Danny Michel comes from a fertile music community in the Kitchener/Waterloo area of Ontario. That community has been a hotbed of great music for a long time, launching the careers of Rob Szabo, Shannon Lyon, and the late, great Paul MacLeod, who we profiled on episode 17 of this show. That episode featured a conversation with Mark Logan, a key figure in the Kitchener/Waterloo music community as the head of Busted Flat Records and the owner and operator of Encore Records. Just recently, Mark helped Danny put out a 25th anniversary remixed vinyl version of songs from his first two solo albums.

Danny Michel has written some great, timeless songs and released 14 fantastic albums, including a live album recorded right here in Winnipeg, a tribute to David Bowie, and a volume of re-recorded and updated songs from his catalogue, called New Coat of Paint.

He’s been hired as a guitar player by singer/songwriters Gwen Swick and Sarah Harmer, among others and has produced albums for folks like Leeroy Stagger, Damhnait Doyle, and Lindy Vopnfjord.

In 2018, Danny raised the alarm about the criminally low rates that streaming services like Spotify pay the artists that they rely on. He made national and international news by taking his concerns directly to Spotify in an attempt to change the way that artists are compensated for their work.

He's about to embark on a Canadian tour playing alongside his friend Steve Poltz, which brings them to Winnipeg on November 19th at the West End Cultural Centre and to various places out west. (Winnipeg tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/110060938FEC29D1)

dannymichel.com

digital downloads

bandcamp

music credits & more info: https://flywithyourshadow.com/danny-michel-episode-32/

Evangeline Gentle's 2023 album, Where the Diamonds Are, is a masterpiece sonically and lyrically. It’s melodic and interesting, propelled and shaped by producer and master musician Jim Bryson. He encouraged Evangeline to make a first professional album and has been a mentor, collaborator, and supporter ever since.

But even with guidance, talent, an interesting perspective, and a solid grounding, the rampant difficulties put in place by the old guard in the music industry can throw up road blocks along the way. One of the standout tracks on the album, "Underdog", deals with a traumatic setback in a young career that led to questions about whether a career in music was even the right way to go.

evangelinegentlemusic.com

evangelinegentle.bandcamp.com

iTunes Store

Join Evangeline and me at the Trout Forest Music Festival in Ear Falls, Ontario, Aug. 9-11, 2024: troutfest.com

This episode is a cautionary tale about how an artist can work hard, have talent and something to say, then just when their career is starting to take off, through no fault of their own, the rug can get pulled out from underneath and they’re back at the beginning, if not questioning whether music is even the right direction.

Mike June has a wealth of music industry experience behind the scenes and on stage. He's toured extensively with Texas songwriting legend Jon Dee Graham and his accomplished and amazing wife Jess Klein.

As he was about to release a masterpiece of an album, Poor Man's Bible, a number of broken promises and missed opportunities, through no fault of his own, set him back and had him questioning whether music was even the right path for him.

But his keen eye, quick wit, insights and informed and experienced opinions kept finding their way into songs that just had to be written, performed, and recorded. He's preparing to make a comeback with an upcoming album, Modern American Folk Music, which will finally come out on August 30.

more info: https://flywithyourshadow.com/mike-june-episode-30/

http://www.mikejune.com/

https://mikejune.bandcamp.com

https://mikejune.substack.com/