “After looking everywhere, all roads lead to one answer and the answer is once again in the Okanagan. This time, the difference is in the details, with a focus on elegance and finesse.”

“I heard about Canadian wine for the first time from Terry and Jason’s international television show, Hollywood and Vines TV, and it quickly became my passion  They are the reason why I decided to move here with my wife in 2012 and make wines in the Okanagan Valley.”   Slovakian-Canadian Michal Mosny is the proprietor of Winemaker’s CUT, an acclaimed winery based in the District Wine Village in Oliver, BC.

Q&A started rolling out in November of 2022. It's just now starting to show up on select wine store shelves and restaurant wine lists.

It’s a Bordeaux-inspired blend ..

45% Cabernet Sauvignon

38% Merlot

13% Cabernet Franc

4% Petit Verdot

100% Yummy!

Here’s the first Q&A gabfest on The Mulligan Stew Podcast

Dominique Fils-Aimé presents her fourth album Our Roots Run Deep.

Dominique Fils-Aimé is a JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter from Montreal. Her new album invites us to deep dive into the roots of her soul with a strong desire to connect with one's higher self and the desire to surround you in a soothing aural embrace.

On stage, whether in Canada, in Europe or the USA,  Dominique Fils-Aimé’s magnetic presence on stage leads the audience on a transcendent journey.

The Montreal-based JUNO award-winning singer-songwriter put the history of African-American musical culture into the heart of her work, reflecting on the social realities that influenced the genres of blues, jazz and soul. Her previous trilogy shed light on the history of Afro-American music, inspired by soul icons such as Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Etta James.

2018's Nameless, was about confronting historical silences and sorrows. This blues-tinged album led to two sold-out shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2018.

Her second album, Stay Tuned! was a call for revolution. This album won the 2020 JUNO Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

 Dominique Fils-Aimé [FEES-em-AY]  closed the final chapter of the trilogy with Three Little Words, a call for reconciliation. The record received rave reviews in prestigious publications all around the world. It made the Polaris Short List and claimed the #1 spot for best-selling album in Quebec and #2 in Canada.

In her fourth album entitled Our Roots Run Deep, Dominique crafts her latest album with a loose, dreamlike narrative structure that tells a story of growth. For Dominique, nature acts as an anchor and creates the unique but interconnected journey of a human being.

"Just as we cannot see the mycorrhizal network that allows trees in a forest to communicate with each other underground," says Dominique. "I believe our souls do the same and that music can be a fertilizer for this invisible communication network."

Dominique!

Saturday night  Feb 17 Dominique is appearing at Calgary’s Block Heater festival at Central United Church. When she takes the stage at 8:55 Dominique will not only charm the audience in the Church but will be streamed live on the CKUA Radio Network. Province-wide in Alberta and heard on the CKUA App.

www.mulliganstew.ca

Rebecca and Megan Lovell are Larkin Poe  -  "we are students of the blues"

Georgia Born – Nashville Based.

Friday they released their 6^th studio album Blood Harmony

When I hear the title,  I think of the sound of their voices - together!

Just like all of the great ones...

The Every Brothers

The Beach Boys

Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart

Neville Brothers.

Wood Brothers

Staple Singers.

Bros. Landreth

Brothers Gibb

What they all have in common is family and the blood ties that go with it.

Sisters and Brothers have always made exceptional music – usually because they started as kids in grade school and worked at their harmonies as they grew up.  It's second nature – like breathing.

The bonus with Larkin Poe is they play like they sing..and walk a fine line between roots, blues, rock, and gospel.

Rebecca and Megan bring with them stories and kind words about Canadian festivals and audiences.

After all, they talk about being True North in their music. When explained that those words are in the Canadian Anthem, they celebrate the connection.

Complete interview on Mulligan Stew Podcast and video version on Terry David Mulligan YouTube Channel

FRESH new music from Larkin Poe.

It's festival season. Full ON.

Everywhere you go someone is kicking off a festival.

We’re concentrating on the music festivals of Western Canada.

I couldn’t do them all…

Vancouver Island and Winnipeg  festivals  have started

This weekend our guests are – artistic directors Kerry Clark from the Calgary Folk Fest and Fiona Black from the Vancouver Folk Fest.

We finish our festival updates on July 20 with Jenna Klein Waller artistic director from Canmore Festival and Terry Wickham artistic director of Edmonton Folk Music Festival.

Check out the artist lineups at

www.calgaryfolkfest.com  July 25-28

www.thefestival.bc.ca  July 19-21

The Vivian Line is unlikely to land on anyone’s hip/hot list. Rather Sexsmith, now pushing 60, is content to churn out radiant, sublime, transcendent music that unobtrusively exists in its own delicate bubble, inviting us in to join him on his unique musical path.

American Songwriter

Ron Sexsmith’s albums have always had a generally laid-back vibe, but in recent years this has become ever more wistful and soothing, a listening experience rather like snuggling up in a favourite blanket and letting your troubles wash away. Sign me up.

Folk Radio UK

Those already deeply appreciative of Ron’s songwriting chops include a stellar list of vocalists to have recorded Sexsmith compositions. That group includes such international stars as Rod Stewart, Emmylou Harris, Nick Lowe, plus Canadian favourites Michael Bublé, Feist and k.d. lang. Sexsmith’s work has also elicited effusive praise from the likes of Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Steve Earle and Chris Martin, to name just a few. Over the course of a recording career now spanning 36 years, Ron has been nominated for 12 Juno awards, winning three times.

Now it’s time to visit The Vivian Line. Explore, linger, enjoy.”

Tinnitist

I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Ron Sexsmith many times..over the course of his 17 albums.

I like diving into deep conversations with him as much as I truly love his songs and melodies.

I also admire what he stands for.  No co-writes, no writing by committee,  no bending and shaping to suit the music fans who still don’t know who he is.

However, when he plays live, you know the room is filled with people who “get it” and it really does feel like a community.

So what is it he “does’?

Ron Sexsmith writes songs that you find yourself humming, and sings in an ever-developing soft voice that still resonates with character. His lyrics are thoughtful, kind and etched with very dry humour.

I loved this conversation with Ron. I hope you do as well.

His 17^th album is now out – it’s called The Vivian Line.

Named after a rural road connection between his old home in Toronto to his new country home in Stratford.

FYI – There’s a reference to Richard Manual from The Band. He was born in the area and there’s a bench in his memory in the countryside that Ron will visit when he’s on his creative walks.

Discover Ron Sexsmith. Your heart will thank you many times over.

AC Newman returns to The Stew with the 7^th New Pornographers studio album Continue as a Guest.

The New P’s have been acclaimed since forming in Vancouver 1997. 

They were dubbed a Super Group. 

They weren’t  so much super as stellar.

A great blend of melodies,  hooks, word puzzles and fine harmonies.

Pitchfork has described the band's sound as "peppy, gleeful, headstrong guitar pop",^[3] while Stereogum called the band's debut album Mass Romantic as "one of the greatest and most immediate power pop albums ever rendered”

I found Carl at home in Woodstock NY. Having followed the band’s early years in Vancouver,  we had lots to talk about.

Feb 9^th Alan Doyle releases his next album Welcome Home

Feb 10 he guests on Mulligan Stew

“I have always struggled with the middle ground. I love playing live so much and I have rightly been accused of writing songs more for concerts than albums. Most people who come to my shows want that kind of night out. So, I have overlooked the lower and slower: The lower part of my vocal range and the slower songs. I’m letting myself do that for the first time on this record.”

Alan’s 6^th solo album and 20^th of his career. Alan is celebrating 30 years in music.

He’s been co-writing songs for Welcome Home with Donovan Woods, Jimmy Rankin and actor Oscar Isaac.

Alan starts a 45-night North American tour Feb 20 with 2 nights in Kelowna. 

Feb 29 – Edmonton  N Jube

March 1  Calgary  S Jube

March 9 Massey Hall

Alan Doyle is a first-class storyteller who takes us through the songs and stories.

We talk about Tell Tale Harbour the play he produced.

Also was involved in The Tribute to Ron Hynes Album

And he has yet another best-selling book coming.

The beautiful Alan Doyle and his beautiful,  beautiful band charging into 2024. At CKUA

Every once in a while there’s a week that goes by that is blessed with great conversations.
Somewhere down that road, I decided that instead of choosing one interview over the other, why not have them both share the podcast.
March 2, 2008, was the day gifted singer/songwriter and truly remarkable man Jeff Healey lost his battle with cancer.
We had a great long-distance friendship. Every time we reconnected, we fell into an easy chatter that always ended up in laughter. Good man.
I was gutted by his loss. Still am.
Roger Costa is the co-administrator/archivist of The Estate of Jeff Healey.
He’s currently  leading the production team shooting the documentary
See the Light: The Jeff Healey Story.

That film and my interview with Roger will come later this year or early 2025.
In the meantime, I wanted to remember Jeff on March 2 with someone who knows him well. Roger Costa.


Harry Hertscheg is a regular listener to this Podcast. He listens to it while biking through busy Vancouver traffic to and from work.
Work is being executive director of the hugely successful VanWineFest which is just wrapping up. 
Almost 20,000 wine fans have attended seminars, winemakers dinners and large and small tastings.
The feature region is Italy. 71 Italian wineries sent their best.
Next year the feature region is the USA.
Here’s a conversation with the completely engaging and informative Harry Hertscheg.
Enjoy the ride Harry.

Two remarkable guests this week

Celeigh Cardinal and her new album Boundless Possibilities and Bridget Kearney – Bassist and songwriter for Lake Street Dive

We welcome back to The Mulligan Stew and the Podcast Edmonton’s Nuela Charles. The last visit was just before the 2018 Junos. She had one of her 3 Juno nominations in her sights.

Her self-titled 4th album was released Friday. It’s the best yet.

Always impressed with her work ethic, passion for the writing and creating of her music, and the honesty with which she takes us through the process.

We’ve included three tracks in the Podcast

Heavy

Worthy

Don’t get It

Check out the rest of the Nuela Charles album.  It's engaging and engaging!! 

It’s about Nuela,  her journey, and the power of being yourself. 

Nuela was born in Kenya and raised in Switzerland, Canada, and the Bahamas, before settling down full-time in Edmonton, Alberta.

I asked Nuela if the influences of those countries could be found in her music but she surprised me by saying “I’m a rock/pop artist. I grew up on rock. That’s what I like’

She has also shared the stage as direct support for some of Canada’s musical icons including Sam Roberts Band, Jann Arden, and Stars. Additionally, she has been nominated for multiple awards including three JUNO Awards for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year. This year the SOCAN Foundation announced Nuela as a winner of the second annual Her Music Award.

Nuela has amassed over 4 million career streams to date, and placements on hit shows such as Jane the Virgin, Tiny Pretty Things, House of Lies, The Order and Finding Carter.

A native of Vancouver but currently residing in Nashville, where he works as a solo artist, sideman, and record producer,  Steve has forged an impressive career full of highlights and awards, including: 

• 7 Juno Awards as artist/producer, 18 times nominated
• 3 times named "Producer Of The Year" at Western Canadian Music Awards
• 4 times named "Producer Of The Year" at Canadian Folk Music Awards
• Recipient of many other awards including Maple Blues Awards, Grand Prix De Jazz De Montreal, Blues Blast Awards, and many Western Canadian Music Awards and Canadian Folk Awards as an artist and producer

Steve’s multi-faceted career has brought him to countless international festivals, working on the stage and in the studio with an extensive cast of musicians, including John Hammond, Sonny Landreth, Van Dyke Parks, David Hidalgo, Colin James, Jim Byrnes, Jill Barber, Dave Alvin, Joe Henry, Tim O'Brien, Fats Kaplin, Colin James, The McCrary Sisters, Matt Chamberlain, Del Rey, Birds of Chicago, Allison Russell, Long John Baldry, Bruce Cockburn, Kelly Joe Phelps, Linda McRae, CR Avery, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Geoff Muldaur, Scott Amendola, Danny Barnes, The Deep Dark Woods, Colin Linden, Big Dave McLean, and many others.

Steve's studio, The Henhouse, located in Nashville (and previously in Vancouver)  has hosted countless artists and been the home to over 80 releases. With a beautifully warm and organic setting to stay and record, it promises to become a destination for many more to come.

His groundbreaking work with Jesse Zubot in Zubot and Dawson kicked things off in 1998, leading to 2 albums with Toronto jazz stalwarts Andrew Downing and Kevin Turcotte in the award-winning Great Uncles of the Revolution. Steve’s solo recording output started with 2001’s award-winning acoustic “Bug Parade”, he next explored blues and Hawaiian influences in depth with “We Belong To The Gold Coast” in 2005. 2008 saw the release of 2 albums – “Telescope” which was the culmination of studies with Greg Leisz and featured music written for the pedal steel guitar, and “Waiting For The Lights To Come Up”, a collection of new songs. He followed that with 2011's acclaimed "Nightshade", which Acoustic Guitar magazine named to it’s Top-10 guitar albums of the year. 2014’s “Rattlesnake Cage” – was an award-winning exploration of solo acoustic and slide guitar. Dawson’s 2018 release “Lucky Hand” is a mesmerizing collection of original fingerstyle and slide guitar instrumentals, 5 of which feature Dawson reuniting with his old cohort Jesse Zubot, who arranged incredible string quartet parts to flow with the music. Recorded live off the floor it brings together the American Primitive style Steve has often explored and cutting-edge strings to create music unlike anything you've heard before. Birds of Chicago, Allison Russell, Matt Anderson, etc.  Steve is also host and producer of the podcast Music Makers and Soul Shakers. 135 episodes in 6 years.

Steven has worked with artists from all over the world, and continues to work as a side-person and freelance musician both on stage and in the studio. Steve is also the creator of the well-loved Music Makers and Soul Shakers podcast, which has been going for over 6 years and 135 episodes.

He spent the last few years pre-pandemic on the road playing guitar, steel and dobro with Allison Russell’s band Birds of Chicago, and Canadian powerhouse Matt Andersen. He has produced, engineered and mixed over 100 albums for many artists from all over the world, and continues to work as a side-person and freelance musician both on stage and in the studio. Steve is also the creator of the well-loved Music Makers and Soul Shakers podca

In 2022/2023, Steve released 3 albums throughout the year - “Gone, Long Gone” is the first. From gentle fingerstyle folk tunes to blazing, funky Americana grooves, to Hawaiian-style slide guitar instrumentals, this album covers a lot of sonic territory.

The second album, “Phantom Threshold” came out on August 12, 2022 and is an all-instrumental sonic trip featuring the Telescope Three - Jay Bellerose on drums, Jeremy Holmes on bass, and Chris Gestrin on keyboards. All driven by the melodies and improvisations of Steve’s pedal steel guitar.

Now comes the promised third album Eyes Closed, Dreaming.  It’s filled with Albertan friend  Matt Patershuk co-writes and well chosen covers. Bobby Charles Small Town Talk, Ian Tyson’s  Long time to get old, Cowboy Jack Clements Guess things happen that way and the classic Singing the Blues.

Lots to talk about with long time friend Steve Dawson.

Steve’s current tour dates

April 20  Dream Cafe  Penticton

April 21 Rogue Folk Club Vancouver

April 22 Bozzini’s Chilliwack

April 28  First Church of Christ Scientist Victoria

May 3 The Basement Saskatoon

May 4 The Aviary Edmonton

May 5 Festival Hall Calgary

For years, there have been multiple wine competitions no matter what country or region.

The BC wine industry is no exception.

The latest wine awards are The BC Top 50 wines and Wine of the Year as part of the 2024 Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, which is on now.

Friday night the results were announced at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre and then hundreds descended on the trade floor to do their own judging.

Kimberly Hundertmark, the GM of The Wine Fests said on Tasting Room Radio last week that wineries were asked to send their very best releases.

We have two guests and dear friends on this Podcast. Both are wine stars and both were  judges at  this event

DJ Kearney.  A Global wine authority, educator and Director of Wine at Terminal City Club. Black Belt.

Rhys Pender – Master of Wine. Co-owner of Little Farm Wine in Cawston and owner of Wine Plus. World's greatest fisherman.