• Oct 3 Fanny Bay
• Oct 4 Comox
• Oct 5 Victoria
• Oct 6 Van
• October 10 Calgary
• October 11 Edmonton

This week we welcome Donovan Woods and his latest album Things were never good if They’re not good now.

Wonderful insight into his songwriting and his place in the music business.

The first time he played in Victoria, he couldn’t believe the audience knew the words to his songs.

And in the past year, he played in Australia and remembers an audience in Perth who sang the words louder than he could.

He has come a very long way has Donovan.

Struggling to find things to sing about or sing at all. A series of failures lead to an addiction counselling program and committed himself to getting to “the bottom of myself“

He changed his mind about a lot of things.

” It turns out the truth does really set you free”

“I won’t be cheesy and say I feel like this is my first album, but it certainly feels like a new start”

Joel Plaskett's eleventh album—One Real Reveal is special for several reasons.

Joel sat down with a small Telefunken KM56 microphone and a 4-track recorder and recorded the tracks for One Real Reveal ON CASSETTE TAPE starting with the brilliant High Summer.

This album and its music is bare. Because it is, you’re forced to listen to the music and especially the lyrics. These are words and melodies that will still be the air in a concert hall.

IF you can get in.

Joel’s current tour out west is Sold Out. Fittingly, the tour ends at Massey Hall in Toronto.

It too will be Sold Out.

Discover the new sounds of Joel Plaskett, just like the old Joel Plaskett only quieter, more reflective.

I’ve been waiting many years to have Joel to myself. Just to exchange ideas and passions.

My timing couldn’t have been better. One Real Reveal was well worth the wait.

The other welcome guest is our pal Leeroy Stagger. Host of Dirty Windshields Radio Hour on CKUA Saturdays.

But before Leeroy joined us, he was a highly respected singer/songwriter and he continues to write, record and perform his very personal songs.

Leeroy has just released his latest album 3 am Revelations.

In it, Leeroy reflects the life around him. The road, family, social issues and seeking the answers to all his inner questions.

Just a heads up – 3 am Revelations rocks. Bangers like Watermelon Pink, Count to 10, These Days. Then finds balance with reflective gems like

It’s gonna be alright (someday), Alberta Stars, Life’s a Drag, etc.

It's good to have friends and partners like Leeroy Stagger. Great album Leeroy! You nailed it.

Terry David Mulligan joins Blues lifer Robert Finley in the media tent at the Edmonton Folk Festival.

Robert spins the stories of how he went from losing most of his sight to becoming the hot new voice in the blues.

Inviting himself to do a cold walk-on at the Blues Festival in St Helena. It's quite a story he tells. The crowd loved him and that set things in motion.

The Music Maker Relief Foundation, a non-profit blues support system, heard him busking in the streets and offered to help.

Finley released his first album “Age Don’t Mean a Thing” in 2016.

Dan Auerbach

of the Black Keys heard him and they started recording together – with Dan as producer.

They’ve now done 4 albums together. Each one is bigger and better.

The latest is Black Bayou. There will be no more busking for Robert Finley. He’s 70 years old and an overnight sensation!!

I’ve been waiting for new music from Winnipeg’s Madeleine Roger for four years.

That’s how long it's been since I discovered her voice, playing and gifted songwriting.

Maddy took a solo career detour through the stellar chops of The Fretless.

They needed an exceptional vocalist who understood and was comfortable with, classical music.

Madeleine needed a different “band” to shine with. Perfect!

So here we are in early September and both artists are releasing new albums.

Madeleine has just released NERVE a new album filled with tales of lost love and found freedoms.

Produced by Josh Kaufman (Anais Mitchell, Bonnie Light Horseman) Recorded in four days. They threw away the headphones and sat 8 feet apart..making music.

There are actually four extra songs waiting to be released.

I am here to state – in my opinion - an exceptional new star has risen – her name is Madeleine Roger.

Enjoy the complete interview and the music included.

www.madeleineroger.com

The last time I had the privilege of interviewing Rhiannon Giddens it was in 2017 at Edmonton Folk Fest.

In the next five years, she became a World star.

For example:

In October 2017, Giddens was named one of the 2017 class of MacArthur "Genius" Fellows.

In 2017 and 2018, Giddens appeared in the fifth and sixth seasons of the CMT's

In January 2018, Giddens co-produced Songs of Our Native Daughters for Smithsonian Folkways.

in early 2018, the Nashville Ballet announced that Rhiannon Giddens has been commissioned to write the music for Lucy Negro, Redux. In 2019, Giddens released two studio albums: Songs of Our Native Daughters and There Is No Other with Italian musician Francesco Turrisi

Giddens earned an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for her lasting impact on the UNCG community and her work in music. In 2023, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music from Princeton University

In other words, the last 5-6 years have been a delightful blur.

Thus my first question was …what do you remember of the last 5 years?

If anyone is going to change music in her lifetime – it's Rhiannon Giddens!!

Enjoy.

Colin's 21st album is called Chasing the Sun. Today, Aug 17 is his Birthday. Happy Day Colin

Co-produced by Colin Linden in his Pinhead Studios in Nashville.

Colin's coming to the Mulligan Stew Podcast with the complete story of how he and his friends wrote and created these outstanding songs.

Colin singing a Lucinda Williams song, Protection, with Lucinda in the studio doing harmony. Two tracks with blues harp legend Charlie Musselwhite, co-writing memorable songs with Tom Wilson, Terra Lightfoot, Thompson Wilson, Jesse Obrien and others. A great rhythm section of Darryl Jones (Stones) Charley Drayton (Keith Richards).

A splendid cover of Paul Butterfield's classic In My Own Dream. Also vocals by The McCrary Sisters and Ruby Amanfu

Colin Linden leading the all-star band and co-writing with Colin James.

It's their 6th album together.

Colin and I have been doing interviews for a long time but there are still events and moments in his life that need retelling.

For example, when the two Colins’ met on the Canadian Prairies Colin James was 13 and Colin Linden was 17. Both were into playing the blues.

A short time later Colin, still a teenager, got to play for Stevie Ray Vaughn. Stevie helped him take the next steps in his career.

This is the complete Interview.

His 2021 album Open Road won the JUNO Award for Best Blues Album and was nominated for Blues Foundation Best Blues Rock Album in 2023.

Catching the Sun may very well get the best reception yet.

Terry talks with Rhiannon Giddens at the Edmonton Folk Music Fest in 2020