Led by the legendary, literate Celtic troubadour Mike Scott, The Waterboys began marrying Celtic themes to rock ‘n’ roll 30 years ago, and in the process created a sound that influenced a generation of musicians. Scott has made a career turning poetry into what has been called “the big music,” . . .
Before there was Martha, before Rufus hit the scene, Loudon Wainwright III was the guy in the spotlight at festivals, concerts, on television and radio for many years – and still is! This American songwriter, folk singer, humorist, and actor (and dad) has been a happening guy since the 1960s. He makes his first-ever appearance at the VFMF this year!
After spending nearly two decades as singer and fiddle player for the Grammy Award-winning bluegrass-folk hybrid (and family) band Nickel Creek, Sara Watkins stepped away from that marquee name, alone. Watkins then spent two years on the road with her new band, making stops at events such as the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the Newport Folk Festival...
Here’s a life and style pairing that has pundits making comparisons to Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, and Johnny & June Cash. A classic tale of musical romance continues for Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland, the husband and wife duo that is Whitehorse. Doucet and McClelland were both established and successful singer-songwriters in their own right, both before and after their marriage in 2006, but opted to put their solo careers on hold...
This Toronto-based country-folk / indie-rock collective's special brand of Americana-influenced sound and peerless on stage chemistry has earned them prominence as both studio creatures and road sojourners. It's also won them a nomination for best Roots & Traditional Album of the Year at the 2013 JUNOs. Shifting from lilting, finger-picked folk ballads and rustic, sepia-toned country twang to skipping indie rock...
She began her musical education as a classically-trained harpist at the young age of 8, but switched her focus to vocals later on. She worked with the Cairo Opera while attending music university, and has deep roots in Arabic traditional music. As a freelance and in-demand Cairo studio back-up singer for different Arabian pop stars, her soulful voice graced hundreds of recordings...
Laetitia Zonzambé-YAGNIMÉ uses her gifted and colourful voice to express universal human emotions. "There are no borders for those feelings," she says. Born in Bangui, the capital and the largest city in the Central African Republic, Laetitia experienced deeply how the world can be at the same time very open, a place where a common humanity is shared, and also very closed...