Corin Raymond’s “Million dollar” folk record Paper Nickels

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by Sheldon Birnie

“I’ve been finding these songs for the last 20 years, hearing songs by peers that I wanted to sing,” Corin Raymond explains over the phone from Edmonton. Having just completed a string of shows in Alberta, Raymond is about to jump on a plane to Kamloops for a short tour of southern British Columbia in support of his “million dollar Canadian folk record,” Paper Nickels. Continue reading “Corin Raymond’s “Million dollar” folk record Paper Nickels”

Hillbilly Highway – Crazy what a bunch of Paper Nickels can do…

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by Sheldon Birnie

It is truly amazing how far a crazy idea can go if you really give it all you got. Case in point is Corin Raymond’s latest album, Paper Nickels. Funded entirely by what Corin calls “The Great Canadian Tire Money Caper of 2012,” the album is possibly the craziest crowd sourcing experiment the world has seen yet, and certainly the most Canadian.  Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Crazy what a bunch of Paper Nickels can do…”

Hillbilly Highway – Three cheers to the Small Time

by Sheldon Birnie

I was witness to some magic Monday night; some pure gold in musical form. I stood along the north wall inside the Times Change(d), sipping Standard lager with my best gal as the place packed itself to the brim and spilled out onto Main Street and the hot night beyond.

The place was a literal who’s-who of Winnipeg’s roots scene, performers and fans alike. Many had seen the night’s performers over the weekend out at Trout Forest, and knew for a fact that the events of the evening would be something special, something to be experienced, no excuses. They weren’t wrong in that. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Three cheers to the Small Time”