Adrian Sutherland Interview

There is a place named Attawapiskat in the very far north of Canada, in what is referred to as the sub-Artic zone. It is approximately 500 kilometers (a little over 300 miles) from the nearest town of any size. Some days your best friend may be a caribou or the sound of the wind. In the winter months ice roads are constructed and it links you to other small communities and at other times of the year if you want to get in or out, you have to fly. Located on the northern end of James Bay, Attawapiskat is the home of indigenous (First Nations) singer, songwriter and guitarist Adrian Sutherland. He joined me recently to talk about his new album, Precious Diamonds, scheduled for release on March 15 (2024) and his speaking voice is as smooth as smooth as his vocals when he sings.

Adrian Sutherland recorded two songs for this album in his native language, Cree and others, while in English, share from his life experiences and his heritage of which he is proud.

The album opens with the beautiful song “Notawe,” (No Taw ee), and it is one of the two Cree songs on Precious Diamonds.

Adrian Sutherland talks about the song “Notawe.” “It is a song I wrote in my Cree language, which is the language that we speak where I live. It is the first full Cree song that I have written, which is kind of odd, because I am fluent in Cree.

Carla Olson - Triple Threat

It is rare for an artist / musician / producer to have three almost simultaneous releases and even more rare to have those three be simply outstanding, while being considerably different and yet that is exactly what Carla Olson has accomplished this spring with first her album Americana Railroad, secondly with her cover of The Who’s song “I Can See For Miles,” with proceeds going to Teen Cancer America. The find project is a beautiful collection of Gordon Lightfoot songs, on an album titled Ladies Sing Lightfoot, featuring artists such as The Kennedys, Natalie Noone, The Textones, Susan Cowsill, IIsey Juber, and Carla Olson sings the closing song, “Ringneck Loon.”

The seeds for Americana Railroad, the album, began to take root in the early 1990s with Carla Olson, Gene Clark and Saul Davis, Carla’s manager and husband.

Carla Olson says, “It was a nice idea to be a vehicle for a couple of Gene’s songs, one of which is “I Remember the Railroad,” and not many people know about it unless you are a big Gene Clark fan. Also, his songs, “Train Leaves Here This Morning,” and “Kansas City Southern.” Gene was a railroad guy. I remember buying a package of shirt patches that they used to sell in train stations and train shops and I bought four or five of the Rock Island Line. I gave a couple of them to Gene when we were first hanging around together in the eighties. He said this is so cool I am going to sew them on my jean jacket as soon as I can. He was a huge reason why we tried to cobble this together.Read More

Kerri Powers

Speaking to Riveting Riffs Magazine from her home nestled into the northwest corner of Connecticut, Canton, to be more specific, singer and songwriter Kerri Powers took time out to talk to us about her career and her new album, shortly after returning from her European tour.  

Chuckling she says, “Not too many people can find me. It is more private, which is really nice. We have been here twenty-two or twenty-three years now. I am originally from East Taunton, Massachusetts.”

Ah that is the accent that everyone once in a while visits this conversation.

So, tell us about your European tour in support of your album, Love Is Why.

“I must say I am really on a high from that. It usually goes very well, and I certainly didn’t expect to play to sold out venues.  I went as a soloist this time and usually I play with a good guitarist from over there. I won’t say I was apprehensive, but you never know what to expect. The audiences over there were quite receptive and I couldn’t have asked for a better run of dates. 

The one thing I like about (being in Europe) to tour is you have very appreciative audiences. They are down to earth good people. Every time I am there I learn more about what is going on and the culture. I just like the fact that we are learning every day if we are open to it. When you are Read More

Florence Dore

It is difficult to know where to begin a conversation with Florence Dore, as her creative and scholastic achievements are plentiful. She has taught creative writing and American literature (fiction) at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill since 2010, during which time she authored three books, raised a daughter with her husband Will Rigby and most recently released a splendid album Highways and Rocketships. Florence Dore received her doctorate in English from the University of California at Berkley. Her life began in Nashville, and among the places along the way that became home for a time, was New York City, before finally settling in North Carolina.

After spending an hour and one-half in conversation with Florence you come away with deep respect for her insightfulness, smile at her quick wit and due to her warmth and generosity you come away ninety minutes later convinced that you must have been friends in another life.

We decided to begin with digging into the roots for her passions for literature, writing and music. Where did this all begin?

She thoughtfully says, “I think it was the music. I would say the two things are similar parts of me. It is my love of literary beauty related to whatever that kernel of joy is when you are really small and your enjoyment of music and your response to beauty that maybe is irrational beauty and artistic beauty. I think they are similar.

In terms of the chronology of my life, music happened first, I grew up in Nashville and I was around music all of the time. My uncle was a guitar player, but (nobody else) in my family really was musical). We ended up singing Johnny Cash (songs) when I was small. I made up songs all of the time when I was really small, before I even (played) the guitar.Read More