Folk Fest, Spring Tour, and more...

It has been an absolute highlight of a week.

I've got a new van, tomorrow I fly to Toronto, and today the Edmonton Folk Festival announced their lineup... there was my name... sandwiched between Jason Isbell and John Prine!

I know it's been quite some time since I have wrote a report on all things music, perhaps that's a good thing. I have been very busy, the wheels are in motion, and I am gearing up for a fantastic looking summer. Tomorrow I fly to Toronto to perform at The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival this weekend, my first festival of the season. I'm truly looking forward to this little trip. Not only will it be my first time playing to this new audience, but I'm also going to sneak in a visit with my sister Jenie for a couple nights. I fly back home Monday morning, and then pack up my bags again for a little strip of shows in beautiful British Columbia with my new wheels. 

I spent all day in the 29 degree heat building a raised bed in the van so it can act as a home on wheels for all of my upcoming adventures. It was a fun little project, messing around in my parents driveway with an assortment of random tools, saws and a vacuum until I was finally happy with the finished result. I'm even going to give it a test run tonight and sleep out front in the driveway, make sure nothing breaks on me...! Most of all I'm feeling like a small plane has landed, scoring this van, it's going to be a new space for me, a home away from home, and that is so freeing for my soul... after hunting for 3 weeks, I found this beauty online and went to look at it immediately. I bought it from an very kind Italian man named Rocco on the north side of Edmonton. He was the original owner, and blessed me with a real gift, it's an 03 Dodge Caravan with 88,000 km's on it. Mint condition, dark ocean blue, and still has guts. I can't wait to take it on it's first road trip.

In other news, yes, today Edmonton Folk Festival announced their lineup. The queen of festivals, and I'm lucky enough this year to be included in the list of performers playing on the weekend of August 8-11. It's an absolute honour to be returning to those prestigious hills that glow of hope and strength after darkness falls on a summers Saturday night. There are many artists I'm giddy to see for the first time including Pieta Brown, Courtney Marie Andrews, St. Paul and the Broken Bones.. well.. the list goes on. 

Anyhow, I'm going to check it in for the night, thank you for reading. Peace, heart and rock n roll