Hidden Track

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...

When he quit the band Fairport Convention at 21, Richard Thompson had already revolutionized folk rock, and become a roots music icon. That was just the beginning of his astounding half-century-long career! It's a journey he traces in his new book, Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice (1967-1975). On this episode, Richard Thompson joins us to reflect on his influential and fascinating care...

He was a celebrated singer-songwriter, activist, award-winning documentarian, and a true trailblazer. As a musician, Willie Dunn was compared to Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Pete Seeger. He's credited for creating Canada's first music video. Yet, too few Canadians are familiar with his work. On this episode, we celebrate the release of   Creation Never Sleeps, Creation Never Dies: The Willie Dunn...

In honour of her 80th birthday in February, 2021, CKUA's Hidden Track podcast explores Buffy Sainte-Marie's remarkable artistic journey, featuring fresh insights from Buffy herself.  Biographer Andrea Warner walks us through some major milestones in the story of one of music's most under-appreciated geniuses. Along the way, we'll hear from a new generation of JUNO Award-winning Indigenous artists...

When he died on December 12th, 2020, at the age of 86, Charley Pride left behind a truly mind-blowing legacy. He was flat-out one of the biggest country stars in history. He rather famously was the 2nd-best-selling RCA records artist of the '70s, second only to Elvis Presley. The road to that staggering success, though, required incredible struggle and strife. Charley Pride was a giant star, but h...

He's one of the most beloved composers of all time. This month, we celebrate the 250 th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's birth. Author and New York Times music writer Patricia Morrisroe has written extensively about Beethoven, who is also the focus of her debut novel "The Woman in the Moonlight." She'll join us to provide new insights into his life and music. Plus, we'll hear from the Edmonto...

On November 12, 2020, Canadian music icon Neil Young celebrated his 75th birthday. He wasn't alone, as fans around the world celebrated right with him! On the latest episode of CKUA's Hidden Track podcast, presented by Bent Stick Brewing, we explore six decades of Neil's career with the help of family, friends, and fans. You'll hear from music journalist Jason Schneider, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, So...

Imagine what it would be like to be alone in the studio with one of the greatest geniuses in pop music history, day after day, for years. On this month's Hidden Track podcast, engineer Susan Rogers talks about working closely with Prince in creating his glorious mid-1980s run of all-time classic albums. On this episode of Hidden Track, Susan gives us outstanding insight into the creative process o...