Hidden Track

She has that rare ability to draw the listener in.  Abigail Lapell 's songs, voice, and smouldering musical presence can bring a hush to even the loudest of barrooms. She just kind of  makes you want to lean in closer, and get lost in the elemental, otherworldly tales she weaves through song. So get ready to get lost! For this episode of  Hidden Track ,  Abigail joins us in live performance and co...

Newfoundland-based musicians Catherine Allan and Andrew James O'Brien are the couple behind Juno-nominated band Fortunate Ones . The band's latest album, That Was You and Me, released early in June of 2022. Fortunate Ones recently embarked on a tour alongside fellow East Coast artists, The Once and Old Man Luedecke. That tour, dubbed the Anchors Up! Tour finds the band performing shows in Alberta...

Colonialism. Beauty. Hate. Feminism. Privilege. Success. These aren't your average topics for a TV program created in the style of an old-school children's variety show. Of course, Lido Pimienta is anything but an average artist. For her brand-new project, Lido TV , the Polaris Prize-winning musician flexes a whole lot of creative multi-media muscle. Even longtime fans of her music may be surprise...

It's been said that over the past couple of years, we've all caught up, in one way or another, with the kind of dark and dystopian world view that's always been at the core of Preoccupations ' music. Autumn 2022 sees the release of the group's fourth full-length album, as well as their tenth anniversary as a band. Some of these musicians have known each other since they were little kids, and it's...

CONTENT WARNING: This episode of Hidden Track contains references to childhood trauma and abuse. Although the content does not go into explicit details, some listeners may find these topics of discussion uncomfortable.    It all happened quite naturally: Joey and David were born into Winnipeg music royalty, they each separately fell into careers as hotshot sidemen, eventually joined forces as The...

Crystal Shawanda is a gifted, inspiring artist who's been singing her heart out her whole life. She got her start in music as a kid growing up in the Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, and as a teenager, she followed her dreams all the way to Music City: Nashville, Tennessee. She quickly scored a house gig at one of Nashville's most storied honky-tonks, really paid her dues,...

Out September 23rd, 2022 via Sonic Records, Adam Baldwin's new album  Concertos & Serenades  is a study of the dark side of East Coast culture. It's a captivating collection of musical short stories and character portraits; a collection which, as Adam tells us in this episode, almost feels like it's halfway between an album and a true-crime podcast.   Adam Baldwin is an acclaimed, award-winning No...

If you've ever seen Ruthie Foster perform live, you'll have no trouble understanding why she's a member of the Texas Hall of Fame, a four-time Grammy nominee, and has been hailed as one of the most remarkable blues, folk and gospel voices of the 21st Century. As striking as she is as a musician, however, the road that's taken her there is every bit as compelling. She started off as a child star on...

Kicking off her recording career in the mid-1990s, Bif Naked became a platinum selling, chart-topping, Lilith Fair-headlining artist, fusing punk, pop, metal and dance... fearlessly following her own instincts, exploring often uncomfortable truths through her music, and always striving for boldness and authenticity in all things. On top of her life in music, Bif is also an author, poet, actor, yog...

Spoon, a critically acclaimed   rock band from Austin, Texas, consists of front man  Britt Daniel , drummer  Jim Eno ,  Ben Trokan  on bass, and guitarists (as well as keyboardists)  Alex Fischel  and  Gerard Larios . Critics have often described the band's musical style as "art rock" or "experimental rock."  Formed by Daniel and Eno in 1993, the band has released ten albums and undergone quite a...

Consisting of husband-and-wife duo  Raven Kanatakta  and  ShoShona Kish ,  Digging Roots is a JUNO Award-winning band that combines a strong social message with elements of folk-rock, pop, blues and hip-hop. They are a band that strongly believes in the transformative power of music and its healing effects, much like the traditional medicine in which their name is derived. As was the case with man...

Ghostkeeper is a greatly acclaimed Alberta band, and at the heart of that band is a truly great love story. The story of Sarah Houle-Lowry and Shane Ghostkeeper is woven all through the band's music. The Ghostkeeper story started when Sarah and Shane got together, having grown up in and around the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement at the very northernmost tip of Alberta's Peace River Country. Their...

"When I made Lavender Country, I wasn't planning on being the grandpappy of a music genre..." These days, queer voices in country music are not unheard of. In fact, many of the most successful artists in the country music world of 2022 are gay, and are outspoken about it, both in their music and otherwise. That certainly was not the case when Patrick Haggerty made his first album, the 1973 self-ti...

Bill Bourne was a collaborative, talented artist. Every song he wrote, every festival he played, and every project he touched was made better by his generous spirit and amazing musicianship. For generations, Bill's presence in the musical community of Alberta has been massive, and it ripples outwards all across Canada and the globe. This month, CKUA is in conversation with a cross-section of frien...

She's one of the biggest stars in the world of blues, a champion for (and of) guitar women everywhere, and she happens to be a Canadian. Sue Foley is in the spotlight for the April episode of CKUA's Hidden Track podcast. Sue reflects on her three-decade long career, heroes like trailblazing guitar heroes Memphis Minnie and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, her Guitar Woman research project, becoming a colleg...

She was born into Canada's first family of folk, the Wainwright/McGarrigles; but Martha Wainwright has always carved her own path, and led with her heart.   After a turbulent period of great struggle, she emerged recently with her first new album in five years, a triumphant record called  Love Will Be Reborn .   On the March episode of CKUA's Hidden Track podcast, Martha tells us about dealing wit...

"The Prairies got something to say." When he was awarded the 2021 Polaris Music Prize, Cadence Weapon spoke from the heart; giving a long, loving shout-out to his home town and province: Edmonton, Alberta. Rollie Pemberton a/k/a/ Cadence Weapon always been passionately proud of his roots. His family, his community, his hometown helped make him the renowned, respected creator he is today. And Caden...

As the world celebrates David Robert Haywood Jones' 75 th birthday, and marks the 6th anniversary of his passing, the musical legacy and cultural impact of David Bowie only continues to grow.    We'll explore his groundbreaking career and enduring influence with pre-eminent Bowie biographer Dylan Jones. We'll hear from Mark Plati, Bowie's co-producer and musical director on the fabled "lost" album...

Amos Garrett's solo on Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis" has often been cited as the greatest solo of all time. By the time he played on that 1973 hit, he'd already performed with Ian & Sylvia and Anne Murray. That's just the beginning of a legendary career of the most revered guitar stylists in all of roots music. He's recorded with everyone from Paul Butterfield to Emmylou Harris to Stevie...

They were alt-country before alt-country. By the time that became a buzz term in the mid-'90s, Jr. Gone Wild had a legendary career, and called it a day. Over 25 years later, the Alberta music scene remains imprinted by the band's work. The cow-punk trailblazers are back with their first album in 25 years, 'Still Got The Jacket'. On this episode, Grant Stovel talks with Corb Lund, Stony Plain foun...

They were an iconic band that re-wrote the rules of pop music. This November, ABBA will release their first studio album in 40 years, Voyage . And what a voyage it's been ! The band has racked up an astounding 28 UK Top 40 singles since their breakout moment on Eurovision back in 1974. Two of those chart-toppers are 2021 singles from their forthcoming album. According to Billboard, they've sold a...

Memphis soul legend William Bell was there for Otis Redding's meteoric rise as a trailblazing force in 1960s popular music. William was supposed to be on the fateful flight that claimed Otis' life on December 10th, 1967. He would go on to write and record a 1968 hit song dedicated to Otis called "A Tribute to a King". As we celebrate Otis Redding's remarkable life and career on what would have bee...

It's often been said that they became legends without ever becoming stars.  The Replacements ' last album was released in 1990, but their visionary work profoundly informed the artists who would roar into the mainstream that decade. August 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of the Replacements' ferocious, strident, snarly debut album  Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash ,  and so, we delve into th...

She was a musical visionary, a champion of women's voices in the male-dominated industry, a builder of connections between musical worlds, and a true Alberta treasure. Ellen McIlwaine's abilities as a vocalist and guitarist were seemingly endless in scope. She moved effortlessly between genres, styles, settings, and traditions. Her career is dotted with guest appearances by greats like Jimi Hendri...

k.d. lang's discography has explored everything from cowpunk, to smooth pop, to jazz. Their new album 'Makeover' may be the most delightful surprise of all! It's a stunning collection of dance remixes dating from 1992 to 2000. On this episode, we'll explore this fascinating "hidden zone" in their career. k.d. talks to us about the roots of their love for dance music. Plus, Tegan Quin of Tegan & Sa...