by Rod Christie

Hailing from Cape Breton, NS, The Barra MacNeils have been making music since they were children. The group of siblings were barely into their teens when they started playing professionally. The group released their self-titled debut independently in 1986, which they sold off the stage and locally in Cape Breton. The album received positive critical attention, but not large sales.
By 1989 a couple of The Barra MacNeils were almost old enough to drink; but more importantly were the other highlights that year that included the release of their second record, Rock In The Stream, and an appearance in CM’s September/October edition of Showcase.
Since that appearance, the MacNeils have gone on to record seven albums of both traditional and original material, made regular performance appearances on The Rita MacNeil variety show, opened for Celine Dion, and broadcast performances in both Canada and the US on PBS. Sales and acclaim have continued to improve for the MacNeils as they enter their 24th year of professional performance.

by Rod Christie

Since his May/June entry into Showcase in 1991, St. Catharines-born songwriter Ron Sexsmith has become one of the most acclaimed Canadian musicians in the world. Elvis Costello called Sexsmith’s self-titled major label debut the best album of 1995 and has also received similar praise from some of rock’s greatest icons including Paul McCartney and Elton John. Now, with six albums to his credit, Sexsmith has further heightened his profile by going out on tour to support Richard Thompson, Coldplay and The Wallflowers, as well as lending his voice to such eclectic acts as Shonen Knife and Fountains Of Wayne. With all that said, in spite of the name Sexsmith gave his band in 1991, Sexsmith has indeed become very cool 13 years on.

by Rod Christie

An embryonic incarnation of Our Lady Peace’s demos fell onto CM’s doorstep in July/August 1992 but no one could have expected what happened after that. Following a few line-up changes, Our Lady Peace have recorded five critically acclaimed studio albums, a live CD and DVD, won four Juno awards, and have become arguably one of the biggest bands in Canada. The US has followed Canada’s lead in accepting OLP; both 1997’s Clumsy and 1999’s Happiness Is Not A Fish That You Can Catch appeared in the Billboard Top 200 albums list and garnered the band a slot on the bill at Woodstock 1999.