The City Kid Songwriters

A New Collective of Folk Singer-Songwriters in Halifax, NS

Our absolutely charming logo designed by Samuel Landry.

This Sunday we hosted the inaugural showcase of a new collective here in Halifax we’re calling The City Kid Songwriters. The concert featured new folk music by Lucas Tennen, Rachel Kimmelman, Eliza Rhinelander, and myself. It was an evening of collaboration, community, and celebration, and it was an absolute pleasure to be apart of it. I hope that this will be the first of many events that get songwriters and fans of folk music together to create the kind of community that makes music possible.

A big welcome to all those who signed up for the newsletter at the show! It’s wonderful to have you along for the ride. Last week I wrote about the conception of my upcoming song about the long-lost Canadian Greyhound bus lines (you can also hear there an early demo of the song).

I promised everyone at the show a chance to hear the final version of the song ahead of its release on October 4. I would be loath to deny those of you already hanging around these parts the same opportunity. You can follow this link to hear the track for the next 48 hours.

But who are the City Kid Songwriters? We’re a new collective seeking to support the amazing community of folk musicians in our city. We have in mind to organize jam nights, concerts, and song-writing workshops—anything to break through the isolation that often accompanies attempts to share music on the internet. Tools like social media and streaming platforms afford wonderful opportunities for someone like myself, but at the same time, these environments are horrendously bad indicators of where to find the path forward as a songwriter. There are so many songs that want to written, but in their coming to be they must be nurtured, not pulled up prematurely by the roots to see if they’re growing (as Julia Cameron puts it). For that, you need a spirit of courage and acceptance, and these are best cultivated in a sacred circle of others practising the same craft. It’s even better if you can all be in the same room!

If any of you tuning in from the Halifax area are interested in getting involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out!