Mulligan Stew

Once again, I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time and got to experience the lift off of the first Canadian artist to hit #1 in the USA. Before they became world famous, they were another prairie band trying to get the bosses in Toronto to notice them. I was at CJME and CKCK in Regina, and over one early 60's summer, they spent the hot months playing at beach parties and small halls. One after the other. Then the hits started to roll, and I ended up going to London, UK, with them, to cover the story. Except the story was a bust. Poorly planned on the London end, they played a couple of tv shows and came home. Then came These Eyes, American Woman and fame. After the Guess Who split up, another set of musicians decided to take the name and run with it, for 13 years. Legalities carried on for many years, but eventually Randy and Burrton Cummings..the two original guys, got the name back and that's why the upcoming Guess Who Tour is called the " taking it back tour." Taking it back tour dates June 8 – Saddledome Calgary June 10 – Rogers Place, Edmonton Aug 23 PNE Freedom Mobile Arch August 25 Memorial Arena Victoria

Ron Sexsmith has 19 albums in a singular career. His songwriting has been admired by his many peers. There's only one voice like his - which is a blessing in a sea of wouldda/coulda/shoulda. Photo by Kerry Vergeer[/caption] If you asked him to compare his songs with his idol Gordon Lightfoot, Ron will admit there are few artists as good as Gordon Lightfoot was, but he continues to honour him. This Wednesday and Thursday, Ron performs at two sold-out Lightfoot Memorial concerts at the National Music Center in Calgary. In Bell Hall. On this week's Mulligan Stew Podcast Ron Sexsmith opens up about his admiration for Gord. A true storyteller, telling tales. Ron Sexsmith honours Gord Lightfoot.

Guests - Jeff Guignard, CEO, Wine BC Brad Royale - Corp Sommelier Concorde Entertainment Group Both Jeff and Brad are fully into wine. The growing and pouring. We'll talk about Alberta's tax/no tax on BC wines. The state of Canadian wines and both have lots to recommend at the ongoing 2026 Vancouver International Wine Festival. www.winebc.com www.vanwinefest.ca Jeff is the CEO of Wine Growers of BC. Great leadership when it's needed most. Lead the charge to change Alberta taxes against BC wines. They just changed. Brad is one of the outstanding wine voices in Alberta. The corporate sommelier for Concorde Group. Thery have 22 different restaurants - both east and west. He curates all the wine lists. Besides his valued opinions on the state of wine in Canada, Brad has recommendations for those attending this week's Van Wine Fest. www.concordegroup.ca

From his humble beginnings in sketch comedy with the Toronto branch of Second City to his rise to fame in SCTV and Hollywood film classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, and Uncle Buck, John Candy captivated audiences with his self-deprecating humour, emotional warmth, and gift for improvisation. Now, for the first time since Candy's tragic death, bestselling biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs. Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy's closest friends and colleagues, including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, and many more, John Candy: A Life in Comedy celebrates the comedian's unparalleled talent, infectious charm, and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanor that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world. I had the distinct pleasure of working with John on commercials, then going back to Second City and watching the whole gang make fun of the commercial. Hosting the second city talent when they hit Vancouver and shooting a TV pilot called Terry and the Tiger, where we took John salmon fishing on Vancouver Island. Later that night, he and hockey legend Tiger Williams closed down all the bars. They still talk about it in Campbell River.

AW Cardinal and Jasmine Colette continue to create very new and very different music. The last album was recorded over several days in New Orleans. The new album, Get Your Feathers Ready, was a meeting of Coast Salish and Treaty 6 in Maskwacis, Alberta. One day of rehearsal with AW, Jas, and the Northern Cree Drummers and Singers. Jas and AW had discovered that early 1920s blues from the deep south and Northern Cree traditional pow wow had a commonality. They each brought their songs and met in the middle. It feels like the start of a historic journey. Two legendary music communities, making new music in 2026. Steve Wood, the much-admired leader and drum keeper of Northern Cree and his son Joel complete the music circle.

We've all been in the right place at the right time. For me, one of those times was to be hosting and producing MuchWest in Vancouver when Sarah McLachlan moved from Halifax to Vancouver to begin what would become an amazing career. Sarah ended up on the West Coast because in Halifax, her home, she had opened for a band from Nettwerk Records in Kitsilano. They wanted to sign her immediately, but Sarah's parents insisted she finish her schooling. It felt like she came to Vancouver with songs already written and ready to go. It wasn't long before Sarah released her debut album Touch. That's when I first met and interviewed her. The gift she gave the world was songs cutting deep into memory and self-awareness. Since 1989, the gift she's given me was to tell part of the story through our interviews. That's one of the reasons why I asked Sarah to come to Thailand and Cambodia with me in 1991 to tell the story of World Vision's battle with the aids epidemic. Sarah is on record as saying the journey changed her life. It helped her understand the power of giving back. It also leads directly to her involvement with the Sarah McLachlan School of Music. Some of our interviews showed up in the Lilith Fair Documentary. It's been 11 years since Sarah recorded and released new music. Her new album is called Better Broken. We'll talk about a lot of things. Better Broken, Motherhood, today's music world and her place in it, the legacy of Lilith, the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th anniversary Tour and Canada – O Canada.

No/Lo spirits, wine, cider, and beer have been "trending" for many years now. The search for wine and beer replacements has always been there. A number of producers began to find results after they made their wine and beer, then stripped the alcohol out and substituted the taste with other elements. Fruit, tea, spices, etc. Suddenly, some of the replacements tasted even better than the originals. Kurtis Kolt, sommelier and wine educator, wine judge, and co-founder of Top Drop Vancouver, has organized a second Free Spirit Vancouver. The first was in January of this year, when he hosted 10 vendors pouring, collectively, just under 20 brands. Monday, Dec 8, 630-830, Heritage Hall 3102 Main Street Free Spirit Vancouver will have almost 60 producers pouring no/lo. That, my friends, is called "Trending" with a capital T. Please check out the free spirit link below to see the producers' list and to follow along with Kurtis Kolt's interview. Be sharp, he motors through a lot of labels and tastes. Merry no/lo Holidays www.freespiritvancouver.com www.kurtiskolt.com https://www.kurtiskolt.com/p/free-spirit-a-sauv-blanc-duo-featuring Original feature can be found on www.TastingRoomRadio.com

The amazing story and success of Winnipeg's David and Joey Landreth continues with the release of their 9th studio album, Dog Ear. The brothers join us from home base as they prepare for a full European tour and select key American dates this year. The new album deals with finding a balance between making music and raising their families. In the music business, with all its touring, it can be really hard on the whole family. After having a Grammy hit with the Landreth's Made up Mind, their music hero, Bonnie Raitt, asked the boys to send her songs from their new album. She came back saying, "I can't decide which one I want to sing on - so how about two songs?". She sang harmony on Knuckles and background on Half Moon Eyes.David and Joey grew up in a musical family and listened to Bonnie and Little Feat growing up. They can't begin to describe what it's like to not only meet your heroes but to play and sing with them!! As you can imagine, it's out of this world.

Juno Winner Aysanabee headlines his first national tour. Two-time JUNO Award-winning Oji-Cree artist Aysanabee has been riding a powerful wave for over three years, and this fall he's bringing it coast to coast. Following the release of his June release album Edge Of The Earth on Ishkōdé Records, Aysanabee kicks off The Way We're Born Tour on November 6 in Edmonton, with more than 20 dates across Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Ontario. Tour Dates: www.aysanabee.com/tour Aysanabee once again announced that each show will feature local Indigenous opening artists. "I had the best time featuring and connecting with local Indigenous artists on the first leg of my headlining tour this past winter, and I couldn't wait to do it again for this next run." - "Every song on this record offers a window into very transitional moments in my life. Over the last few years I was faced with decisions that often took me inwards and made me question the core of my creativity, 'What drives me to make art and how much would I be willing to sacrifice for it?' I mulled over calling the record 'Reflections" 'or 'Patterns,' but landed on Edge of the Earth, because oftentimes these decisions would take me to the edge of an unknown and leave me wondering if I was ready to take a leap of faith. I can't say I was ready , but I can tell you how it felt, and it is in these songs." My thanks to journalist Lynn Saxburg for taking all of us through the highs and lows of Aysanabee's early childhood and adult life. Outstanding Journalism!! https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/meet-aysanabee-the-first-artist-signed-to-ottawa-based-indigenous-label

Americana singer-songwriter Mariel Buckley announces her just-released album – Strange Trip Ahead, out Friday, October 17, 2025, via Birthday Cake Records. It finds Mariel venturing into new sonic ground for her, embracing an indie-rock song box that leans away from her country and Americana roots. The album reveals a deep dive into themes of adolescent shame, secrecy, and queer longing. With complex songs that take the listener through the emotional turbulence of youth, crafting a listening experience that feels like floating in uncertainty, suspended one moment, crashing the next. Mariel begins a bold new direction with this Strange Trip Ahead. "I was itching to try something a little heavier than my previous stuff," she shares. "I wanted to move away from synths and keys in general, citing references from indie rock, pop music, and alt-country." The album offers an honest portrait of empty hotel rooms, long stretches of highway, and the quiet loneliness found in mundane rituals like pumping gas and loitering around with a bad cup of coffee. Almost Nomadland-like, it feels like a slice-of-life vignette; a glimpse into the less-than-glamorous underbelly of being a working artist. Our interview starts with talking about our favourite track from the album. We both picked the last track.... Lucky. (A complete gem.) It also includes the album title in the lyrics. Nashville Now - Builds slowly and gets darker with every bar and chord. Somewhere else, which mentions drinking a $13.00 wine Vending machine - glorious harmonies smothered in beautiful dark lyrics. "Dreaming and drowning, disdain and devotion to a career spent adoring travel and the limelight. Packing and unpacking. Feeling sorry for myself." Mariel calls these songs her most honest work to date. There is a glimmer of light, I hope you can find and shine on the corners of your mind. That feeling is too dark to bear. Hang on, buddy - the best is yet to come." Mariel starts a complete coast-to-coast tour with Matt Anderson Jan 24 in Glace Bay, NS and finishes in Victoria, BC March 2. (Feb 25 Calgary - Feb 26 Edmonton) @mariel_buckley www.marielbuckley.com

Award-winning writer/director/actor Ben Immanuel's feature film Are We Done Now? was released for VOD in Canada on September 30. The film makes its U.S. Premiere at the SOHO International Film Festival from October 7-14. Are We Done Now, starring Gabrielle Miller with Favour Onwuka, Natalie Farrow, Eliot Ramsey, Giacomo Baessato, Jennifer Spence, and Camille Sullivan, promises to resonate with audiences on both comedic and deeply emotional levels. The film won the Audience Award for "Most Popular Canadian Feature Film" at its Canadian Premiere at the Available Light Film Festival, and Natalie Farrow recently won a Leo Award for "Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture" for her role as "Lennon." This thought-provoking dramedy will resonate with audiences on both comedic and deeply emotional levels. Shot between 2020 and 2024, Immanuel brings to the screen a profoundly relatable story following Pamela, a therapist (played by Gabrielle Miller of Corner Gas and Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey), and her diverse young clients as they participate in a (fictionalized) documentary exploring the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on their mental health. Through this experience, they—and the filmmaker—gain unexpected self-insight, leading to a deeper understanding of their identities and roles in our transformed world. The film's cast features an array of talent, including Favour Onwuka (Dying to Belong), Giacomo Baessato (The Good Doctor), Jennifer Spence (The Trades), Camille Sullivan (Shoresy, Hunter, Hunter), Elliott Ramsey (UnREAL), and Natalie Farrow (Siren). Immanuel also appears as the documentarian, offering a unique perspective on the characters' journeys. Our podcast interview is with Ben Immanuel Ratner - Director!!

Forty-one years after the release of the groundbreaking mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, the now-estranged bandmates David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer) are forced to reunite for one final concert. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues also marks the resurrection of documentarian Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner), who once again tries to capture his favourite metal gods as they contemplate mortality—and the hope that their 12th drummer doesn't join them in The Great Beyond. Joined by music royalty Paul McCartney and Elton John, Spinal Tap wrestles with their checkered past to put on a concert that they hope will solidify their place in the pantheon of rock 'n' roll.