Juno nominees and winners of the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year, Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine of Dala write and sing in harmony best described as angelic. These two best friends met in their high school music class in 2002; they have since released five albums and toured extensively across North America. Darlings of the Canadian music scene, Dala are now poised to bring their fresh brand of acoustic pop music to the world.

Drawing upon influences like The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, Dala write songs that are both catchy and insightful. Amanda’s ethereal soprano voice blends seamlessly with Sheila’s velvety alto, creating the lush harmonies that have become their trademark.

Danny Marks holds a Maple Blues Lifetime Achievement Award.
Most recent release Man on the Radio speaks of his love for the medium.

Star of stage screen and radio, musician broadcaster Danny Marks is an authentic Canadian Icon with a history going back to 1960's bands, Jericho, Rick James and the Stone City Band, and Capitol Records Power Blues trio Edward Bear. He's hosted TV with Stormy Monday on Rogers 10 as well as Cities in Blue on BBC First. Danny's radio exploits include a decade on CBC nationwide and currently approaching 25 years on JAZZ FM.91. Danny's unique guitar styles and songwriting have won kudos around the world in Billboard and even Rolling Stone. He's been with Winterfolk proudly since year one!

Melanie Peterson, a folk/pop singer-songwriter-actor based in Toronto and born in Saskatoon, was deeply influenced by her parents who sang and played guitar in a jug band. Melanie credits her childhood, filled with the sounds of folk music, as a pivotal influence. With over 200 performances in Ontario, Quebec, and along Canada’s East and West Coasts, Melanie has built a reputation for her intelligent, grounded, and emotionally resonant songwriting, which has consistently moved and inspired audiences. In 2021, Melanie focused on songwriting and released her EP "We Got This – Side Two" on September 2, 2022. The EP presents a stark contrast between intense romantic experiences and a more robust musical style, receiving positive reviews, including praise from Bob Mersereau of Canada's Top 100 music blog, who hailed it as Melanie's "finest songwriting to date." Known affectionately as "Mary Poppins with a broken heart" by BBC radio, Melanie is preparing to release her third album in 2025.

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About

Brian Gladstone is a world class finger style guitar player, a songwriter who is unrestricted by typical boundaries, a wonderful story teller and a powerful performer.

Basically, Brian is a techno hippie.

The Mid-Century Modernes perform "the soundtrack of your life.” We are a five-piece band staying true to the classic rock sounds of the 1960s through late 1970s. Thanks to the scope of our collective experiences in the music world, we are encyclopedic on this classic rock repertoire, and treat the songs with the passion that made this repertoire great, and which makes it the most popular and best selling music to date.

FLASH! The Mid-Century Modernes has finished recording a batch of new, original material that we will unleash on all music platforms in 2025. Watch out, world!

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Cathy Anne is a Toronto based Indie Folk singer-songwriter. She performs her original songs and ballads at various local clubs, often accompanied by other Toronto musicians.
Her music’s mood is soft, flowing and ambient with a coffeehouse feel.
Cathy Anne’s album "Storyteller" (Storyteller | Cathy Anne (bandcamp.com) embodies this sound . . . her voice has a jazzy/folk feeling, gently rising and falling with soft timbre and velvety tone, and blends perfectly with her signature fingerstyle guitar. Her compositions range from historic tales that tell the human story between the battles, to tender ballads of love lost and mourned with bittersweet regret.

- 2025 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee (Contemporary Singer of the Year)
- New album POEMS IN THE ASHES came out March 2024
- 2023 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee (New/Emerging Artist of the Year)
- 2022 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award Winner (Folk Music Ontario)

Camie has long enchanted audiences with her soulful queer-feminist croonings, rich vocal tones, and lush poetic imagination. Combining traditional folk stylings with alternative pop-rock textures, Camie's original story-songs burst with flavour and feeling. Camie is a two-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee (for her records ‘troubadour’ and ‘POEMS IN THE ASHES’), a winner of the 2022 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award (from Folk Music Ontario and the Ontario Arts Council), and a Hamilton Music Award winner. S

Toronto-based singer/songwriter and multi-award-winning storyteller Camie has long enchanted audiences with her soulful queer-feminist croonings, rich vocal tones, and lush poetic imagination. Combining traditional folk stylings with alternative pop-rock textures, Camie's original story-songs burst with flavour and feeling. Camie is a two-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee (for her records ‘troubadour’ and ‘POEMS IN THE ASHES’), a winner of the 2022 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award (from Folk Music Ontario and the Ontario Arts Council), and a Hamilton Music Award winner. She can be found everywhere online at @thecamiliad.

Glen Hornblast is a well-known Toronto singer-songwriter whose music is an intoxicating blend of folk, country, blues and jazz. His latest CD “Once In A Blue Moon” has been very well-received and has garnered great reviews and radio play around the world. He describes his songs as “sad little stories of love, loss and heartache.” His song “Mary” about a homeless woman on Toronto streets won the 2015 Song From The Heart Award.

Glen was also well-known for hosting some of Toronto’s most successful Open Mics, at the Free Times Café, and many other venues. He has performed in Nashville at both the Bluebird Café and the Commodore Grill. At present, Glen has two CDs of new music in the works and is currently working toward releasing them in early 2025.

Performing songwriter Lynn Harrison is known for beautifully memorable songs that celebrate life, love and the human spirit. Her 7th solo recording "Treasure" (2023) is described by Americana Highways as "better than medicine, better than booze...and will put you in a good mood if you're not" with comparisons to Bonnie Raitt and Jennifer Warnes.

Her previous record "Something More" (2020) ranked among Folk Roots Radio's Top 20, and she has performed widely in both Canada and the U.S. In September 2024, Lynn was honoured by CBC Radio Fredricton for her beloved song "First Day of School," airing that day for 17 years and counting. Also an ordained minister in the inclusive Unitarian Universalist tradition, Lynn Harrison creates heartfelt connections with every audience, offering songs of wisdom and uplift for complicated times.

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Bandit Queen, her latest release, chronicles women at the leading edge of social norms, graces, and allowances. It peaked at #1 on Canada's Roots charts, became a staple in Top 30 charts across the country, appeared in the Earshot Top 20.

Eclectic and captivating, songwriter and scientist Sarah Beatty might be best described as a clandestine drink of conversation between Joni Mitchell, Julie Andrews and Albert Einstein. With a voice as sharp as a silver-spur and dangerous as a diamond-backed sidewinder (Raw Ramp), she's a curious observer and constant inquirer of life's offerings. Bandit Queen, her latest release, chronicles women at the leading edge of social norms, graces, and allowances. It peaked at #1 on Canada's Roots charts, became a staple in Top 30 charts across the country, appeared in the Earshot Top 20, and planted her songs and insights square in the ears and hearts of bloggers and industry insiders. Far beyond the mainstream, it landed on international playlists all the way from Nashville to The Netherlands and as a live performer, she's known for enchanting audiences with warmth, wit, and messages that make people think.

2024 Songwriter Serenade semi-finalist
2023 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee

2022 Ontario Folk Music Award Nominee

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Shawna Caspi takes her time crafting lyrics that are poetic and meaningful, often using unusual rhymes and surprising turns of phrase.

Shawna spent years on the road, playing festivals and concert halls, train cars, backyards, and living rooms, supporting her warm, clear voice with intricate fingerstyle guitar accompaniment, and drawing energy from shifting landscapes and long drives through Canada and the United States. Her songs resonate with stories that are relatable, but told in new and unexpected ways. This is music that makes an authentic human connection, that conveys a sense of closeness, of being understood, of feeling less alone. Her latest album, Hurricane Coming, was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award and an Ontario Folk Music Award.

A Saskatoon native transplanted to the Niagara Region of Ontario, Roots and Blues singer and musician Suzie Vinnick is a 3X Juno Nominee, a 2X Canadian Folk Music Award winner, won a 2024 ECMA with her project A’Court, Spiegel and Vinnick and is a 12-time winner of the Maple Blues Award for songwriting, female vocalist, acoustic act and more. Suzie has a voice you’ve heard a thousand times and one you’ll never forget. It soars, it growls, it whispers and it shouts from a deep, deep well of emotion. The pure joy she exudes when she plays her guitars is so worth the show.

In July 2024 Suzie opened for Burton Cummings at the Kemptville Live Music Festival and in July 2023 she was a special guest of Blackie & the Rodeo Kings at Ottawa Bluesfest along with Daniel Lanois. She has also toured nationally with Downchild, Stuart McLean’s The Vinyl Café, with ASV (Charlie A’Court, Lloyd Spiegel and Vinnick) and she performed for Canadian Peacekeepers in Bosnia and the Persian Gulf.

Ken Whiteley is a renowned Canadian roots musician celebrated for his mastery in folk, blues, gospel, and children's music. Relocating to Toronto at the age of five, he began his musical journey in the 1960s with The Original Sloth Band, performing across North America and appearing on "Saturday Night Live" with Leon Redbone.

Over his extensive career, Whiteley has released over 33 albums and composed more than 400 songs. His collaborations include performances and recordings with legends such as Pete Seeger, John Hammond Jr., and Tom Paxton. As a producer, he has worked on over 135 albums, contributing to projects that have garnered multiple awards and sold in excess of 8 million copies.

Whiteley's contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, including a Canadian Folk Music Award, seven Juno nominations, 18 Maple Blues nominations, a Genie Award for Best Original Song in a Canadian film, and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Mariposa Folk Festival, The Maple Blues Awards, and Folk Music Ontario.

His recent album, "Long Time Travelling," was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award as Best Traditional Album in 2023. Whiteley continues to be a vital figure in the Canadian music scene, engaging audiences with his performances and fostering community through the power of song.

3-time CFMA winner, 2-time Maple Blues Award winner

6-time Juno Award Nominee

Michael Jerome Browne is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and living encyclopedia of American Roots music. Michael traveled to record his album “Gettin’ Together” with old and new friends: Harrison Kennedy, Eric Bibb, John Sebastian, Mary Flower, Colin Linden and others. Getting together was therapeutic after the early ‘20s lock-downs. The album came out in 2023 on Borealis, received a Juno nomination and reached #1 on the FAI Charts. Born in Indiana, his parents introduced him to the great blues and folk clubs in their adopted home of Montreal. At 14, MJB was a regular on the coffee house scene. His performances inspire us to see the connections between the many cultures that gave us American Roots Music. Blues, Old-Time, Country and Soul, expect to hear all of this and more. He is also in demand backing up other artists, most notably Eric Bibb, whose Grammy-nominated “Migration Blues” he co-produced.

• 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards - nom Ensemble of the Year
• 2024 Folk Music Ontario – nom Performing Artist of the Year
• 2024 Burlington Performing Arts Centre Hall of Fame
• 2023 International Songwriting Competition – Finalist
• 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards - Global Roots & Producer
• 2022 Dr. Duke Redbird Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2022 Cannes World Film Festival – Best Musical Film

3x JUNO nominees and 6x CFMA winners Sultans of String create “Energetic and exciting music from a band with talent to burn!” (Maverick Magazine UK). Thrilling their audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, Django-jazz, and Arabic rhythms, Sultans of String celebrate musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity. Fiery violin dances with rumba-flamenco guitar, while bass lays down unstoppable grooves. Acoustic strings meet with electronic wizardry to create layers and depth of sound, while world rhythms excite audiences to their feet with the irresistible need to dance.

Sultans have gigged at JUNOfest, NYC's legendary Birdland, Celtic Connections in Glasgow, and London’s Trafalgar Square. They have sold out Koerner Hall, and performed with the TSO. They have played live on BBC TV, Irish National Radio, and SiriusXM in Washington, and collaborated with such diverse luminaries as The Chieftains, Alex Cuba, Béla Fleck, & Crystal Shawanda.

Q&A is a Canadian musical duo comprising Juno Award-winning guitarist, composer, and songwriter Tony Quarrington and accomplished vocalist, actress, and comedienne Zoey Adams. Their collaboration blends diverse genres, including jazz, folk, and pop, resulting in a rich and eclectic repertoire.

Zoey Adams brings extensive experience in theatre, film, radio, and corporate entertainment to the partnership. Her dynamic stage presence and versatile vocal abilities significantly contribute to Q&A's unique sound. Adams' theatrical background enhances the duo's performances, infusing them with a distinctive flair.

The partnership between Quarrington and Adams began in 2005 when they were involved in "Vinyl Cafe: The Musical," a project commissioned by the late broadcaster and author Stuart McLean. Quarrington composed the music, while both he and Adams performed in the production. This collaboration laid the foundation for their ongoing musical endeavors.

Since forming Q&A, the duo has co-written over 100 songs, showcasing their prolific songwriting capabilities. Their discography includes projects like "One More Jazz Thing," "One More Folk Thing," and "Demo Listen Derby," each exploring different musical styles and themes. Listeners and critics alike commend Q&A for their seamless genre-blending and engaging performances, which highlight the synergy between Quarrington's instrumental expertise and Adams' expressive vocals.

2020 Maple Blues Award Blues Booster of the Year

Brian Blain, a mainstay of the Toronto blues scene since the early 90s and a well-respected “elder statesman” of the blues will be playing tunes from his upcoming CD. Brian has been a favourite at previous Winterfolk festivals and has provided a launching pad for many young blues artists with his legendary “Campfire Jams” at Hwy 61, The Gladstone and The Old Mill in Toronto.

Tony Quarrington is a highly respected Canadian guitarist, songwriter, and producer with a career that spans over several decades and multiple genres, including jazz, blues, and folk. A Juno Award winner, Tony has built a reputation for his exceptional guitar technique, innovative compositions, and versatility as a musician. He has worked with an impressive array of artists across various genres, contributing to both their sound and success. As a solo artist, Tony has released several albums that showcase his unique blend of musical influences, all while pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the guitar.

In addition to his extensive solo work, Tony has also collaborated as a session musician, arranger, and producer, earning accolades for his contributions to Canadian music. His talents extend beyond the stage, as he has played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of other musicians and projects through his production work.

Currently, Tony is performing with his new band, Q&A, which features the talented vocalist Zoey Adams. The band’s music highlights their distinct sound that merges jazz, blues, and folk influences, with Tony’s guitar work at the forefront. Whether as a solo artist, collaborator, or bandleader, Tony Quarrington continues to influence the Canadian music landscape.

About

Acknowledged guitar master, songwriter, and poet, Noah Zacharin has recorded nine solo albums, and worked as producer and/or instrumentalist on some 65 recordings by artists across North America.

Noah Zacharin is a great perrormer, and a man of few words.New album 'Points of Light' to be released in early 2023

Tyler Ellis is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter known for his engaging folk-roots music, characterized by humor and poignant storytelling. Described as "John Prine meets a well-primed Sir John A. Macdonald" by the Toronto Star, his songs resonate with the Canadian experience.

Over his career, Ellis has released seven albums, with his latest, "Greater-Than," recorded live at Toronto's Free Times Café and released in June 2024. This album, dedicated to his late father, showcases his distinctive songwriting and performance style.

Beyond his solo work, Ellis has contributed to the music community as a co-writer with the Julian Taylor Band and as the host of the long-running Riverboat Monday Open Stage at Dora Keogh Irish Pub

His music often explores themes of love, life, and the Canadian landscape, delivered with a blend of wit and sincerity. Ellis continues to be a significant figure in Toronto's folk music scene, captivating audiences with his heartfelt performances.

Wayne Neon is the illegitimate love child of Bob Dylan and Duke Ellington.

Memorable melodies, clever lyrics, rich voices, and solid rhythms are his hang-ups.

His laser focused folk, jazz, blues, rock, skiffle, country, mariachi, English Beat, Motown, Dixieland, Honky Tonk, shuffle, pop, beach party, lounge music gives new meaning to the word eclectic.

Buddy Holly, John Prine, Dell Shannon, Nat Cole, Neil Young, Pete Seeger, Jerry Jeff Walker, Fred J. Eaglesmith, Leonard Cohen, Lovin’ Spoonful, Allan Fraser, Smokey Robinson, Phil Ochs, Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams, Stompin’ Tom Connors, Woody Guthrie, Louis Jordan, Robbie Robertson, Huddie Leadbetter, Jessie Winchester, and Marty Robbins songs are interspersed with his own originals.

What they all have in common is a damn good time. Except for the miserable, depressing songs, which is most of them.

Wayne Neon is a multi-instrumentalist who sings lead and harmony and plays guitar, flute, saxophones, and hand percussion.

As lovers of Classical and some Jazz music well know, sometimes music needs not even a syllable of lyrics to create vivid portraits and emotions in the mind of the listener. Stirring, sweeping vistas and interactions can be conjured up in compositions created by masters of instrumental music, which is why the art form has endured and flourished for hundreds of years.

But what is commonplace for orchestras and some combos becomes remarkably noteworthy when a single acoustic guitar can accomplish the same and that is what D’Arcy Wickham has achieved with his new album, Signal Hill.

D’Arcy Wickham is a teacher of multiple guitar genres, voice and stringed instruments who also delights with his own musical prowess as shown on his new ‘Signal Hill’ album and in backing other acclaimed musicians in concert and the studio.

Senecca Emerging Talent

Emily Ott is a 19-year-old singer/songwriter from Pickering Ontario. She writes songs based off feelings and events that she’s going through with the hope to relate and help someone else. A lot of her songs touch on mental health topics because she feels like music makes it easier to talk about things that are hard to share. Emily writes music in the indie folk/rock genre, drawing inspiration from artists like Julien Baker, Frightened Rabbit, Neil Young and Ryan Adams. Growing up she struggled to talk to people, so her inability to communicate pushed her to want to write music, so that she could communicate what she was feeling and going through without actually having to say it. Music is something that brings people comfort when they’re going through a hard time, so Emily wants her music to be there for someone else.

Senecca Emerging Talent

Chiyoko’s diverse style encompasses soulful R&B to lively folk and rock. After reconnecting with her musical side since the pandemic, she has rekindled her passion for expressing her creative artistry. Her expertise in performance comes from her early background in music, dance, and theatre, as well as her experience in broadcast journalism. Since the start of her songwriting career, she has written and performed many songs that she hopes to release in an album by the end of 2025

Senecca Emerging Talent

Born and raised in the Thousand Islands town of Gananoque Ontario, Emily Cadue is a Singer Songwriter within the Folk Pop Genre. Her music encapsulates how her small-town can-do attitude tackles themes of loss, love, fear and empowerment. Emily thrives on having her audience understand her authentic self as an artist. The purpose of a lot of her music is to encourage her listeners to be themselves without fear of consequence. Emily is currently studying at Seneca Polytechnic in the Independent Music Production program. Where she is honing her skills as a songwriter, producer and performer. Set to release her first original single on April 30th 2025; Emily is ready to let her voice be heard and show others there is power and beauty in life’s messes and pitfalls!

https://www.facebook.com/EmilyCadueMusic

https://www.instagram.com/emilycaduemusic

Senecca Emerging Talent

Jesvs is an Ecuadorian-born, Canada-based Latin artist blending Spanish pop with influences like boleros, cumbia, and reggaeton. A multi-instrumentalist inspired by artists such as Vicente García and Joji, he transforms personal stories into authentic, heartfelt songs. Jesvs has performed on major stages in Canada and Colombia, gaining recognition in the Hispanic community, and continues to release music globally with producers HAZYFACE and Altamar Sonido.

Senecca Emerging Talent

Hayden Di Salvo is a singer-songwriter currently based in Toronto, Ontario. He grew up in Brantford and later moved to Waterford. From a young age, Hayden has been listening to the americana sounds of Johnny Cash, and Bruce Springsteen. In his teenage years, he began to explore the sounds of other musicians, such as Colter Wall, the Arkells, Zach Bryan and Charley Crockett, and upon discovering the first listed here, he began to write his own songs. At the end of high school, he made a split-second decision to seek music as a career and was accepted into Seneca’s Independent Songwriting and Performance program. Hayden’s style jumps between heartfelt songs about life and love, and dark songs of regret, God, and his faith. Featuring instruments such as guitar, piano, bass, drums and harmonica, his writing can take you back to a nostalgic car ride or present you at your own grave for judgment. His songs are a mix of what he grew up on, and he’s been referred to as “the next Johnny Cash” by peers in his program. Currently, Hayden is recording an album and planning a launch show for it. His in-progress album is called “Red Bay Nights” and is a celebration of his childhood, and the things that have influenced him most.

Senecca Emerging Talent

Toronto based singer/songwriter Mensch, blends a nostalgia for 70’s folk-rock with elements of pop and jazz. Strumming away on the guitar, Mensch contemplates life through their lyrics while planting seeds of hope. They are currently expanding their skills at Seneca Polytechnic’s Independent Music Production program.

Senecca Emerging Talent

Pavel Esin is a Russian-born, Toronto-based singer, songwriter and producer specializing in electronic dance music. With a focus on house, techno and rhythm-driven bangers, Pavel’s goal is to create music everyone can dance the night away to. His main instrument is his voice, with past training in classical piano and double bass, contributing to his strengths as a versatile producer.

A strong melody writer and lyricist, Pavel brings a unique energy to his music, blending vibrant electronic sounds with heartfelt storytelling and detailed soundscapes. As a multi-disciplinary artist Pavel has performed in various settings, from musical theatre productions, live music performances to sketch comedy at Second City. Currently enrolled in the Independent Music Production program at Seneca College, Pavel continues refining his skills as an artist and businessman in the music industry. His music is now available on all streaming platforms, and he invites listeners to explore their work and discover tracks that resonate.

Senecca Emerging Talent

Toronto based singer/songwriter Mensch, blends a nostalgia for 70’s folk-rock with elements of pop and jazz. Strumming away on the guitar, Mensch contemplates life through their lyrics while planting seeds of hope. They are currently expanding their skills at Seneca Polytechnic’s Independent Music Production program.

Senecca Emerging Talent -

Angela McIntosh is a 19-year-old indie-pop singer from London, Ontario who writes sapphic mythological/fantasy music. She is a multi-instrumentalist with an Independent Songwriting and Performance Certificate from Seneca Polytechnic. Since then, she has played several showcases around the Toronto area, at venues such as the Tranzac, Steam Whistle Brewing, the Handlebar, and Free Times Cafe. She is currently taking Independent Music Production at Seneca.

Senecca Emerging Talent

Olive Joy (@olivejoyous) makes heartfelt alternative folk music for the lover and inner child in us all. As a singer, songwriter, ukulele player, pianist, and accordionist, they explore themes of post-traumatic growth, relationships, and the healing power of nature. Known for their engaging live performance, Olive’s dynamic stage presence blends humour and vulnerability, creating a unique, intimate experience with each show.

Senecca Emerging Talent

Toronto based singer/songwriter Mensch, blends a nostalgia for 70’s folk-rock with elements of pop and jazz. Strumming away on the guitar, Mensch contemplates life through their lyrics while planting seeds of hope. They are currently expanding their skills at Seneca Polytechnic’s Independent Music Production program.

Mimi Matamoros is a young singer-songwriter living in Toronto. She was born into a family of artists in the city and has lived in Sweden and Montreal before moving back to Toronto to dive into the vibrant traditional and alternative folk music communities this city has to offer. Mimi’s music is reminiscent of many 70s folk artists with her lyrical honesty and her dynamic, ethereal melodies.

I have been fascinated with Ukrainian folk dance since my mother first enrolled me in classes as a child where my interest in dance and my own cultural roots developed. I furthered my knowledge by majoring in contemporary dance at Concordia university. In my practice I strive to preserve and reimagine regional Ukrainian folk dances through a fusion of traditional folk and contemporary choreography