Music Buddy

Yvonne Matsell is a celebrated music booker and long-time friend of the Canadian indie music scene. As the live music talent buyer for clubs like Ultrasound, Ted's Wrecking Yard, The Horseshoe Tavern and The Reverb Room, Yvonne gave countless indie bands their first decent gigs, and watched as many of them went on to become success stories and musical household names. Just a few of the bands...

Internationally-acclaimed and award-winning singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith first sang and strummed his way into the hearts of music lovers in the early-mid 1990s. At that time, the distorted fuzz and raw angst of grunge bands dominated the airwaves, and most "folk" singers watched from the sidelines, clutching their acoustic guitars and cursing their lack of effects pedals - but not Ron....

Stephen Stanley is not just a gifted musician and singer/songwriter, but also a wonderful storyteller. His song introductions are almost legendary, and for anyone who witnessed his facebook live shows during the height of the pandemic, you'll know how skilled he is at not just playing and singing, but also communicating with an audience, even when the audience is invisible. Stephen honed his...

It's the most Buddy-ful time of the year! Welcome to the 2nd Annual Solstimas episode. Once again, we asked friends of the podcast to send us their thoughts on winter and the holidays, and to suggest a favourite seasonal song.  A huge thank you to all our guests, whose talents and kindnesses continue to warm our hearts and blow our minds. A big shoutout to our "Music Buddy Christmas Offi...

Andrew Rucklidge is an award-winning Canadian visual artist, whose paintings have shown all over the world, and can be found in collections from Toronto, to London, to Dharemshala, India. Andrew is also a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, who has played in several bands, including Farmer in the City (Martin Tielli), John Southworth, The New Romantic Portal, The Linoleum Falcon, Cactus Club, an...

Annelise Noronha is an award-winning audio engineer, producer, composer, musician, singer/songwriter, and actor. In the early days of her career, Annelise found herself honing her production skills at Manta Sound—her first big studio job—where she worked on studio recordings for the likes of Oscar Peterson, James Brown, and Jennifer Lopez. Since that time she has gone on to work with music profess...

Lori Yates is an award-winning musician, singer-songwriter, photographer and writer. Her bands—The Last Resorts (late 70s), Rang Tango (80s), and Hey Stella (current)— each attracted a dedicated fan base, and Lori's raw talent and endless dedication have resulted in her working with some of the Industry's best.  From Queen Street's cow punks to Nashville's country music bigwigs...

Lillian Allen is a Jamaican-born, Toronto-based writer, performer and activist.  She is a 2-time Juno Award winner, and is considered the godmother of Canadian rap/hiphop, dub, and spoken word. Lillian was recently appointed as the city of Toronto’s 7th Poet Laureate - a position she’ll hold for 3 years.  A trailblazer, ambassador, professor, and creative force of nature, Lillian's insights i...

Dave Bidini is a musician, songwriter, author, journalist, publisher, and sports enthusiast. Most people know Dave as the beloved front man of Canada's art rock darlings, Rheostatics. His super-fuelled stage presence is a wondrous thing to behold, and his ability to deliver a song with focused fervour—in addition to the superb musicianship of the band—has captivated fans since the late 80s. B...

Starting in the mid nineties, Eduardo Ottoni and James Ong were the drummer and keyboardist in the band Spygirl, a group that was founded by singer Koralee Tonack and (Music Buddy host) Jane Gowan.  The group embodied the spirit of collaboration, and the members developed a deep bond that created a safety net of creative and personal freedoms. Over time, Eduardo and James’ focus turned from being...

Blair Deptuck is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. His band New Driver is a group of all-star musicians based in Nanaimo, BC. Blair's passion for music and commitment to his craft is admirable, and he has managed to balance music-making with raising a family and running his own contracting company. Despite a full and busy life that pulls him in all directions, Blair's desire to rock o...

Musician/entrepreneur Dave Ullrich is someone whose independent spirit and DIY talents have forged him a fruitful and fascinating career in and around music and the arts.   Dave started the much-loved indie rock duo The Inbreds with his high school friend Mike O'Neill (Trailer Park Boys, Tuns). Much revered for their originality and minimalist approach, the Inbreds became Canadian indie rock...

Why are there so many pianos being given away, or—worse—sent to the dump? One day, while searching for vintage finds online, journalist, podcaster, and multi-media artist Kelly Crowe discovered that there are hundreds of unwanted pianos out there, many of which end up in landfills, keeping company with old carpets and mattresses and all the other discarded items of human consumption.  Kelly's...

Rich Aucoin is a Halifax-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and actor. His live shows are legendary as being multi-media dance and sing-along extravaganzas, and he's well-loved for his ability to connect with his audience in ways that create a feeling of community and also mutual trust and respect. Rich's most recent project is an ambitious undertaking of massive scope: a quadruple a...

From punk to rock to roots; from the gritty and exhilarating Queen Street scene of the 1980s, to the intrigue of European street culture; from Toronto Subway stations, to a US tour opening for the Tragically Hip...musician/songwriter/producer John Borra has lived the poetic and storied existence of a true artist - a journey rich with good music, loyal friends, and unforgettable experiences. John&a...

Don Kerr is a drummer, singer, songwriter, cellist, composer, and producer. He's also a pacifist/activist, who believes strongly in the power of positivity and the value of community. A much-sought-after sideman and bandmate since the 1990s, he has performed with Rheostatics, Ron Sexsmith, Bahamas, Dan Mangan, The Weather Station, and many others. Don's own band—Communism—is a super-char...

Seth Akira Feldman is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter, who works tirelessly on many aspects of his craft. His primary musical project is called To The Fields. He released the album Distance in 2021, which he recorded entirely on his own in his home studio, working around his day job work hours. Seth also creates and records with his father, Steve Alan Feldman. Together, the father-son team have...

Singer Songwriter Jerry Leger is the real deal. His combination of authentic humility and spirited self confidence is a rare thing to witness. He possesses a deep understanding and respect for the great songwriters and performers of our time, while forging ahead with his own style and delivery. Since his teenage years, Jerry has worked relentlessly on his craft - releasing at least one album a yea...

Ansley Simpson is a Toronto-based Michi Saagiig Nishnaabe singer, songwriter, and composer. Her enchanting and powerful sophomore album She Fell From the Sky  embraces the origin story of Gizhiigokwe (Sky Woman), who embarks upon an emotional and brave journey on earth in an attempt to repair and restore humanity and the planet. Ansley's musical continuation of the story is filled with compas...

Monique Barry is a classically-trained singer, songwriter, composer, and music educator. Her music is unique, ethereal, dreamlike, and emotional, and ranges from techno pop to ambient folk. Monique's latest album—HAAK—is being released one single at a time - a slow drip of elegant melodies and intricate beats. The latest single—"Time"—is a spellbinding exploration of what Tennessee...

Tim Vesely is a bassist, guitarist, songwriter, composer, and sound engineer. Best-known as a co-founder of the Canadian art-rock band Rheostatics , Tim also performs with his own band The Violet Archers .  When not performing and writing songs, Tim is the house engineer at Blue Rodeo's Woodshed Studio ,  which he refers to as his "dream job". In that role, he has engineered and mix...

Laurie Brown is a much-admired Canadian music journalist, writer, TV & radio host, and podcaster. Her remarkable career began in the 1980s at City TV's The New Music , and continued to thrive at Much Music ( Pepsi Power Hour) , CBC Television ( The Journal , The National , and Newsworld's On The Arts ), and CBC Radio ( The Signal ).  She is now the creator, writer, producer and host...

It's that time of the year again! Festive bells, sparkly lights, caroling, visiting with friends and family, walking in the snow (or maybe on the beach?), and dreaming of good things to come. For this special episode, we're embracing as much of the season as possible. Let's call it "Solstimas".  You’ll hear from a plethora of festive musical guests, who generously offer up...

Julian Taylor is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter with a truly independent success story. He has been honing his special blend of timeless roots rock since the 1990s, steadily growing followers while weaving his way into the fabric of Canada's indie music culture and sound. His 2020 album The Ridge earned him 2 Juno Award nominations (Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year and Contemporary R...

Simon Paradis is an accomplished roots/rock musician, having played in bands across Canada for over 30 years. One morning in 2008, while working his construction job on the Sunshine Coast in B.C.,  Simon fell off a scaffold and landed on the pavement below, resulting in massive brain and spinal cord trauma. He and his band The Precious Littles were set to release a new album that weekend at the Va...