The Good Lovelies

U.S.A. bound!

2011-09-28T07:35:00.001-07:00

Hello fall, there you are creeping in. One minute it's summer, and then everything is tinged orange and red. Time to hit the road, sweaters packed and shorts stowed away for another year.

We are about to head out on our first driving tour in a long time. We're excited about packing the car from home, bringing along all of the things we miss when flying - pillows and coffee grinder, lap desk (no kidding) and cereal, skipping ropes and extra boots. Tomorrow we head south for the first ever Good Lovelies tour of North and South Carolina. And on the way home we'll also be playing The Festy (www.thefesty.com) in Virginia, and shows in Washington, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.

Here's a picture of the flag in the staircase of the Old Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge. We were there for under 24 hours. But in that short time, we played three short sets, ate some fried green tomatoes and gumbo and danced along to a Zydeco band. (Footage to follow!) Hope to see you out there on the road this month.

xo C for GL's

Goodnight, Summer Festivals

2011-08-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year, when our festival season draws to a close.

The 2011 summer festival season has been an interesting and varied one. We headed as far North as Iqaluit, and as South as California’s World Music Festival. We braved our first tornado in Salina, Kansas at the Smoky Hill River Festival. We played in Ontario – a soggy but spirited weekend at Summerfolk in Owen Sound and a beautiful opening night at Peterborough Folk Festival. We sang amidst the mountains of Canmore, Alberta and landed (after much delay!) in foggy St. John’s for the Newfoundland Folk Festival. And in between: a beautiful sunny weekend in Michigan at Blissfest.

Here's a caricature of the GLs on the mainstage of Blissfest:

One of my favourite experiences this summer was driving from San Diego to Grass Valley, CA (just north of Sacramento) to play the California World Music festival. The drive itself, about 10 hours, was spectacular. We moved through the lush green of the South, stood still in L.A. gridlock, climbed through desert mountains up into the B.C. reminiscent landscape of Northern California.

Along the way, we passed giant trucks filled with tomatoes and onions. Sue’s Dad joked with us later that a catastrophic pile-up must have been the birth of salsa. You could literally taste the tomatoes as we overtook the trucks.

On that drive up hwy 5, we also passed the largest cattle farms I have ever seen - AND SMELLED. The fields of cows were endless, about 2 kilometres wide, and absolutely devastating. There were thousands of cattle lined up and squished together on dusty fields. I am not vegetarian, but the sight of those cattle farms put me off meat for awhile. This is modern farming, and it’s very scary.

The California World Music Fest had us on the main stage right before Saturday night’s headliner, India Arie. I remember when India’s hit “Video” came out in the early 2000’s. It is an anthem for women – untraditional and independent. I loved that song then, but love it so much more after seeing her play live.

India gave one of the most honest and heartfelt performances I’ve seen in a long time. She sang beautifully and danced around the stage in a flowing traditional African dress. Kerri, Sue and I stood side stage for the whole show, eating it up. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor several times. This is a woman you want your daughters looking up to - she takes her role as peace maker and goodness purveyor very seriously. If you don’t know her, you should. Check her out at: www.indiaarie.com

One of the best parts of playing festivals is collaborating. In Canmore, we had Oliver Craven from the Steel Wheels (check them out: www.thesteelwheels.com) join us on the main stage at Canmore Folk Festival on fiddle. He played Old Highway with us, strings bouncing off mountains and back again. In the bright sunlight of that stage we also had Steve Pitkin of Elliott Brood (our musical brothers - check out www.elliottbrood.com) join us on drums for Crabbuckit and Lie Down. It felt like magic in a bowl of mountains!

September feels more like the start of a new year than January. I think it’s all of those years starting school – fall, for me, is about new beginnings. We have a very busy year ahead indeed. It starts this month with the Fall Showcases in Seattle, Minneapolis and Baton Rouge. 20 minutes to strut our stuff for music presenters and festival bookers. If all goes well, we’ll be playing a lot more in the U.S. over the next couple of years.

This fall will have us on tour in the United States (we have a bunch of shows in North & South Carolina this October), Northern Ontario, Alberta. Dates are posted on our website. We hope to see you at a show!

Thanks always, for the support. It’s been a great summer.

xo Caroline for Good Lovelies

Just rehearsin' in Canmore...

2011-08-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

Canmore Folk Fest: be still our hearts. What a perfect setting to play and sing. Our friend Ryan Mathew Fields shot this photo of us while we readied for our first workshop with Melissa McLelland and Luke Doucet on Sunday.

Just before this, we hopped up on stage with Elliott Brood and sang Neil Young's tune "Comes a Time" with them. We hadn't slept much between performing with the Vinyl Cafe the night before in Orillia in Ontario, but we didn't care with all the fun going on there.

Alberta will always have a special place in our hearts, and Canmore especially.

xo/ko

A Day Off in Lakeside, Ohio

2011-07-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

Canada Day Weekend in Iqaluit, Nunavut

2011-07-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

Iqaluit - "place of many fish."

If you've never experienced the midnight sun in Canada's Arctic - I strongly urge you to book a ticket north for next summer and see it first hand.

The decision to spend Canada Day in Iqaluit excited me more than usual. I think it made me feel *extra* Canadian (if that's even possible) to experience a new part of our beautiful country on such a patriotic occasion. And, with the temperature rising to 15 degrees at its warmest and dipping to five degrees (or lower) at its chilliest on July 1st -- I felt proud (and hearty) to be Canadian.

I think what struck us most upon first glance was the treeless landscape. When the plane descended from the clouds, we spotted ice in the water, bright-coloured houses on the water's edge, and nary a tree blocking our view of town. No matter how many episodes of Planet Earth I had watched depicting Canada's Arctic landscape, I was still unprepared to see it up close and personal. Here's a photo of Iqaluit from the hill we climbed the day we arrived.

On the way to lunch, we walked past the Iqaluit Post Office, which had the word Iqaluit written in both English and Inuktitut.

At the top of the hill we climbed, we came across the sign to the Road to Nowhere - obviously a road we decided to hike at midnight the following night. As we posed for this photo, we noticed written on the back of the sign someone had scrawled "Stealing this sign will give you instant bad karma." It got me to thinking how many times that sign has had to be replaced... and also, if some silly traveler came and took it, how on earth they got it through airport security when they left.

The next day, after playing a show, we took a 5km hike to the nearby town Apex - noted on Wikipedia as a suburb of Iqaluit. Sue stepped onto the beach and started playing with the snow, remarking that this was her first time handling snow on Canada Day... She picked up this snowball and tried to shot-put it at me. (She didn't quite make it, but I applauded her efforts.)

As we left the Apex trail, we saw some people on the coast line and we were curious as to what they were fishing for. When we passed by a family of three locals headed toward the shore, they answered that they were digging for clams. Sue learned later that night that digging for clams is no easy feat as they burrow into the ground with great force once they feel someone threatening to unearth them. Down by the beach we walked by this dogsled, one of many we saw throughout the weekend. Now we're eager to return in the winter to see them in action.

We climbed the rocks on the beach and took a rest and a drink of water. It was so peaceful and serene up there, that we stopped to sing our national anthem in three part harmony for an audience of two (two of our partners joined us that weekend and were witness to our spontaneous outpouring of national pride. It was private, and lovely, and another reminder why I love spending all my time with my two best friends.

The purpose for the trip of course was the beautiful Alianait Festival . We caught up with old friends from the April Verch Band, we finally met the ladies of Annie Lou (check them out!) and met the folks in a great electronic band from New Zealand - The Mamaku Project. The music was top notch, and the crowd was eager and out in full force.

The last day of the festival we played our main performance to a receptive and attentive crowd, and were followed by local favourites, Simeonie Keenainak - who took the night home with a big dance party in the school gym. It was a night to remember, a weekend to remember, and truly a Canada Day we won't ever forget.

/ko

The First 150 Days of Twenty Eleven

2011-05-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 30th
8:37 pm
Writing from my basement apartment

I've been staring at the 2011 calendar on my wall for the last five minutes. It's one of the Farmer's Almanac calendars that has all sorts of useful gardening tips in it and quirky names for the different full moons - in May, it was called the Full Flower Moon for some unexplained reason - and my calendar is marked up with the names of cities and towns I've visited.

I've been counting the days of the year that have passed so far: 150 days. And I haven't regretted a single one.

Of those days, 66 were spent playing shows; 88 were spent away from home either on tour in four different countries -- or visiting Thompson, Manitoba; and 62 days were spent in Toronto, at home, sleeping in my own bed, making my own food.

In the past 150 days, we've been to six states in the United States , all over Ontario - north, south, west and east - we've been to four Australian states and we just finished touring Wales, England and Scotland.

I am not wearied by this, I am ecstatic. I do not dread the next trip that is right around the corner, that will take us to a festival in Kansas. I live for this. I am inspired by this. I smile at my computer screen as I write this, ticking off the days in between shows with chores, moving apartments, 5k runs, and homemade meals (sort of.)

And it makes me feel lucky.

When I was little, I had a notion that I wanted to be a performer of some sort. I always liked music; playing it, listening to it, singing or inventing songs. But my eleven year old self had no idea what it would actually entail to make performing work as a living. I think if I knew then, what I know now, it wouldn't have been this lifestyle I was after. After all, my view of performing came from Ed McMahon's Star Search, or listening to the Mini-Pops with my sisters or watching Beatles movies - where throngs of wild and crazy fans would chase them all over town. I thought it meant I'd get up every night in front of packed houses, who would cheer me on and fill my life with glamour and strange meaning. I likely thought that someone else would take care of figuring this out for me, and I'd just be the recipient of being in the right place at the right time.

But it's not like that and it's never been like - ever since the first show the Good Lovelies performed. What we do, wouldn't have been fathomable to an eleven-year-old me. What we do isn't stadium shows with people screaming our names and passing out because it's too much for them to handle. No, what we do is we set ourselves up in peoples' homes, or in intimate venues, bars, cafes, listening rooms or town halls and play for attentive audiences. What we do is be ourselves, and sing and play our hearts out, and bask in the warm glow of the people we are entertaining. What we do is not complicated, or mind-altering or heart-attack inducing. What we do is laugh, and sing, and go to sleep and then do it all again the next day with a new group of people.

I feel so lucky.

I feel lucky because in 30 years of life, at the heart of me still, is an idealistic kid who is hopeful, who sees potential, and who is ready and willing to try.

And trying has lead us to Australia, the UK and to the US. And it's lead us across and back this dear and supportive native country of ours, Canada, time and again.

And if Canada doesn't know this already, the people we're meeting all over the world have nothing but glowing words to say about the quality of musicians, bands and people coming out of our beautiful country.

And to be standing on foreign soil, hearing the voices around you compliment the very place that helped us get our start in this business, I stand beaming with pride. Pride for my fellow musicians, pride for my country and the landscape that inspires us all so much. And I am proud to be representing Canada every night I take the stage and put on a show.

No, I wouldn't trade this for anything.

On the Streets of Bristol...

2011-05-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

Kangaroos, Koalas, Bluff Climbs Oh My!: Australia Part Three

2011-04-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in Seaford Rise, looking at the photos from the last four days in South Australia. It's late Sunday night, and back home it's 10:25 on Sunday morning. I love being one step ahead of my loved ones :)

I should start by telling you that we fulfilled one item on our To-Do list and saw our first (and eventually our twentieth) kangaroo yesterday. We visited The Urimbirra Wildlife Park in Victor Harbour and spent nearly two hours hanging out with the kangaroos and other beautiful Australian wildlife. Here's a picture of the first kangaroo we met. He was cute, and didn't hop at us, but instead approached very slowly, almost like he was sneaking up on us.

A few minutes later, we spotted this sleeping koala. We had just missed feeding time (the only four hours a day when they are actually awake according to the guide) so we enjoyed them from afar. But because we stayed so long at the park, feeding time came around again and I got to see the little guys moving around, and I even got to pet them while they dined on eucalyptus leaves. So far, all of my Australian expectations are being met, and then some.

Just down the road, in Victor Harbour, our host Pete took us over to the bluffs where we climbed to the top of the rock for a stunning view of the water, the coast line and the town. I love hiking, and climbing - we all do, and when we got to the top, Pete snapped a photo of us catching our breath. If you're wondering why our hair looks like that, it's because the wind was whipping at a pretty good pace.

I think this next photo speaks for itself. This one rather *fresh* kangaroo followed us around the park for awhile, and eventually just sort of hugged Sue. I'm glad I turned around to capture the moment... Thanks Sue, for letting me post this photo. :)

It's a rare experience for us to actually get to settle into one place while we're touring, so these past four days in South Australia have been amazing. We hunkered down in Seaford Rise with two of the nicest people we've ever met. We've been sleeping on various pull-out couches and beds in their home, and they keep feeding us and letting us take over their home with our stuff. Pete's been taking us around town and the countryside showing us kangaroos and koalas, and Annie has been entertaining us with stories and songs, and keeping us caffeinated and fed. It's going to be hard not to bring them back to Canada with us, but I suppose it's a good thing to have such wonderful people in Australia so the next time we visit, we can meet up with them again!

This is a candid shot of Pete and Annie that I took today during our concert at the Peacock Farm. Pete ran our sound and helped put this show together (and our show the first night we arrived in Port Noarlunga.)

I should stop typing and go to bed. It's getting late, and we have an early morning ahead of us. I have to go write my mom another letter to assure her that we're safe and sound, and that all is going well down under. She's particularly interested in our kangaroo sightings, so I'm off to embellish some stories for dramatic effect. (Just kidding, I never embellish.)

Have a lovely Sunday in Canada - and in Australia - happy Monday, folks!

xo/kerri o

From Apollo Bay to Bendigo: Australia Tour Part Two

2011-04-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

It's always a bit sad when a festival ends, it doesn't matter where or what festival. But because this was our Australian debut, it's doubly hard to leave it behind. Add to that the fact that we also left behind a beachfront view and audiences that made us feel at home ... It was an incredible start to this month of travel. Each crowd was bigger than the last, and while the folks were quiet and attentive during the sets, they were wild and boisterous when each set finished.

During our last set in the "Mechanics Institute" (a beautiful little theatre where we played two of our three shows) Caroline ran backstage to grab her camera to videotape our audience. We, Lovelies, quick to learn that the common greeting in Australia is: "How are you going?" and not "How are you doing?" asked our audience how they were going with the camera rolling - and the hooting and hollering that ensued was hilarious! They screamed and shouted and said hello to our parents back home! And now we have proof to show our moms that people did in fact come to our concerts down under.

Monday morning, after saying goodbye to the beach, and to the amazing coffee shop "Wickens" (that we visited every day to use the internet and drink "flat whites" and "long darks") we headed further across the Great Ocean Road and took in some incredible vistas and stunning rock formations along the coast line.

This photo above is a rare one of the three of us taken at the 12 Apostles (now apparently there are only six apostles as the sea has battered the other six down to wee nubs.) The photo below is a shot of two of the apostles that remain. In person they look like pottery standing still while the waves whip them day and night. Truly they are a sight to see.

During our drive to Bendigo we counted at least a thousand sheep (I'm sure there were more, I just couldn't keep up.) We passed alpacas and cows, and horses and ponies. In fact - in one town there was a horse in his own private fenced-in area, where passers-by like us could get out and pet him. Sue pulled over and immediately made friends with him. A little further down the road in a town called Beeac, we spotted five children - all under the age of 12- riding two ponies in their front yard. There were no adults around - just these five kids and two ponies. Everything looked perfectly normal... the kids were great with the animals and the ponies looked to be having a delightful time as the kids climbed on them and rode them around.

What is this magical place? (Below is a photo of some newly shorn alpacas...I love alpacas and llamas and can't get enough of them.)

We learned that peppers are called 'capsicum' here. When we asked our pizza girl what this word was she looked at us like we had three heads. We're learning something new every day and making friends while we do it.

The sun set while we meandered along the highways to Bendigo and we couldn't resist snapping a shot of the three of us in the romantic hue of sunset while storm clouds gathered behind us. When we stopped, we could hear the noisy chatter of what looked like a dozen bright red parrots. What I wish I could convey through this blog are the noises and aromas that are leaving an indellible impression on the three of us. These parrots are so loud from such a far distance, I can't imagine what they sound like close up.

I'm delighted to tell you that this morning while having a sip of coffee before heading out to our ABC Radio interview, I spotted a spider the size of my fist. In an effort to keep my cool, I grabbed Caroline's arm with the strength of ten men, and dragged her to my discovery. We determined this fuzzy creature was not harmful and we let him be - but I may regret that decision later if I find him inside my suitcase. :)

Our first band tarantula.

We're here in Bendigo now, and our hosts Prue and Keith have been amazing. Prue made us coffee this morning and escorted us to our interview. She gave us a tour of the town, and let us know what the must-see attractions are. We've wandered around today and are excited about playing our show with the folk club tonight under the grandstand just down the street.

It's Tuesday afternoon here, and back in Ontario it's just after 1:15am. I hope you're enjoying the beginning of spring time.. I hope it keeps up.

xo/ko

We're Here! - Australia Tour Part One

2011-04-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

April 9, 2011 – We're in the future. At home it’s 5:53 pm on April 8th, but where I am, it’s April 9, 7:53 am…

I’m here to tell you, the future rocks.

I wanted to start writing the minute we landed in Sydney but I couldn’t really see straight. Although I was emotionally unphased by the 20+ hour flight(s) to get here, my body was tired and my eyes were bright red from being open for way too long. On the plane I started and finished the novel “Dry” by Augusten Burroughs, I watched “Barney’s Version,” most of "Cider House Rules" and a few episodes of "Bored to Death". I slept for awhile and stared into space for awhile. All in all, it was a neat way to spend 24 hours of my life, and I’ll do it again to get home at the beginning of May...

Leading up to this trip, people kept asking me if I was excited about coming here. And though on a cerebral level, I knew I was going to a new place for a long-ish stretch of time, I never did get “excited” about it -- that is, until we landed in 24 degree heat and smelled the perfect, fragrant, rainforest-y air.

After landing in Sydney, we gathered our belongings (that were first sniffed by airport police dogs) and the proceeded to our next gate (we had to board one last flight from Sydney to Melbourne before actually getting to go outside and see Australia.) And what a wonderful surprise to see two other Canadian bands touring down under: "Hey Rosetta" and "City and Colour." After such a long flight, it’s incredibly comforting to see people from home.

The flight to Melbourne was uneventful, but for a funny steward on the plane who started joking with us about how much better Canadians are than Americans… ha. He spoke just loud enough to irritate the people in our cabin and to make us some new *friends*.

We landed and waited a long time for our bags, but they all came. We grabbed a taxi downtown to fetch our rental car. We got our car, packed it tight with our stuff and hit the highway for Apollo Bay. Caroline took the first stab at driving and did very well.

It’s strange to be seated in a car on the *wrong* side and watch your friend drive in the left lane. This was made stranger by the fact that by the time we started to drive, we had been traveling/awake for more than 30 hours.

We drove into Geelong for dinner on our way south, and I found a sushi place that was cheap. I ate vegetarian rolls and they were AMAZING - probably the best sushi I've ever eaten. This might sound like hyperbole to you, and maybe I was a bit over-excited by the sushi considering I’d been eating airplane and airport food for the last day and a half, but seriously, the avocados were fresh, the rice perfect and the seaweed not too seaweedy. I was full (and it was cheap… something we’ve learned is a rarity here.)

Mostly, it’s the fragrant air that I can’t get over. Everything here smells incredible. The air is thick with the fresh and natural aroma of plants and vegetation and I find myself breathing it in like it’s the last time I’ll ever smell anything like it. When a guy sat down next to us yesterday while we were having lunch on a patio and started smoking, it took all of my strength not to spit at him. Why, oh why, would he even want to fill the air with any other smell than fresh, natural awesomeness that was surrounding us?

On the note about prices here, when Sue went to buy two bananas the other day, the price came out to $6.00. And the following morning when she and Caroline went into town for breakfast, one restaurant boasted a $16 breakfast sandwich. The prices here are high and it's taking some getting used to... The good news is we're being very picky about what we're eating and making incredibly healthy choices... the downside: fewer presents for our siblings and parents. :)

I am eager to explore more. There are mountains to climb, animals to see, beaches on which to linger and many shows to perform... This is going to be a great month.

And I cannot believe the view from our motel this weekend…

Our reception here has been amazing. Our shows have been packed and the people have been singing along with us.

I may not have been excited leading up to the trip, but I'm here now, and seeing the water, the trees, the people and the possibilities of fun and adventure in front of me, I am bubbling over with excitement.

xo/ko

Playing for the Home Town Crowd

2011-03-29T21:02:00.001-07:00

Photo by the incredible: Ali Eisner
Venue: Capitol Theatre, Port Hope, Ontario
Date: March 26, 2011
From left to right: Kerri Ough, Paul Mathew, Sue Passmore, Christine Bougie, Caroline Brooks

It was the best of times...

2011-02-27T21:01:00.001-08:00

We've just returned home after a trip south to Massachusetts and Maine, north to Montreal and then west today toward home. Right now, I'm sitting in my apartment, having a snack while I collect my thoughts about the last six days...

On Tuesday, the day our CD was released in Canada, we woke up before the sun so we could sing a tune on Canada AM . The day also had us at BRAVO for a wee interview, and then over to Explorenet.com for a live performance and interview. All of this was a blast except for one rather important detail - Caroline had the flu. She's all better now, we are happy to report, and somehow Sue and I never got sick (knock wood.) But because of this sudden illness we never made it to New York City and had to cancel our show at the Rockwood. We are looking forward to setting up another show there as soon as we can.

The next day, after a good day of recovering, we started our trek south and landed in New York state that night to sleep. The next day as we headed for Massachusetts, I discovered I was without my winter jacket, and had ZERO recollection of where it might have ended up. (After listening to my phone messages tonight, I now know it's at the Days Inn where we slept.

But I digress...

I want to tell you about how the show in Massachusetts came together. Last October during our Harbourfront outdoor shows in Toronto, we met Henrietta (aka Hank) her husband Chris and their son while they were vacationing in Canada. About a month ago Hank came to see our show at Club Passim in Boston and after the show she offered to put on a house concert for us sometime in the future. We asked, quite earnestly, if she thought we could pull off a show in just a month (as we knew we had a spare day on this tour) and because she's amazing, she said yes, and pulled together a place to play, a place to sleep and an audience to witness the whole thing. The kindness of people never ceases to amaze me. She deserves high praise.
Below is a shot of us in the glow of our microphone Christmas lights.

The next day we woke up to a wicked-downpour (yes, I said wicked-downpour) and went for breakfast at a great diner with Hank and her *awesome* son. It was a great greasy spoon, and we ate eggs, veggies, toast and homefries - it was exactly what we wanted.

Imagine our surprise when, an hour later during our drive east, the pouring rain turned into buckets of snow. And, I was, of course, without a winter jacket and my thin sweater really wasn't cutting the mustard. Luckily my friends didn't make me pump gas in the snow (they are so nice) and we made it to our destination... eventually. Because of this sudden snowfall, we were worried the show might get canceled, but they are tough in Maine, so as they say - the show went on, and we had a great night in a beautiful house that our host, Bill, is in the midst of building. It's going to be stunning, he has quite a gift for creating beautiful homes and barns.

In the morning, after a cup of coffee and homemade blueberry pancakes, we headed north to Quebec for our last show in this whirlwind tour and arrived in good time. We met a lot of new people, had a great time with the gals we were playing with, and we had a blast opening the show. Little did we know Nuit Blanche was happening in Montreal that night, so the streets were alive with action as we packed to leave. After a futile search for pizza I realized I had no idea where my phone was. After frantically searching all the normal bags and pockets, I was baffled - so we headed back to the venue (and Nuit Blanche) to look there.

It wasn't there, so I grabbed my suitcase and took it to a well-lit area and searched high and low for my silly phone. I wish you could have seen me frantically unpacking my suitcase in a room filled with tipsy-Nuit Blanche goers... there was underwear flying, makeup bags emptied and cowboy boots being turned upside down... I don't know why I even went to my boot, but I turned it over and out came my phone... I felt absolutely nuts after this, but Caroline and Sue, like other similar times before when I have completely lost my marbles, were so nice about it.

This delayed our departure from Montreal, but we did eventually leave and landed in Ontario for a quick sleep before coming home today.

We won't be in Toronto long, but while we're here we're going to make sure to see the people we love, walk around this lovely town, do our chores and catch a few Zs before embarking on our official CD Release tour that starts in Sudbury this Thursday.

xo/ko

New Album "Let the Rain Fall" is released today!

2011-02-22T11:01:00.000-08:00

We are delighted to announce that we have a brand new album out on this sunny February day.

"Let the Rain Fall" is now available in stores and online at your favourite music hot spots!

Thank you for your support over that last four years! We hope you dig the new tunes...

xo xo xo
The Good Lovelies
Kerri, Sue & Caroline

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Hanging out in Penticton, BC

2011-02-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

We had the rare opportunity of being photographed by a local photographer while we visited Penticton, BC at the end of the month. Here is one of her photos of us hugging to keep warm on the water. Check out Tara Morris' photos HERE!

Here's the Skinny; the Scoop; the News...

2011-01-31T20:21:00.000-08:00

If someone were to ask us today, what's new? We'd have a few perfect answers:

What's New?

For one, this new website design is new. It was designed by our good friend and musician extraordinaire, Janine Stoll. Janine took time from her own incredibly busy touring and recording life (with her band The Donefors) and revamped our website! Hope you like it, we sure do!

What Else is New?

In 22 days our new album "Let the Rain Fall" is being released and you can order your copy today in Canada through Maple Music! The first 100 are signed by all three Lovelies...

Anything Else New?

Well, let's see. We're touring all over Ontario to celebrate the release of this new album in March 2011; then we're hopping a plane and doing the same in Australia FOR THE FIRST TIME, and then a mere two weeks after arriving back in Canada, we're hopping on another flight to the UK also for the first time, to release the album there...

We may explode with all this excitement. For now, let us just say, thank you for reading, for writing to us, for attending our shows and making this dream come true over and over again.

We will try our best to get to your city, I sure hope we see you there!

xo
The Lovelies
Caroline, Kerri & Sue

PS: Join our Facebook Page for daily updates while we're on the road...

Album We Love - Entry #3

2011-01-25T18:37:00.000-08:00

Sue has offered us up a list of her all-time favourite albums...

SUE'S LIST

A list of favourites is no easy task - there are just too many to list. I could go on and on, and almost did, but have whittled my list down to a baker's dozen of favourites. Between the three of us, there are not suprisingly duplicates of bands, so suffice to say that a number of Caroline's and Kerri's choices are also on my bigger list, and here I will add some new names in alphabetical order.

Andrew Bird - Most of Andrew's records appear regularly on the turntable at home, but I'm going to single out Armchair Apochrypha. It's a great example of Andrew's talents - interesting lyrics, melodies, production, and a healthy amount variation throughout the songs, his smooth voice the icing on the cake. Oh, and did I mention he plays just about everything? This is a brilliant man.

The Beatles - I am 100% confident that I am not alone in the world with this pick, and though it seems like too obvious a selection, I must include them. Sunday morning coffee, breakfast, Abbey Road and Revolver - nothing beats it!

Carsie Blanton - Carsie was one of my favourite discoveries of 2010, at a venue in New York City. The production on the album is quite different from the live show, which is a very effective guitar and upright bass duo. Her lyrics on the album Buoy are wonderful and what caught my ear most. Carsie herself is absolutely charming, and I hope she tours north of the border soon.

Califone - I have been listening to this band for the last ten years, and the album I enjoy most is Roomsound. I love the guitar style, the gritty vocals, the production and the use of found objects for percussion.

Corb Lund - Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! Fantastic album! Personally, I enjoy a really well executed album with a specific theme. Corb is so much fun to see live, and this is a favourite album listen to at home and on the road.

Death Cab For Cutie/The Postal Service - This entry is mainly a nod to Ben Gibbard, who I think is a great lyricist and has influenced my own writing. I will admit that I haven't listened to much lately, but love to listen to songs like Passenger Seat now and then.

Django Reinhardt - I picked up Django's Anthology about a year ago and I LOVE disc one. I have been a fan of Django's style for a number of years now, and still hope to learn it soon. It's so playful, and naturally, I think it works really well on his version of "Sweet Sue" ;)

Edith Piaf - Last June I found a colection of Edith Piaf's records in a used vinyl bin. After a cleaning, they play fairly nicely, and when I need some soothing music while working at home, these are up at the top of my list.

Fleet Foxes - The self-titled album is great, and as a lover of harmony, I can't get enough of their arrangements. White Winter Hymnal in particular gets heavy play on my iPod.

Idaho - I fell in love with this band when they appeared on a mixed tape given to me in 2001. Various songs from the albums Alas, Hearts of Palm, Levitate and Three Sheets To The Wind have been played many times, and made it on to many "mixed tapes" I have made since. The music is dreamy/ethereal and moody, and we used this band as a model for the song Detroit on my solo album, 87 Miles - it remains one of my favourite tracks we recorded.

Old Man Luedecke - Few things make me instantly happier than listening to Luedecke's albums. The song "Proof Of Love" off the album of the same name is delightful, and proof of Luedecke's proficiency as a lyricist. I will happily dance a little jiggle to this tune any day of the week.

Royal Wood - I was introduced to Royal's music five or six years ago and quickly fell head over heels for his album A Good Enough Day. Great songwriting, and always gets play at home and on the road.

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - There was a time when I listened mostly to indie and punk, and The Tyranny Of Distance remains on my playlists as my favourite of Ted Leo's albums (Timorous Me, my favourite track).

Albums We Love - Entry #2

2011-01-23T11:06:00.001-08:00

KERRI'S LIST

What's on my iPod?

When I'm in the car, on a plane, or just chilling, I'm listening to:
Luluc (amazing, relaxing, rejuvenating),
Bon Iver (For Emma, Forever Ago) (music to swoon over),
Elliot Brood - Mountain Meadows (irresistible, original music)
Yo-Yo Ma's Bach Cello Suites
Joel Plaskett (Ashtray Rock) and (Three) and many more...
John Lennon (Plastic Ono Band)

When I'm working out, I've got a playlist with these tracks (and many more odd selections...whatever gets me through)
Jay-Z (Empire State of Mind)
Lily Allen (The Fear)
Kanye West (Gold Digger)
Okkervil River (Lost Coastlines)
Beyonce (Halo) in my headphones.

When I Just Want to Listen to Music I Love I Listen To:
Jolie Holland
Timber Timbre
Bon Iver
M. Ward
Coldplay
Creaking Tree String Quartet

This is a difficult thing to write, as I want to listen the dozens of singer songwriter type music I constantly have rotating on my iPod or stereo. But this is a fairly accurate representation of what I've been listening to for the past couple of weeks...

The most recent CD I purchased was The Wooden Sky album "If I Don't Come Home, You'll Know I'm Gone" and it's amazing. The songs are well crafted, their voices are stunning together and the instrumentation is beautiful and fresh. I recommend it.

xo/Kerri O

Albums We Love - Entry #1

2011-01-13T11:27:00.000-08:00

We spend so much time driving around while on tour, that we wanted to share some of our favourite albums with you.
Here's a look at what's on in Caroline's ears:

CAROLINE'S LIST

Bahamas - "Pink Strat"
I discovered Bahamas at the 2010 Junos, and have had his album on repeat since You'll be transported to warm place, with the sound of that Pink Strat.

Nathan - "Key Principles"
Keri Latimer is hands down one of my favourite lyricists, and combined with the catchy melodies on this album it's no wonder it won a Juno in 2008 for Roots Album of the Year.

Joel Plaskett - "Three"
Excellent driving music. I love all three of the discs that make up this album.

Deep Dark Woods - "Winter Hours"
We met the Woods a few years ago at the Trout Forest Music Festival, and their album has been on constant rotation since. It's timeless and brooding. I love it when boys sing harmony.

Squirrel Nut Zippers - "Hot"
OMG this is fun dancing music, especially in the kitchen when no one's around.

Iron & Wine - "Our Endless Numbered Days"
Dreamy, beautiful, lush, gorgeous.

Anais Mitchell - "Hadestown"
I will be the first to say that I hate musicals. But this is folk-opera at it's finest, with appearances from Bon Iver, Ani DiFranco and Greg Brown. The songs are strong, and when you listen mindfully, you'll see the opera take place before you. Brilliant.

Joaquin Rodrigo - "Concerto de Aranjuez"
Growing up in a family where classical guitar music abounds, it's no surprise that I still love to listen to this Concerto pretty regularly.

Sarah Harmer - "I'm a Mountain"
This is my go-to album for cooking, and again, kitchen dancing. It also reminds me of my late Aunt Val, who near the end of her life fell in love with the track "Oleander."

Coldplay - "Parachutes"
I don't think I've listened to an album more than this one. It's still, hands down, in my top 5 albums of all time.

/CB

A List About 2010

2011-01-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

I was thinking this morning that I wanted to write about what we accomplished last year. It was a positive and eventful year so here's a list of a few things that came to mind!

1) In April we won the Juno for Roots Traditional Album of the Year 2010! We traveled to Newfoundland after a whirlwind tour had just finished, and much to our surprise and delight we left with a Juno. It was an unbelievable feeling.

2) In March we toured the Prairies and Northern Ontario with the Vinyl Cafe. What an honour to be part of such a well put together show, with an incredible team. We'll never forget it.

3) We toured the US for the first time - and made some great friends while we were there. We dressed up like tourists and visited New York City for the first time!

4) In August we finished recording our new album due out this February. Now, we are anxiously awaiting getting the album out to the public.

5) For the first time ever, we added an upright bassist to our Christmas tour. Ben Whiteley was the perfect addition and we couldn't have been happier with how the tour went!

6) We flew to Dawson City, Yukon in July and spent an incredible weekend in the Midnight Sun. It was our first time traveling that far north - and we can't wait to go back. Next time, maybe we'll drive it!

7) In September we took a vacation away from this touring life and spent some quality time with our loved ones. We've never done this before and it was an incredibly restorative experience.

8) In October we did our first theatre tour of New Brunswick and parts of Nova Scotia. It was amazing to hit these new stages and see familiar faces in the crowd, as well as meeting new people.

9) We played 141 shows in 2010, and visited at least 130 communities. We spent at least 160 days on the road, sharing rooms, meals and car rides together. It's pretty incredible to get to spend that much time with your best friends and musical compadres.

10) Our band turned four on December 15th, 2010 and we celebrated in Inverary, ON at the Rankin Gallery with brownies and a delicious home cooked dinner!

11) We sang back up on some records that came out in 2010 or that will come out in 2011 - Peter Katz, Jill Barber and Kathleen Edwards.

12) We met Gordon Lightfoot in January. He attended the Lightfoot Tribute at Hugh's Room... what a songwriter! What a guy!

13) We spent quality time with Fred Penner in Dawson City - it was a pleasure to have more time to hang out and get to know him better.

14) In 2010 we performed alongside Mamma Yamma twice! Once in July during the CBC Kidsummer Festival and once at our Christmas show in Toronto at Hugh's Room. She's quite a yam!

15) In Canso, NS this summer, there was a great moment when Kathleen Edwards invited the three of us, the gents from Deep Dark Woods, Royal Wood and Jim Bryson to sing with her on a few tunes. The vocal harmonies that came from the stage gave me goosebumps... it was a moment I'll never forget.

16) At the Winnipeg Folk Festival, we stood up in front of 15,000 people and belted out three tunes during our tweener set! It was thrilling to perform in front of a crowd that size. The festival also had us doing a workshop with the Wailin' Jennys and Ladies of the Canyon - it was a great combo, and I think we had as great a time as the audience did.

17) We started working with Six Shooter this year. Helen and Shauna and their entire team have been so wonderful to work with and we're looking forward to seeing what 2011 will bring!

18) In October, we went to Seattle to showcase for presenters in the Northwestern USA. That weekend, we met up with our agent Herschel Freeman, who has been an amazing addition to our Good Lovelies team. We had dinner with him, he helped us at our show at the nearby theatre, and he hung out with us during a hilarious crisis where I misplaced our rental car keys for a few hours. We had a wonderful time with him and getting to know him even better. This year is looking like a big year in the US, and this is due in large part to Herschel, so we salute him for being so incredible.

19) We played Guelph's amazing festival, Hillside in July - and had an AMAZING evening show the first night we got there. The energy in the tent was so electric, it was hard to leave the stage! Thank you Guelph!

20) Our last festival of the summer was in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. This was the perfect festival to end our summer. We sold out of CDs, we met some amazing musicians and sang alongside Matt Andersen during his closing performance. The folks we billeted with made us feel like family and I can't wait to get back there.

Of course, I could continue to list the many, many more incredible experience from 2010 -- but for now, I'll stop and just say: 2011, we're ready for you!!

xo
Kerri O
for the Lovelies

A Little End of Year Video From Us to You

2010-12-31T00:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!
xoxoxo
Kerri, Caroline & Sue

Good Lovelies Singing a Lightfoot Favourite

2010-12-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

Good Lovelies singing "Song for a Winter's Night" by Gordon Lightfoot.

The Good Lovelies; Song for a Winter's Night (Gordon Lightfoot) from Adam McKinty on Vimeo.

xo xo xo
Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas
Kerri, Caroline & Sue

Three Cheers to the End of the Touring Year!

2010-12-20T10:16:00.000-08:00

You have made this year incredible for us. We raise our glasses to you - we can't thank you enough!

Winding Down in Burnstown

2010-12-18T07:06:00.000-08:00

We're in Burnstown this morning, headed to Grafton and Toronto for our last three shows of the year. Before our drive today, we've come back to the Neat Cafe to load up our gear and have breakfast. If you're ever in the Burnstown area, we highly recommend stopping by this cafe and having some of their delicious food and scrumptious beverages!

Some Cool Kids from Guelph

2010-11-28T23:55:00.003-08:00

This is a photo of us with some cool people in Guelph after our show at the River Run... What a night!

On the Road Again ... such a great place to be...

2010-11-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

It started last weekend with a trip to Guelph and then a trip to Highgate, Ontario. Both shows were awesome, high-energy shows with great audiences, and plus we had an extra band member, our buddy, Ben Whiteley on upright bass.

He's so great, he likes packing the van - this will come in very handy.

In Guelph we dined at the Artisanale Cafe. The fresh pasta I was scrumptious - I highly recommend eating here. Caroline is saying HI in this photo.

We had a few minutes between soundcheck and dinner, so we went to one of our favourite music stores in Canada - Folkway! We tried acoustic guitars, electric guitars and a banjo I drooled over for while... sigh. Sue is in the background of this photo - good luck finding her.

After the show, the sponsors of the series we were part of invited us to their pub the Woolwich Arms and had teeny weeny delicious half pints of local ales.

So far, so good - we can't wait to head to Lethbridge tomorrow - where the official Christmas Tour begins.

xo
Kerri O

Kerhonkson, NY is a Real Place...

2010-11-16T21:37:00.000-08:00

...and we've been there: TWICE.

After a long journey south of the border, we arrived at our destination in Kerhonkson, NY. There was a lot of driving and not a lot of nutritious food along the way, until we arrived at the conference in New York and stumbled upon a market in the middle of the Catskills.

It's called the Saunderskill Farms and it's like an oasis of delicious local food on stretch of otherwise unimpressive highway in NY state. This amazing market sustained us for hours - we stocked up on lunch, dinner and snacks for the road...

This is the second time we've visited Kerhonkson and the first time we were there, Saunderskill Farms was a pleasant discovery. This time, it was a destination point. Here are a couple of photos of it.

This is generally how awesome it looks.

The sandwiches are home made right onsite, and they are brought out as needed. They heard us talking about the artichoke sandwich, and BAM, they made another one...

This is an example of how happy we were in there. We hung around and took photos, then we ate outside on the patio.

And here's the only snapshot I have from the conference - Good Lovelies, Lisa from Madison Violet, Jadea and Jory. (Not in that order.)

And from the talented photographer, Jake Jacobson, at NERFA (the conference we attended at a whirlwind pace) this photo of our showcase. Such an enjoyable though brief performance!

xo/ko

The Maritimes in October - Too Good To Be True

2010-11-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

During the last week of October we were fortunate enough to hit the maritimes again, this time for a tour of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. We hit the Fredericton Playhouse for their new "Spotlight Series" which means both the artists and the audience are on the stage creating a more intimate performance. We then headed to Halifax to the Company House, one of our favourite rooms on the east coast. The audience was warm, enthusiastic and electric - we can't wait to return.

On Wednesday, we were lucky enough to go back to the Playhouse in Fredericton for a sold out show. On Friday we zipped over to the Riverview Arts Centre in Riverview, New Brunswick to play in a great theatre in a school. We slept in the next morning before heading to Saint John to the Imperial Theatre (pictured below) where we met up with our good friends, the musical duo The Human Statues.

Sunday, October 31st, we travelled to Annapolis Royal, NS, a beautiful little town via a ferry, and the town of Digby to play the King's Theatre. In Digby we stopped for some seafood chowder and then went shopping for Halloween costumes. Pictured below is a terrified Caroline and a monster named "Sue."

The town of Annapolis Royal is beautiful and quaint. We ate at a nearby pub - I ate something called "Potatchos" which is exactly what it sounds like... delicious! We noticed a family had put up a pumpkin family outside their beautiful home. Below is a photo of Caroline joining the family on the lawn.

We stayed in two beautiful B&Bs on this trip, the Mahogany Manor in Saint John, and the stunning Hillsdale House Inn in Annapolis Royal. Our hosts were delightful and accommodating. They fed us, chatted with us and shared their homes with us. We are so grateful to meet people like this in our travels.

There is so much more to say about this trip. About the audiences, the people we met and the times we shared together. It was a frantic tour, that didn't let us stay in any one town for very long, but we're not worried... we'll be back soon for sure, hopefully when our new album drops in 2011.

That's all for now. I hope you like the pictures - if you want more updates, you can join us on Facebook, where we frequently update our whereabouts and other tidbits of our lives along the way.

xo
Kerri O

On the Plane

2010-10-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

This has been an exciting fall for us. Since we got back at it in September 30th, we've traveled to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Gananoque, ON, St Catharines, ON, Seattle, Washington, North Battleford, SK, and Red Deer, AB. What's more, is starting tomorrow we get to make the trek to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia this week for a few awesome shows in beautiful theatres.

We feel like pro flyers now - we know how to pack our suitcases so they weigh less than forty pounds, we know exactly how long it takes to get to Pearson Airport on the 92 Rocket! We know the cost of every mode of transportation to and from the airport, and we know where all the oversized/fragile baggage areas are in just about every major airport in Canada.

I snapped this while on our flight to Red Deer, yesterday. I used to keep my camera concealed on the plane so as not to freak out other passengers, but now I just pull it out, get the shot and stow it again.

So now, it's just four more flights in October! See you tomorrow Fredericton, New Brunswick!

/ko

Oddities and Absentmindedness

2010-10-22T14:59:00.000-07:00

We were in rare form last weekend while we visited Seattle, Washington. What I mean by that is, between the three of us, something odd, clumsy or downright absentminded happened that will go down in the books as one of our "not-so-smart" moments.

This got me to thinking about our other trips to the United States this year, and I can't believe how much stuff I've misplaced while south of the border. When we popped down for a tour in May, I left my credit card at the first hotel we stayed in. It was a three hour phone ordeal trying to get someone - ANYONE - to mail it back to me - and of course since we were winging where we were staying from night to night, I didn't actually have an address where they could send it. Eventually a kind woman from the hotel wrapped it up in a box, then in another box and then in brown paper and mailed it to the hotel we feverishly booked on a whim. No real harm done, except of course, feeling dumb.

The next trip was in July. We were in Maine for less than two days - two sleepless, run-ourselves-ragged kind of days - when I left behind my carry-on suitcase. I should mention, that I had never before lost anything on tour, or if I did it was meaningless or unimportant because I can't remember it. But in that carry-on bag, I had my journal, my Bob Dylan book, some CDs, some t-shirts, my sandals. Raetha, from the Ossipee Valley Festival, was so kind as to bundle my bag into many garbage bags wrapped in duct tape, and mail it home to me in Toronto. I am so grateful for both of these helpful women.

So, fast forward to last weekend, in Seattle for the first time for a mere three days. I was in charge of the rental van keys - a task I quite enjoy. But after our show Sunday afternoon, after being shuttled to and from the venue in someone else's van I couldn't find our keys anywhere. I could remember thinking on the way to the show, whatever you do, Kerri, put those keys in your bag before you set them down and lose them. And then I guess I set them down and lost them. The recovery process involved bothering the head tech at the theatre named, Ryan, who had left work early to be with his wife who is eight months pregnant. He lives about an hour away from the theatre and was thrilled to get my call begging him to come back and search the van for my rental car keys and then deliver them to me since I was, you know, locked out of the van and couldn't go pick them up myself. He was pleading with me to wait until the morning, but I just couldn't wait, our flight was early the next morning and I just wouldn't have been able to sleep not knowing where they were. (Add to this the fact that I called Enterprise and asked them what would happen if I lost the key, to which they replied, I would pay a $208 fee to replace the key, then they would tow the car to the nearest dealer (another fee I'd have to pay) and I'd still have to find my own way to the airport.) Imagine my delight when Ryan called back to say he had found them. The least we could do was buy the guy a drink and shove a wad of money in his pocket when he wasn't looking. He was so kind. Without the kindness of these strangers, and new friends, I would be so much worse off - I am so thankful.

As for Sue, she had barely taken a bite of her Thai lunch when the entire container flipped upside down and landed in one clump on the sidewalk. She took it like a champ and even let me snap a photo to commemorate the moment.

Caroline sat by while this all happened snacking on a cube of rice - she didn't order it this way, it just kind of came like that. She let me know yesterday that she thinks she left her makeup bag behind, which is a real tragedy as she "really needs it." (Her words not mine.)

In other news, we flew from Seattle to Dallas, Texas to Toronto last Monday - stopping over for just one hour in Dallas - that was our first trip there.

Until next time,
Kerri O
for the Lovelies

A Weekend Outside in Toronto

2010-10-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

It was six shows in three days at the Harbourfront Harvest Festival. We were surrounded by families, children, tug of war and potato sack races. The sun was shining bright overhead, and we were thankful for it.

Every day, a band played before us. It was a trio of young gentlemen (aged 11) specializing in rock classics. They each played an instrument (electric guitar, bass and drums) and they take turns singing lead. We loved watching them get excited to be on stage. On Sunday we challenged them to a game of tug of war... (we had some help winning) and they challenged us to a potato sack race today (where, sadly, we didn't even come close to winning.)

Their band is called "Volume", and they are fine young men, talented young musicians, with great families supporting them.

This is a shot of us lining up to race them. Good Lovelies vs. Volume.

Here's one of us side stage rocking out.

An action shot, mid-race, mid-jump... (In our defense, the potato sacks only came up to our knees, impeding our ability to fully get our jump on.)

It was a unique Thanksgiving weekend for us, a pleasure for sure to be singing on home turf - and for kind and attentive audiences. At one point, there was a massive dance party of parents and kids while we sang our Good Lovelies' tunes - it was quite a sight.

And we added a few songs to our sets this weekend, the Black Flies & the Log Driver's Waltz (by Wade Hemsworth), and Grandma's Feather Bed, by John Denver (who sang this tune with the Muppets years ago.) And for good Thanksgiving measure, we also threw in Turkey in the Straw (a tune greatly enjoyed by the children.)

So now, it's Monday night, we've parted ways for a couple of days and will be back on the road on Thursday.

Before I go, I just wanted to write about how thankful I am to be in a band with my two best friends. I never would have imagined our first four years could be this incredible. For today, I just want to think about that for awhile.

Goodnight,

Kerri

A Perfect Gananoque Coffee Shop

2010-10-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

If you're ever in Gananoque, we highly recommend visiting this stunning little coffee shop, The Socialist Pig, located on King Street, across from the Town Hall. The decor is a mixture of new and old, and the vibe is cozy and warm.

The tables are made up of old Samsonite suitcases.

The wooden countertop is built on a stack of books.

Shannon, the owner, is inviting and warm and made us each a mean Americano.

And, the bathrooms are equally as beautiful with modern fixtures and antique board countertops.

And We're Back...

2010-09-30T05:13:00.001-07:00

Well, September is coming to an end today and after a big reunion rehearsal yesterday we are beyond excited to get back on the road to sing and play.

As for how we spent our time off in September - here's a quick peek:

Sue: "I spent my month learning how to turn out my knees, ballet style... and I'm getting better. Way to go hip flexers. It has been a nice month of sleeping in, exploring my neighbourhood, camping, and snuggling with Rob, but I am excited to get back to the stage and the tours."

Sue visited her folks, fought raccoons off her back deck, went camping, took a trip to Ottawa, hung out close to home and spent Labour Day weekend at a beautiful cottage in Haliburton. The photo below is of Sue enjoying a coffee at that Haliburton getaway. Looks pretty perfect to me.

What I love about how Caroline spent her September is that she toured Canada again, but this time with her family. Her journey started with just her and her Dad driving west, camping along the way until they met up with her mom and sister in Vancouver. The four of them jumped into a car and headed toward home exploring Canada along the way. This was the first time Caroline's Dad had seen the mountains, and she was excited to share in that experience with him. Along the way, Caroline met up with some great folks we've met as a band over the past three years, Jacques in Winnipeg, who hosted the Brooks family in Winnipeg, Shelagh Rogers in BC, who invited them to a party at her house - and then they bumped into Fred Penner in Brandon, Manitoba and he invited them to attend his show in town that night... The photo below is of the four of them experiencing typical Canadian weather in the Prairies.

As for my month, I took off to Italy for 24 days. I ate pasta every day, sometimes twice daily, sampled fine red wine with great frequency and developed a sweet "gelato tooth." I managed to be bitten by Italian mosquitos and spiders with the same frequency I receive them in Canada and by the end of the trip I had 20 itchy bites. I read five books, wrote 25 pages in my journal, took 600 photos (don't worry, many will be deleted) and walked upwards of 15km a day. I was happy to set foot on Canadian soil on Monday night, and eat my first Canadian breakfast in a month the next morning. Oh, how I missed having eggs for breakfast. The photo below, is of me in Radicondoli - in Tuscany, at a cottage we rented for a week. It was such a peaceful place, except for the first day, when we saw a scorpion and two twoonie-sized spiders inside our rented home. We evicted them, and then it felt like home.

We're On Vacation!!

2010-09-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

See you at the end of September!
We love you all.

In the last days of summer...

2010-08-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

We found ourselves in two of Toronto's finest studios recording our sophomore record due out February 2011. Our good friend and photographer Ali Eisner came in to catch some of the action. Her photos are below! Happy last day of August everyone!

A Glimpse of Our Summer So Far

2010-08-04T22:14:00.001-07:00

At Stan Fest after hours, here we are having a laugh or three...

This is our way of adding glamour to our lifestyle. We walked the 10 minute walk from my apartment to the TTC to catch the subway for our flight to Winnipeg Folk Festival. It was 40 degrees outside and quite humid.

Here's a shot of a side stage at Winnipeg Folk Festival. The sound was incredible, the audience attentive and inviting... all in all, so perfect.

This was our Golden Girls workshop - where we (Good Lovelies) shared the stage with the Wailin' Jennys, the Ladies of the Canyon. We became for that hour and a half "The Wailin' Lovelies of the Canyon."

At the Gospel Workshop at Hillside Music Festival - Good Lovelies, Basia Bulat, Sarah Harmer, Morgan O'Kane, Horse Feathers... and a few more. Quite a few people on this stage!

And Dawson City - a week we'll never forget.

Us and our colourful cases.

Kicking out the *ahem* jams - singing a special verse during the epic "Fight for Your Right To Party" finale a la Beastie Boys. We were in fine form.

The finale of Dawson City Music Festival - everyone on stage - please note Fred Penner front and centre. In short, this was amazing.

And to boot, we made it to Maine, USA - for the Ossipee Valley Music Festival which was lovely, intimate and perfect. And last weekend we visited Simcoe, for the Simcoe Rotary Friendship Festival - the audience sat through the rain and cheered us on for two sets.

In short, it's been an incredible summer and these are just a few photos to highlight just a portion of our adventures.

xo/ko

Good Lovelies at CBC Kidsummer Show!

2010-07-07T20:10:00.003-07:00

What a great day we had at the CBC building in Toronto. We sang, hung out with puppets, met kids and their parents and had an all around wonderful time with Mamma Yamma.

Check out these photos by one of our favourite photographers Ali Eisner!

A Cupcake Named "Good Lovelies"

2010-06-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

In celebration of our 2010 Juno nod, the Millstone Bread Bakery in Cobourg, Ontario honoured us by naming a brand new cupcake after us.

If you're ever in Cobourg, swing by Albert Street and visit this delicious bakery and see what it's all about.

Above is an up-close look at the Good Lovelies cupcake. We received our cupcakes from Doug and Jill just before leaving on a three-week tour to the US. The photo below is of the three of us enjoying our cupcakes in Long Island, NY.

We wanted to send a big thanks to Doug and Jill and everyone at Millstone Bread for your best wishes and for such a neat honour!

Good Lovelies on CBC Kids TV - May 24, 2010

2010-05-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning, on Victoria Day tune into CBC KIDS TV and watch for the Good Lovelies on the awesome kids show "Mamma Yamma." The Good Lovelies will sing, chat with and eat some pancakes with Canada's favourite puppet on CBC TV tomorrow morning.

xoxoxo

A Quick Bit On Merrimack, New Hampshire

2010-05-17T20:38:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon, we played another wonderful house concert in New Hampshire.

On the way into town, this sign welcomed us into Merrimack --

And here's a rare photo of the three of us.

Here we are setting up a "chinnigan" show for our hosts - with their children.

Here's a closer look at one Chinnigan.

And here we are taking a family portrait with our hosts' kids.

A few words about our hosts:

Bill and Emily not only welcomed us with a giant Canadian flag on their front door and a few vases inside the house with red and white flowers, in a maple leaf glass vases - but they filled their fridge with our favourite foods and drinks, gave us a room to call our own, put on TWO amazing shows for us in the same town and they even played double dutch with us after the show tonight. Our new friends and family in New Hampshire, Bill and Emily, we feel truly blessed.

xo/ko

Enjoying New York City

2010-05-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

This is our first trip to New York City - not just as a band - but as individuals. We cannot wait to explore and hang out and walk as much of this beautiful city as we possibly can!

Juno Award for Roots Album of the Year!

2010-04-19T00:56:00.000-07:00

We are overjoyed to announce that we have been honoured with the Juno for Roots Album of the Year on Saturday night.

There are no words to describe what it felt like to hear our names called and we couldn't quite believe it was happening.

We have so much to say and so many people to thank. We wouldn't be here accepting this award if you weren't all rooting for us and making this possible to do, so thank you.

And to our parents, our brothers and sisters, and our husbands and boyfriends... you have been amazingly supportive beyond just coming to our shows. Without you we would be in the weeds. Thank you so, so much.

Here's a wee photo we nabbed of us accepting the award and giving a hyper and overwhelmed thank you speech...

We are going to take a few days off now to fully enjoy this award and spend time with our loved ones.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

xo xo xo

Laundry Day = Kicking Stuff

2010-04-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

This is the first laundry stop on this tour - perhaps a mistake but alas, we made it in. Caroline put a twenty dollar bill into the change machine and ended up with a fistful of quarters. The detergent machine ate my money, the washing machine ate Caroline's money, the dryers ate more of our money, but after a few swift kicks to the machine (a trick we learned from a laundromat regular) everything seems to be working out just fine.

Here's Sue taking a swig of Tide - a wonderful afternoon beverage.

Me, just hanging around in a machine.

And well, I think this photo speaks for itself...

Our clothes are slowly drying and we're slowly moseying to Swift Current today.

The Communitea Cafe

2010-04-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

And then we saw the mountains and played at the lovely Communitea Cafe located in Canmore Alberta. The food is to die for, the people amazing and the crowd warm and inviting. It was such a delight to play here again.

This photo is courtesy of Clayton Berg.

Then We Hit Red Deer and Canmore

2010-04-09T23:51:00.001-07:00

This little theatre in Red Deer has great acoustics and a wonderful team of people working in it. I am so glad we found it and that we made our way there.

Leaving Red Deer the weather was taking a crazy turn. It was beautiful but windy. We drove to the mountains, but we couldn't quite see them because a giant snow cloud had fallen over Calgary, Canmore and Banff. At the time we didn't realize how big the storm was and how far it was reaching...

In Canmore, it was a winter wonderland for about 12 hours and then this morning it was gone again. Ah, powder in the mountains - truly a sight to behold.

The Hayloft Experience in Saskatoon

2010-04-08T15:45:00.000-07:00

Carrie Catherine and Curtis Olsen do it up right for musicians passing through Saskatoon. Not only did they welcome us with wide open arms to their home and live music venue THE HAYLOFT, but they let us stay an extra night and the night of our show, their good friend Jackson cooked us up a wonderful homemade vegetarian meal accompanied by a delectable wine. It was such a perfect visit I had almost forgotten that we were there to play a show!

Here's a photo of Jackson making Saganaki for everyone. I'm so glad I caught the flame in this photo.

This is what the salad looked like for about one minute until we all dug in and ate everything - someone even licked the bowl (...could have been me)

This vegetarian casserole/lasagne hybrid was yummy, filling and nutritious. There's nothing in the world that makes us feel more at home when on the road than delicious and healthy food. It was like a dream come true.

At the end of the night we found ourselves in the kitchen talking about living out of a car - and why we love traveling. We sipped fine red wine with good friends and took this close-up with our hosts and our evening's chef.

If you're in Saskatoon and you're looking for a venue to play or a venue to watch live music - we highly recommend visiting The Hayloft.

Thank you Carrie, Thank you Curtis and Thank you Jackson for jumping rope with us and making us a fantastic dinner.

xo/ko

Saskatoon-errific & Thunder Bay-tastic!

2010-04-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

We've barely just begun this Prairie Tour and already we're having such a wonderful time. Thunder Bay was a hoot - we finally experienced it for what feels like the first time thanks to the folks at the Sleeping Giant Folk Society for showing us what town was all about.

Then we hopped a plane for Regina - which landed us in a lovely hotel for the day and night as we worked through our jet-lag and sleep deprivation from the past two nights.

This morning we left Regina for Saskatoon and ended up at the Hayloft, the home of our friends Carrie Catherine and Curtis - who fixed us up a wonderful vegetarian dinner complete with wine and cupcakes for dessert.

Today we stopped for a picture on the windy Prairies of Saskatchewan, just past Hanley on Highway 11.

Then we spent the afternoon playing Double Dutch by the river in Saskatoon...

I don't know what's gotten into us - maybe it's the unseasonably warm temperatures - maybe it's the excitement of revisiting the towns we just visited a month ago with the Vinyl Cafe. I can't pinpoint where all this excitement is coming from, but I can't wait to see what else is in store...

(From the beautiful Prairies of Saskatchewan - April 5, 2010)

Here, There & Everywhere

2010-03-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

It was a quick trip to British Columbia, too quick if you ask me. While we were there we had a chance to visit Chilliwack, visit some friends and family members. We drank awesome coffee, ran outside in stunning spring weather and hung out with our friends Sheesham and Lotus, the Human Statues & April Verch at Pacific Contact - a great showcasing event in Burnaby, BC

The last night we were in Vancouver, we played a show at the Media Club to a great and rowdy crowd. The Vancouver Folk Society hosted the show and we were happy to be part of such an excellent community on the west Coast.

At the Media Club, March 26, 2010.
Photo Credit: Carl Chinn

The next morning we hit the road bright and early and had breakfast at the airport. We had a nice visit with Ed Robertson, who other than being a member of the Barenaked Ladies, is quite a funny and awesome person. It was a perfect end to a perfect trip to the west. We can't wait to get back there.

Here's a clip someone posted on YouTube of us singing Cheek to Cheek. Hope you enjoy!

xo/ko

A March to Remember

2010-03-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

We made it home safe and sound Tuesday afternoon after being away since February 28th with the Vinyl Cafe.

The drive home from Sudbury is always a tough one. On one hand we're eager to get home to see our friends and family - while on the other hand, we're saying goodbye to a month of shows, friendships and experiences that have changed our lives - and it's not easy to leave that behind. The ending was bittersweet and I'm still not sure how I feel about those last parting moments.

We've been on many tours before, but nothing was quite like this one.

First, it was a new experience to travel with a dedicated driver - someone to take care of us while we sat on the bus and worked, slept or just hung out. Sometimes it made the trips fly by - especially if I found myself sleeping for the better part of a ten hour drive. Sometimes the drive felt like it was taking forever and you could never be sure where you were until you asked the driver - in this case a lovely man named Mike, how far we were from the next little town.

Also, it was our first time playing with a backing band for 18 consecutive shows. The band, made up of John Sheard (piano) and Dennis Pendrith (bass) breathed new life into three of our original tunes and as a team of five, we practiced and performed the Beatles tune “Because” in front of a few audiences. Both men were professional, hilarious, welcoming and kind. Sharing the stage with Dennis and John was a treat, and one we won’t soon forget as we go back to being a trio for our next tour.

There is so much more to say – about staying in hotels, grocery shopping with Stuart, laughing with Jess, about what it’s like to have a wonderful sound man traveling with you (thanks Bill) – and a lighting man too (thank you Brad) – but I’ve simply run out of time today to tell it all. For now, a photo of our last day on tour. This was our sound check in Sudbury – photo courtesy of Ted Passmore.

xo/ko

Getting Fancy on Tour

2010-03-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

This was in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta and this photo was taken after the show.

xo/ko

Juno Nomination and Vinyl Cafe

2010-03-04T14:41:00.000-08:00

We were sitting on the Vinyl Cafe tour bus headed to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan when we got the call from my fella to tell us we had been nominated for a Juno! Here are a few beginning glimpses the road, the bus and the great folks inside the bus.

Taking Time

2010-02-27T00:19:00.000-08:00

After a wonderful show in Cobourg tonight, Caroline, Sue and I stopped in to visit the Passmores. We walked inside where the men's Olympic hockey game was playing in the background and hugged them both. We ate apples, looked at photos and hung out for a little while.

Sue's folks' home has become a real sanctuary for me over the years. We often stop there on our way down east - they always feed and water us, there are always new photos for us to look at and there is no better place to rest our feet for awhile. We joke that it's difficult to leave their house, not just because it's so cozy but because to get Passmores to stop talking to each other or telling stories is a near-impossible task to accomplish. When we do finally pick up to leave, we can always expect they will stand on the veranda and wave as we jump into the car and drive away. We always leave smiling, happier for having stopped, no matter what kind of time warp we entered hours earlier and might never escape...

Next stop was my folks' home - where the Olympic hockey game continued to push on. We left the Passmores' when the score was 3-0 for Canada - and arrived at Casa Ough where the score had taken a dive to 3-2 for Canada. As our cat took a liking to my allergic friend Caroline - the three of them -- Dad, Sue and Caroline -- settled on the couch to finish out the 3rd period of the game. My mom was working nights at the hospital, and though I'm sad I missed seeing her tonight, we left her an enthusiastic note which she'll get when she arrives home from work in a few hours.

We sat by the fire in the porch and talked a bit about my sisters and the cat who is rapidly losing weight. I walked around the house I grew up in, eyeing the old grand piano in the living room dying for attention while the clock on the hockey game ticked away. I could hear from the kitchen that the game was ramping up to a tight finish. I could hear the three of them saying typical hockey comments, things like "Careful, don't let them get a goal" or "Get it out of there," but not in the usual noisy, bar-way - but instead more like three very refined and chilled out individuals commenting on the game without emotion. It sounded so funny to me. It sounded polite... Canada won, and we left a short time later. In my house, when someone drives away, it is expected that whoever is inside must stand at the windows and wave goodbye while it is expected of the driver to honk the horn obnoxiously all the way up our private drive. We did so happily and carried on westward toward home.

But before we got there, we pulled off in Whitby to track down Caroline's brother to wish him a happy birthday. When we found him we serenaded him with a *stunning* unrehearsed version of a Hip Hop Happy Birthday while holding oversized flower decorations that were given to us at our show tonight. It was after midnight, but we couldn't leave Whitby without stopping in to the Brooks' residence. Both Caroline's mom and dad were home and we stood around the entrance way hugging, telling stories, laughing and talking about Anne Murray's book (something I can't seem to stop doing.) I got a big ol' patchouli-smelling bear hug from Caroline's dad and when I leaned in to give Caroline's mom a hug, she reminded me so much of my own mother in that moment, that I gave her an extra hug. As we pulled away from the house a little while later, Mom and Dad Brooks were poking out of the doorway, waving at us much like Sue's parents had done nearly two hours earlier.

Though our visits were brief and long overdue, I'm glad we stopped to visit our parents before this next tour. They are such a big part of why we do what we do and it doesn't seem fair that because we love to tour it should take us away from our families so often. But it does make me appreciate the time we do spend with them - and I bet that until the day I die, I will forever remember the images of Sue's parents waving goodbye on their porch - my dad (and mom in spirit) waving wildly at the porch windows backlit from the indoor lights - and Caroline's parents poking their heads out the door to wave to us and wish us well on our next trip to the Prairies.

February 26th was my Family Day this year. :)

xo/ko

Cancelled Appearance - March 6, 2010 - Almonte, ON

2010-02-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

Due to scheduling conflicts the Good Lovelies will not be performing at the Folkus Series concert scheduled for March 6th, 2010 in Almonte, Ontario. We hope to make it to Almonte in the near future. Please contact the Almonte Folkus Series for details on the March 6th show which includes the Wild Turkeys - a great five-piece band from Sault Ste. Marie.

We apologize for any inconvenience.
xo
Good Lovelies

From Toronto to Kentucky to Memphis

2010-02-18T22:01:00.000-08:00

It's taken us two days to get here, but we made it. Caroline stepped up to the driving plate Wednesday morning and delivered us in one piece through the border and onto Kentucky. For us, it was a relatively light day. There was little pressure to get to anywhere in particular as there was no show that evening, so we took many breaks, including a long one for dinner at the Olive Garden.

After dinner we drove another few hours, singing new songs, making no sense and memorizing lyrics. In between songs Sue and I played an intense game of travel scrabble - and though I started the game off by using all my tiles adding the letters SLAKERS, to a C, Sue had put on the board, to make SLACKERS - we still don't know how the game will end.

To our surprise and delight, we ended up in a beautiful hotel in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, in a room that appeared to have been made just for us. It had two queen sized beds and a couch we could lounge on. It had a big open sink and mirror area, complete with three mirrors and ample room to spread our stuff out. The best part was, we waited SO LONG to register at the main desk due to a rookie employee that they ended up giving us the room at a rebated rate to make it up to us. The employee had trapped my credit card in one of those old school imprint machines and for a while I was concerned that it was going to have to be cut out with the jaws of life.

We slept well that night and well into the morning. Caroline and I awoke around 4am to a sweltering sauna of a room and bumbled over to the heater to adjust the temperature gauges. It was beyond warm, and while she and I were wiping sweat from our brows, Sue was lying in the bed beside us, tucked in under 3 blankets and quilts looking as happy as a hibernating bear. (I've never seen one, but I imagine they're happy.)

We ate breakfast at a nearby Cracker Barrel but held off for two and a half hours for the nearest Starbucks for coffee. Cracker Barrel may have been the wrong choice for us. We forget sometimes that there's still smoking allowed in some states and being seated in a tiny "non-smoking" section just wasn't enough to ward off the noxious odour of cigarettes as we ate. My egg sandwich was covered in mayonnaise - not my spread of choice; Sue's egg and piece of bacon seemed to go down fine, but we're fairly certain Caroline's poached eggs gave her food poisoning.

The rest of the day was driving and hoping for Caroline's quick recovery. It wasn't easy and there wasn't much to do except stop the car every once in awhile. When the long drive finally did come to an end, we were met with a less than desirable situation: the Marriott hotel, the hotel where the conference is happening and where we had reserved a room over two months ago, overbooked for the weekend and had randomly selected 10 people to send to another hotel... So upon arrival at the conference, while trying to get Caroline upstairs to a quiet and private room, we were told there was no room at the inn.

If you're wondering what we do in moments like that, I'll tell you. Clearly the hotel is in the wrong and we're in a position where we could make their lives miserable by kicking and screaming and whatever - but what we did instead was ask that they find a way to compensate for the HUGE error by helping us with our parking, our driving, and the lugging of gear every time we need to carry our instruments from here to there... Certainly things will work out, but you can imagine what that would feel like after a 24-hour drive.

So, here we are in Memphis, Caroline fighting a virus, Sue off at the conference representing the Good Lovelies in the late hours, and me, keeping my sick buddy company and trying to rehydrate her the best I can with Gatorade and anti-nausea medicine. My nurse mother and sister would be so proud.

Goodnight dear friends. We'll have more to say on this very soon.

xo/ko

Heading to Memphis, Tennessee!

2010-02-16T21:36:00.000-08:00

Wish us luck! It's a fun and wild showcasing event for musicians across Canada and the US and we are excited to play and meet new people. Here's our poster for the weekend made by our very our Sue Passmore.

Green Room Girls From the North Country

2010-02-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

Sue and Caroline and I rehearse in the acoustic friendly bathroom in our greenroom.

Caroline and Oh Susanna pose for me backstage.

All six women from the North Country pose in the stairwell. Nice looking super-band if you ask me... :)

Getting Ready in Richmond Hill

2010-02-04T16:11:00.000-08:00

What an exciting rehearsal day this has been! Here we are in our black dresses in our dressing room!

Halifax & Magic

2010-01-28T19:46:00.000-08:00

Though I've retired for the evening while my band mates and friends socialize with some of Halifax's best people, this night has left a huge impact on me - on all of us.

We woke up this morning with a mission to get to Halifax to enjoy the city for the brief time we'd be here. Our drive was fairly short, a mere four hours, with only one bathroom stop and one emergency stop for gas (should have been paying closer attention to the gauge.) The hour time change has made it difficult to fall asleep at a normal resting hour which in turn makes it even harder to wake early the next morning.

But we set grueling schedules for ourselves so that we are able to do all the things we would like to do. And up, we were, before 8am (NB time - 7am our time) to shower, pack up and hit the road again.

Lack of proper rest can (sometimes) be very fun for us. We were all a little more giddy than usual, a little more silly than usual and a lot hungrier than usual. As we approached a McDonald's this morning 20 minutes before the 11am deadline we've learned to beat - our minds began dreaming of egg and cheese mcmuffins - perfect egg pucks placed on a warm English muffin, with just the right amount of processed cheese and greasiness. Sadly, we were mistaken about the menu (they had already changed to the lunch menu) and we were devastated - dramatic, I know.

A Tim Horton's in the distance beckoned to us as if it knew we desired eggs today and not only did it deliver two of the finest breakfast sandwiches we've ever eaten - but dangling in front of us was a sign announcing a brand new egg sandwich presented on an English muffin. Gone now are the days of looking for McDon's on tour and say hello to a new sandwich at Timbo's.

I digress - apologies - thanks for letting me spew about eggs.

Now, as I sit here in this quiet apartment in Halifax, I am starting to recall the details of our day: the harmony workshop we shared with Don Brownrigg and Rose Cousins; the eager audience who wanted to discuss the intricate nature of harmony; the sound-check in a gorgeous downtown church... all of it positive and all well worth it.

And then came our show tonight. It was one of those nights when it feels so easy to sing that we are able to fully let go and enjoy the music we are singing. Our voice soared to the ornate ceilings high above us and bounced back to us moments later. You could hear a pin drop in the moments between songs when the final chord from the previous tune was still ringing in the air. It was the perfect moment to step up to the microphones and sing Leonard Cohen's masterpiece, Hallelujah. It's possibly the most widely covered song in the world - other than Happy Birthday - and wanting to do it justice, we gave it everything we had. Caroline plucked the strings on the guitar softly and sweetly, setting a backdrop upon which our voices could build. Every word, every line, every moment of the song was delivered with a sense of strength and security. And then the final chorus was before us - it's a double chorus where we switch vocal registers the second time through to amplify the repeating word "Hallelujah". To my right, I could hear Sue's dulcet tones; strong and clear, carrying the bass line; to my left, it was Caroline's voice on the high melody, lifting the roof off the church - and me, I could hear my voice locking into position between those two voices around me, finishing the triad, completing the prayer - the benediction.

Though Leonard Cohen may want to let that song rest for awhile - I certainly am not ready to do so.

It was a night I won't ever forget. I want to live in that church, in Halifax, with those acoustics all the time.

Goodnight.
xo/ko

What we left way behind as we sailed back to Ontario.

The Long Haul

2010-01-27T21:05:00.000-08:00

It's been two days since we left Toronto for the east coast and we show no signs of slowing down. As I write this, Caroline has just left to get some much-needed shut-eye. We all need it, but only Caroline is being responsible and actually trying to fall asleep. Beside me in a cozy pink arm chair, Sue has nestled in with a novel she can't seem to peel her eyes away from. Me, I'm typing away, catching my mind up to my day, trying to remember subtle details from the past week so I won't forget a single day of this already frantic year.

Driving long distances seems so easy to me right now and I'm not sure why. I don't know whether it's the amount of driving we've done over the years, or the maturity we've gained, or what - but a twelve hour drive doesn't even phase us anymore. I should add that I was a very lazy passenger on that drive and was happy to be chauffeured around by my two dearest friends. I trust them fully with my life - so much so that after 30 years of not being able to do so, I am now able to fall asleep in a moving car.

You might be surprised to learn that we often keep the radio off on our long drives. Of course there are days when the finest pop music can be heard belting from our car stereo, but on some of these long drives, we find ourselves more pensive choosing to be caught up in our own thoughts, or talking about our dreams from the night before. To execute a long drive well, I think you need companions who need what you need. In this case, we needed very little: the comfort of each other, good food, understanding friends who let you stop to pee one hundred times and good conversation. We had all of these things except for good food. Good food is hard to find on the road.

That being said, upon arriving at the Vintage Bistro in Hampton New Brunswick (which we affectionately call "The Hamptons") we found ourselves sitting before three magnificent plates of food. Caroline and Sue were met with plates of salmon and greek salad and I had a dish of vegetarian cannelloni. The food was so good that all conversation stopped immediately until our plates were nearly licked clean. Our bellies full, we made the most logical move, and went to the gym next door to work out before the show. Everyone thought we were nuts, but what makes us nuts in the first place is being confined to a vehicle for 18 hours straight. The gym was the perfect antidote to help us unwind.

I've decided to start stretching as I write this, as it just occurred to me I didn't do so after I ran. It would look pretty funny to someone watching me both stretch and type simultaneously.

The show was really lovely (pardon the name reference.) It was the first time this year we've had our full set-up with amplification and we couldn't have been happier to be singing our own songs again. We added our new Gordon Lightfoot covers to the set list and enjoyed watching people enjoying them.

The folks at the Bistro - the owners Gary and Carol-Ann - the booker and all around nice guy, Jeff and the audience from all over this area made the show all the more special for us. Since we were here only 4 months ago, it meant a lot to have a second sold out show here. Our chefs delivered us a post-show dessert - something so decadent I can't even think about it without wanting another one - even though the kitchen was closed. This kindness we see over and over makes this traveling life all the more enjoyable, bearable and meaningful. Thank you New Brunswick - you've done it again.

xo/ko

Gordon Lightfoot! Really?

2010-01-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

What a songwriter, what a man!

The Best of Each Month in 2009

2009-12-30T07:33:00.000-08:00

January

On the 21st of January we officially released our first full-length album, “Good Lovelies.” After months of recording, photographing, rehearsing and writing, we celebrated its birth with a huge show at the Lula Lounge in Toronto. The room was packed with friends, family, fans and colleagues; we played with a stellar back-up band and two days later we took off on our first ten-day stint down East. It was a great start to a whirlwind of a year for the three of us. We also filmed our first music video for LIE DOWN with director and friend, Richard Pierre and sang to a packed audience in Ottawa at the GCTC with Old Man Luedecke!

February

The trip to Memphis, Tennessee took the cake for fondest February memory. In an attempt to save some cash and have a new adventure we went in on a van rental with our dear, longhaired, British publicist Richard Flohil and his assistant (and our friend) Jadea Kelly and we all headed south. Getting the van rented in the first place was a bit of a gong show. We were at the rental place for over an hour just trying to sort out details about licenses and drivers - oy! We finally left by 5pm and we wanted to at least get as far as the United States that night. About 10 minutes from the Sarnia border Richard said to us, “Oh I hope I don’t have any trouble at the border again…” So, as the customs officer asked us to pull over into the parking lot, we were certain it was going to be a LONG night. Contrary to popular speculation, it ended up being a fairly brief stop. Richard charmed the border officials inside and by the time we were ready to leave, I’m pretty sure he had booked us a gig at the customs office on our way back through. The rest of the trip is a big blur of music, hilarity, and sleepless nights. I remember dancing, singing, and giving one lucky couple (or unlucky couple depending on your thoughts on this) a wake-up call by singing “Oh My Darling Clementine” at their hotel door on Sunday morning. Sleep deprivation is great for two things: giggle fits and creativity. It was a great drive home and a tiring few days after, but it was all worth it for the memory of a road trip with Flo and Jadea.

March

For me, there are three huge moments to dwell on for March. First, I resigned from my lovely office job at the Ministry of Health Promotion; second, we headed out on a big house concert tour and third, I celebrated my 29th birthday in Northern Saskatchewan. We did 22 shows in 27 days, visited parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan we had never previously visited such as The Pas, Flin Flon and Inglis, Manitoba (to name a few.) We drove through snowstorms, were taped for CBC Live in Edmonton, AB, and stayed relatively healthy for the month of March. It was a solid month of music and hard work so when we returned home in April, it was time for a few days off for the Lovelies. But just a few.

April

There are a few strong memories that dominate April for me. First was, I got the worst flu of my entire life on Easter morning which was just two days before I was scheduled to get on a plane from Thompson, MB to Toronto. There is nothing as disorienting as taking flight on a little passenger plane weak from no food, and pale from throwing up for three days straight. Yeah, I know – it’s gross. Once home, I began to recover and we got the news that we’d be playing on CBC Sunday Morning live at the end of the month. The morning of the taping, we got dolled up in dresses, boots and had our hair and makeup done. We sang our hearts out and that night performed at Hugh’s Room for a Bruce Springsteen tribute show and had a GREAT time giving the Good Lovelies’ treatment to two of our now favourite tunes by Mr. Boss.

May

This was the month of 7 shows in Toronto four at the historical Cameron House on Queen Street in Toronto; one at Hugh’s Room with us, Jadea Kelly, Allie Hughes and Miranda Mulholland on the bill; one outside near Roy Thompson Hall in a thunderstorm and a downpour which was mildly dangerous, but also loads of fun; and finally, the late-night show at the Dakota Tavern with Nudie and the Turks and the Barenaked Ladies, who were undercover as the Scarborough Bluffs. This show lead to some new fans, and another cool music video for “Baby I Got My Way” with director and new friend Jared Sales. This was also the month we embarked on recording our Christmas Album Under the Mistletoe.

June

In the times when we’re not gigging heavily, we are instead working hard behind the scenes booking tours, designing posters, writing new songs, updating websites, taking care of our financial books and recording albums. Because the summer was about to steal us away from Toronto for many weeks, May and June were the perfect months to finish our Christmas record. We each wrote a new song for the holidays (in sunny May and June) and hit the studio pretty full time to lay down the bed tracks and our vocals. I headed up north to Thompson again for a visit and to witness the 11pm sunset and 4am sunrise of Canada’s northern skies. I stayed up late, drew pictures and relaxed fully. At the end of the month we played both Toronto’s Pride Festival and the City Roots Festival. It got the engines revving for a summer we won’t soon forget.

July

At Mariposa Folk Festival, we met Fred Penner (YES WE DID!) and spent one last weekend with our friends and families. A day later we played Montreal’s Jazz Festival (amazing festival) – and though it started to rain during our set, our crowd remained faithful and stuck it out with us. We went on our first “band flight” together the next weekend and held hands as we landed with the setting sun. We played a little festival in Hinton, Alberta, a town with a mountain backdrop, only an hour and half from Jasper. Home County Folk Festival was the next weekend in London, Ontario and we played to a receptive outdoor crowd several times. After our mainstage performance, we headed up to the CD tent to meet people and sign CDs and then the sky opened up and a massive downpour came crashing down! People bee-lined for cover and the signing stopped. We played a big Picnic Festival at Piebird Bed and Breakfast (LOVE THAT PLACE) and headed out for good (well, okay, for a few weeks.) After a straight three day drive, Calgary Folk Festival was amazing. The crowds were huge and inviting and we played a workshop with Justin Rutledge, Sarah Harmer and Steven Page. The hotel was beautiful and I got to see two of my best friends – one from elementary school and one from university.

August

In August, I think it finally dawned on us that we were having the summer of our lives. We had at this point seen more of Canada than ever before, we had taken thousands of photos and videos and had met hundreds of kind and generous people. When we got to Canmore, Alberta – we hadn’t found lodging yet. It was rainy and we were tired, and we weren’t going to have a lot of time. The family we stayed with in Winlaw, BC, had called friends of theirs in Canmore and hooked us up with a place to stay. The family that put us up hadn’t yet met us, but they gave us their address, clean sheets, beds and towels and invited us to stay for breakfast. After our show, we snuck up to our room and had a great sleep thanks to the kindest of strangers. Though we thanked them profusely, I don’t think they realized how much it meant for us to have a home to stay in that night. These folks, and so many others have given us so much by opening their homes and lives to us while we’re traveling. We will always cherish those nights and we remain forever grateful for the kindnesses people bestow on us. A few weeks later we played Ottawa Folk Festival opening for Bruce Cockburn, and ended the summer in Pefferlaw at Eaglewood Festival with many, many of our friends and some quality time with each other.

September

After such a busy and fruitful summer September let us have a few minutes rest on the gig front. I headed north again to Thompson while my dear Sue headed East to Cape Breton for the first time. Caroline was settling into her temporary digs in Picton, and I can tell you, we all missed each other terribly. Before we all took off for our “breaks” on the second day of September we had our photo shoot for our Christmas album, which was being mixed and mastered that month. It was hot and beautiful outside, so we blacked out the windows, put up a tree and put on sweater sets for the photo… On the last day of September we played our final outdoor show of the year at Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto. We got our picture taken with three harlequin romance novel models for kicks and embarked on our second tour to the East Coast. Before we got too far, we played a house concert in Baltimore, Ontario - and were quite hyper – and had a sleepover at Sue’s parents’ house. It was a fine way to dive into Autumn in Canada.

October

We were lucky that our trip down east happened just before winter hit. We headed to Fredericton, NB first, to PEI for four days, then back to Sackville, NB, back to Halifax, NS, then back through New Brunswick before doing a monstrous drive home on Thanksgiving. While on the island, we met some great folks, hung out at CBC PEI, shopped in Charlottetown and found Nudie (from Nudie and the Turks) at the local record shop. We stayed with our friend Hal Mills again, in an outbuilding near his home. It’s a peaceful, private, bright building that smells of wood stove. It’s not a bad way to spend a few nights in the fall. At the end of the month we put on our Zombie Prom Spectacular with the Human Statues. Though every member in both bands fell ill with some version of the flu, bronchitis or a cold in the week leading up to the show, it was still a fun and Halloween-y evening including the Statues and the Lovelies forming a super band at the end of the night and singing bluegrass Thriller.

November

This was by far the busiest month of the year so far because we tried to jam everything we could into it. When an opportunity arises that hasn’t before, we are compelled to take it. We filled the month with a weekend trip to Calgary (by air), our Christmas CD was released, our Christmas tour began, we attended the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and were awarded New Emerging Artist of 2009. On top of that, we assembled a stellar band for a video shoot with CBC’s favourite puppet, Mamma Yamma. It was one of the biggest highlights of the year. Before we knew it, November was ending, our Christmas CD release tour was well under way, and still no snow had entered our lives…

December

I was wrong – this was the busiest month of the year. Between road trips all over Ontario, shows almost every day, rehearsals, school visits and interviews, December was full. It was both exhilarating and exhausting to have such a packed schedule and I was happy that we were all making it through without sickness. When we made the trek from Port Dover back to Toronto -- for CBC’s Sounds of the Season with Matt Galloway – before a show in Dunnville we were feeling pretty on top of the world. When things get busy, it’s sometimes hard to notice what’s going on around you. But here we are, coming on a new year, and sitting back, I have a smile on my face and cup of coffee by my side, and I am enjoying reflecting on the year.
I know December can be a grueling month for most people because as the holidays approach, we are all swamped with work deadlines and family obligations, the nights are getting longer and we don’t seem to get enough replenishment to always feel on top of things. There were times when we felt that too, but it’s hard not to get pumped back up when each show you attend is filled with supportive people who encourage you to keep going. It is exactly what was needed to make this tour a success and we will hold your words of support and wisdom very dear to our hearts for as long as we trek this road of the traveling musician.

Epilogue

This life is not without its bumps, hiccups, rough roads or whatever metaphor you would like to use to describe difficulty. We hit snags here and there, we miss our families and friends while we’re away, but we are compelled to write and perform and I don’t think that will ever change.

I’ve spent most of my vacation looking back on the year, celebrating our successes, thinking about the hitches and getting amped up for the next year. I’m looking forward to seeing how far we will go on this path. I’d like to aim for higher skies, travel new places and hope for the best for the Lovelies. I’d like to spend more time with these women and explore all the world has to offer. I know this will mean the good and the bad, the hype and the critique. There is so much still to learn and so much to discover. I feel it more and more, with each passing show, that I’ve learned so much.

So happy end of 2009 to you, and I hope you enjoy the start of 2010. I know how I’m going to ring in the New Year: a few games of scrabble, a glass of wine, and some good company.

ZZZzzzzz - Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T12:09:00.001-08:00

Under the Mistletoe Available at Retail Outlets Near You!

2009-12-21T11:08:00.001-08:00

Good Lovelies "Under the Mistletoe" Christmas CDs are available in Ontario at a Green Earth Store & Sunrise Records Near You! They are also available at select independent retailers as well.

INDEPENDENT RETAILERS

COBOURG, ON - ZAP Records - 20 King Street E
(905) 372-8231

COBOURG, ON - Ten Thousand Villages - 16 King St. E

GUELPH, ON - Ground Floor Music - 13 Quebec St
http://www.groundfloormusic.ca/

LONDON, ON - Grooves Music - 353 Clarence St
http://www.groovesrecordstore.com/

LONDON, ON - L'Atelier Grigorian - 620 Richmond St
(519) 663-1111

OTTAWA, ON - Ottawa Folklore Centre - 1111 Bank Street
(613) 730-2887

MIDLAND, ON - Homecoming - 298 King St.
(705) 526-0713

PETERBOROUGH, ON - Moondance Records - 425 George Street
(705) 742-9425

PICTON, ON - Books & Company - 289 Main Street
(613) 476 3037

STRATFORD, ON - Music - 263 Huron Road, Sebringville
www.musicsebringville.ca

GREEN EARTH STORES ARE LOCATED IN THE MALLS BELOW

WINDSOR, ON - Devonshire Mall - 3100 Howard Ave.
phone: (519) 972-0394

RICHMOND HILL, ON - Hillcrest Mall - 9350 Yonge St.
phone: (905) 883-6577

ST. CATHARINES, ON - Pen Centre Mall - 221 Glendale Ave.
phone: (905) 704-0615

BARRIE, ON - Georgian Mall - 509 Bayfield St.
phone: (705) 728-9631

LONDON, ON - White Oaks Mall - 1105 Wellington Rd. South
phone: (519) 685-3130

LONDON, ON - Masonville Place - 1680 Richmond St. North
phone: (519) 672-8955

SCARBOROUGH, ON - Scarborough Town Centre - 300 Borough Drive
phone: (416) 279-1682

KITCHENER, ON - Fairview Park Mall - 2960 Kingsway Dr.
phone: (519) 748-2899

MISSISSAUGA, ON - Square One Shopping Centre - 100 City Centre Drive
phone: (905) 276-7596

HAMILTON, ON - Lime Ridge Mall - 999 Upper Wentworth Street
phone: (905) 318-9639

CAMBRIDGE, ON - Cambridge Centre - 355 Hespeler Road
phone: (519) 624-6777

WATERLOO, ON - Conestoga Mall - 550 King St N, Unit A4
phone: (519) 746-3019

SARNIA, ON - Lambton Mall - 1380 London Road
phone: (519) 542-2004

GUELPH, ON - Stone Road Mall -435 Stone Road West
phone: (519) 767-5144

SUDBURY, ON - New Sudbury Centre - 1349 Lasalle Road, Unit 117
phone: (705) 560-6600

LINDSAY, ON - Lindsay Square Mall - 401 Kent Street West
phone: (705) 324-6962

OSHAWA, ON - Oshawa Centre - 419 King St. W.
phone: (905) 404-9355

NORTH BAY, ON - Northgate Shopping Centre - 1500 Fisher St., Unit 142
phone: (705) 840-0200

THUNDER BAY, ON - Intercity Shopping Centre - 1000 Fort William Rd., Unit 47C
phone: (807) 626-0182

GEORGETOWN, ON - Georgetown Market Place - 280 Guleph St., Unit 35
phone: (905) 702-8111

LONDON, ON - Boxwoods - 613 Richmond Street
phone: (519) 435-1150

BURLINGTON, ON - Burlington Mall - 777 Guelph Line
phone: (905) 631-7780

MISSISSAUGA, ON - Erin Mills Town Centre - 5100 Erin Mills Parkway
phone: (905) 828-1011

BELLEVILLE, ON - Quinte Mall - 390 North Front Street
phone: (613) 966-6458

BRANTFORD, ON - Lynden Park Mall - 84 Lynden Road
phone: (519) 752-7514

CHATHAM, ON - Downtown Chatham Centre - 100 King Street West
phone: (519) 358-1919

ORANGEVILLE, ON - Orangeville Mall - 150 First Street
phone: (519) 942-9555

Vinyl Cafe This Weekend

2009-12-17T07:29:00.000-08:00

The Vinyl Cafe will be opening the Christmas studio show with "Hurry Home" from our Under the Mistletoe album this weekend.

The Vinyl Cafe airs nationally on Saturdays at 9 AM (CBC Radio Two), Sundays at noon (CBC Radio One) and Tuesdays at 11 PM (CBC Radio One).

Tune in and get in the Christmas spirit with the folks from the Vinyl Cafe!

Good Lovelies Birthday - December 15

2009-12-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

It's been three years since we became a band. On this, our third birthday, we celebrated with fine coffee, a road trip from Ottawa to Toronto and we deepened our laugh lines with four hours of laughter. Thanks for being with us for the past three years!

SHOW ADDED in GRAFTON - DEC 13th 2009

2009-12-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

Saturday Dec 12th show is sold out, and we're adding a second show on Sunday Decemeber 13th at 3pm!

Details are below! Get your tickets today and join us for a great Christmassy afternoon!

GRAFTON, Sunday December 13, 2009
CD RELEASE Grafton Town Hall
MATINEE - 3:00 pm
Tickets $20adv
Buy Your Advance Tickets at:
Grafton: St John's Books
Cobourg: Harden & Huyse on Division St.
Port Hope: Gould's Footwear - Main St.

A Wee Snippet from Hugh's Room

2009-12-07T17:42:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy: Nancy Bennett

Sounds of the Season - Dec 4th

2009-12-07T03:18:00.001-08:00

With Matt Galloway and the team from CBC's Here and Now!

Photo courtesy of Ted Passmore.

Santa Baby!

2009-11-28T23:24:00.000-08:00

Hard to resist a photo-op with Santa every year.

Canadian Folk Music Awards and Christmas Tour Leg One

2009-11-27T23:47:00.001-08:00

What a night it was last night at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in Ottawa. But before that, let me recap.

What a weekend it has been. It started in Sudbury on Wednesday when we arrived at the Laughing Buddha to set up our very first Christmas show of the season. We sat down to eat a delicious dinner, sip on a delicious glass or bottle of fine beer and proceed to prepare for the show.

With the help of Paul Loewenberg and Ross Kelly and all the people at the Northern Lights festival – the show was a smash hit. During quiet moments in “Silent Night” we were accompanied by the humourous loud purring of a “Christmassy” motorcycle.

During our encore, as we settled into the lilting melody of “Laundry” the train directly south of us, passed for three quarters of the song, which added a kind of outdoorsy feel to the whole tune. The sets were great and it was exciting to finally dive into the season that we’ve been celebrating since we began this record in May this year.

We stayed afterwards for a drink with Paul and then drove out to our new friends’ and hosts that evening… the Lickleys.

I think what a lot of people don’t know about this traveling life, is how generous families and strangers are right across the country. It’s people like the Lickleys or the Stewarts in Calgary/Vancouver/Kelowna, or Caroline’s cousins in Ottawa this weekend, Bryan and Shereen, who open their homes to us on the road, that make life on the road feel less lonely and more full of friends.

The next morning, Megan Lickley and her Dad, Dave (these are Allison Lickley’s sister and papa) sat us down at the breakfast table and served us a home-cooked egg and biscuit meal. Megan made the BEST scrambled eggs I’ve ever eaten, and the biscuits were so fresh and healthy, we nearly decided to cancel the tour and stay put. We now own the recipe and are thinking the Good Lovelies should publish a cook book with all the fine recipes we’ve collected while on tour. One day…

From Sudbury, we sauntered off to Sault Ste, Marie – which holds a special place in our hearts. Over and over, people from the Soo amaze and humble us. We see familiar faces, we see new faces and the gang at Loplops is a team of friends and music supporters we love to visit.

We played with the Sunparlour Players that night and exchanged road stories at the merch table and talked about the unique dynamics that come from being in a trio. I could see, too, that those boys had it going on in the music department. The show was stellar, and the red pepper jelly preserves they sold in little jars at the back was a nice homey touch. And who woulda thunk that preserves would fly off the counter at a bar in Sault Ste. Marie – but man did they ever.

From the Soo, after a brief sleep at our hotel, we carried on to Nipissing Village. On this first leg of the Christmas tour, we made sure the drives we had each day were less than six hours. This would be the longest drive for us, and would include many stops and many, many hours of Christmas music in the car. Not our Christmas music, no – we found a Satellite radio
station called “40s on 4” that is playing all Christmas music all the time… it’s AWESOME – and every few hours you’ll start hearing repeats of Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, the Mills brothers and Doris Day.

A few hours into the drive we stopped at a convenience store for one of many bathroom breaks to come, and this is where we met the cutest little dog and her owners who let us hug and snuggle with her.

With Christmas music from the 1940s pumping through our oversized gas-guzzling rental car, and the image of a cute dog in a sweater in our heads, we headed to Nipissing Village, so excited to see Sherry and Yan again, and so pumped to visit this village with some of music’s best supporters, some of Ontario’s cleanest air, and an area with no WiFi or cell reception.

Before we knew it, we had set up the room, Yan and his dad built a kick-ass stage that day and set it up in the corner of the room. The stage was key to creating a moody stage presence in an otherwise, well-lit community centre.

We decorated the mic stands with lights and dimmed the room lighting. We set up sixty chairs, and it turns out we needed another 30 some odd chairs! Lucky for us, the Nipissing Community Centre is equipped and every seat in the house was filled.
The show was fun, Christmassy, silly, Good Lovelies like… a real treat for us and the crowd seemed pretty pumped too.

The night took us back to Piebird for a sleepover, while Sue visited with her dear friends Laura and Andrew, who are expecting their first baby NEXT WEEK! We hung out with some goats, had a tea party over breakfast (with Royal Albert China – I mean, who else does this? I love Piebird!) and then left for the last part of our trip – a visit to Ottawa to attend the Canadian Folk Music Award Gala on Saturday night.

After a much needed shower, and hilariously enough pizza and beer for dinner, the Good Lovelies took their pew on the right side of the church. The room was filled with the folk communities hard-hitters, players and buds. The room was so full of love, the performers – incredible and the awards themselves seamless and stunning.

To boot, when our award was being announced, I will admittedly say my heart was pounding with the kind of excitement I don’t always get now as an adult. Beside me, Caroline and Sue were beaming ear to ear, ready to hear anyone of the five, fine musicians’ names in our category be named aloud … and we waited anxiously to hear the words: the words: “And the award for New/Emerging Artist is.”

My heart pounded so hard that when “Good Lovelies” was said next, I nearly didn’t stand up for fear that I had no blood left in my legs. I followed Sue and Caroline to the front, Sue walking excitedly, Caroline hopping down the aisle, nearly knocking Sue over in the process. We body slammed after leaving the stage so as not to embarrass ourselves too much on stage.
It was surreal. It was wonderful and having such an honour bestowed upon us, nearly 3 years old as a band is something we won’t soon forget.

Thank you everybody. I’m so happy, I have to go leap around the city.

PS – When Sue and I got back to Cobourg today, her parents had put out Congratulations balloons for us on their porch. Sue and I drove down the main street for a minute and noticed people gathering on either side of the main street. Though it occurred to us quickly that the Santa Claus parade was about to start, we drove down King Street in Cobourg just for a second and pretended the parade was for us and that we were a float celebrating our CFMA award – (overtired and silly… the name of our game.)

Xo
Kerri O
for the Good Lovelies

"Under The Mistletoe" AVAILABLE NOW!

2009-11-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

Buy in Canada

Buy in US and anywhere else HERE

Along with the new album, our Christmas CD RELEASE Tour begins this week! Get your tickets soon as they are limited!

CHRISTMAS TOUR 2009 – Under the Mistletoe CD RELEASE

Sudbury, ON – The Laughing Buddha – Nov 18
Sault Ste Marie, ON – Loplops w/ the Sunparlour Players – Nov 19
Nipissing Village, ON – Nipissing Village Community Centre – Nov 20
Kingston, ON – The Mansion – Nov 26
Montreal, QC – Le Petit Campus – Nov 27
Wakefield, QC – The Blacksheep Inn – Nov 28
Picton, ON – Acoustic Grill – Nov 29
Port Dover, ON – Grace United Church - Dec 3
Dunnville, ON – Flyer’s Café - Dec 4
Greenbank, ON – Greenbank Centennial Hall - Dec 5
Toronto, ON – Hugh’s Room – Dec 6
Vasey, ON – (Midland) - Vasey United Church - Dec 8
Guelph – Dublin St. United Church - Dec 11
Grafton – Grafton Town Hall - Dec 12
London, ON – Aeolian Hall – Dec 17
Hamilton, ON – Pearl Company - Dec 18
Thornhill, ON – Auerbach House Concert – Dec 19
Stouffville, ON – Lebovic Arts Centre - Dec 23

And then we visit our families and buy them presents!

See our website for more details on the shows and ticket sales: www.goodlovelies.com

Ho ho ho!
Caroline, Kerri & Sue

Christmas is Around The Corner

2009-11-05T22:29:00.000-08:00

And the Good Lovelies are here to help you celebrate! On November 16th, you can pick your copy of their upcoming Christmas album "Under the Mistletoe" online and at their shows across Ontario and Quebec.

Check out our Tour Dates for the full listing of our Christmas CD Release Tour.

xo
The Lovelies in Waiting!

First Zombie Prom a Success!!

2009-11-02T23:08:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our co-hosts the Human Statues - and the many people who contributed to the evening, the night was a huge success.

Visit our PHOTOS page for the ZOMBIE PROM Photo Gallery. Thanks to everyone for playing a part in such a wicked and fun night.

The Human Statues in Zombie Garb

The Good Lovelies w/ Adam Warner on drums!

The Good Lovelies with Make-Up Artist Mark Smith!

For the complete gallery visit our PHOTOS page...

BlogTO wrote up a great review of the evening. Check out the whole story HERE.

Merry Belated Hallowe'en!!!!

Zombie Prom Spectacular - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29th, 2009

2009-10-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.lulalounge.ca
info@lula.ca
416-588-0307
Dinner - 7:30
Showtime - 8:30
Tickets: $15 ADV/$18 DOOR - So Get Your Tickets TODAY!

This is Our Pal Hal, From the DUNK, in PEI

2009-10-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

Posing with Harlequin Models...

2009-10-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

This impromptu photo shoot happened just before our show at Yonge & Dundas Square. It was warm :)

Having Fun in PEI

2009-10-03T21:50:00.001-07:00

Someone asked us once if we like touring. I think this voluntary photo shoot at the PEI gift shop near Summerside answers that question.

We HEART this great country of ours, and right now, especially PEI.

xo
The Good Lovelies

Fall Touring with the Good Lovelies

2009-09-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

Come one, come all...

Kleinburg, ON - Bindertwine Festival, Sept 12
Guelph, ON - Dublin St. United Church, Sept 18
Cobourg, ON – Harvest Festival, Sept 19
Toronto, ON – Yonge and Dundas Square, Sept 30
Fredericton, NB - Crumbs Café – Oct 2
Mount Stewart, PEI - Trailside Inn & Café, Oct 3
Mount Stewart, PEI - Trailside Inn & Café, Oct 4
Breadalbane, PEI – The Dunk, Oct 5
Charlottetown, PEI – Baba’s Lounge, Oct 6
Sackville, NB - Struts Gallery, Oct 7
Hampton, NB - Vintage Bistro & Lounge, Oct 8
Halifax, NS – The Company House, Oct 9
St. Andrews, NB – The Red Herring, Oct 10
Aylmer, QC - Private House Concert, Oct 16
Ottawa, ON – OCFF, Conference, Oct 17
Parry Sound, ON – Neil Young Tribute, Oct 23
Meaford, ON – Neil Young Tribute, Oct 24
Toronto, ON – Lula Lounge, Oct 29
Hallowe’en Show w/ Human Statues
Barrie, ON – Barrie Folk Festival, Nov 7

The Men Who Gave Us Free Gas Before We Drove Grey Creek Pass

2009-08-04T13:52:00.000-07:00

It's taken me a week to post this, but I wanted to say a very public THANK YOU to the kind men who gave us their extra gas before we drove the most treacherous mountain pass we've ever been on in BC. At the landing where these two photos were taken, we met Don - a jazz guitarist who was taking a couple days off in his trailer to play for the birds and wildlife - and Chad and his Papa - whose name I think was Mark (if not, I'm terribly sorry!) who were so kind as to give us their gas and encouraging pats on the back so we had the courage to drive the Grey Creek Pass.

Thanks you gentlemen. We are forever grateful. It was an adventurous and wild ride.

(Don't worry, Mom - we made it!)

Tidbits and Gossip Items

2009-07-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

New Music Video!
We are so excited to announce that the new video for Baby I Got My Way directed and edited by Jared Sales is now up on Youtube! Check it out HERE or visit our VIDEO page!

CBC Radio Live
Tonight our CBC Radio Live concert will be re-broadcast at 7pm for those of you who didn't hear it the first time. Tune in to CBC Radio 2 tonight!

Upcoming Tour Dates *Dates Added*
Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Festival - July 24-26th
Invermere, BC - Bud's Bar and Lounge - July 27th
Kaslo, BC - Blue Belle Bistro - July 28th
Vancouver, BC - Railway Club w/Deep Dark Woods - July 29th
Enderby, BC - Lorenzo's Cafe - Aug 1st
Kaslo, BC - Blue Belle Bistro - Aug 2nd
Winlaw, BC - Cedar Creek Cafe - Aug 4th
Canmore, AB - Communitea Cafe, Aug 5th
Golden, BC - Summer Kicks Series, Aug 6th
Medicine Hat, AB - Ottoman Lounge, Aug 7th
Regina, SK - Regina Folk Festival, Aug 7-9th
Winnipeg, MB - La Garage Cafe, Aug 10th
Sudbury, ON - The Townehouse Tavern, Aug 13th
Toronto, ON - Private Conference, Aug 20th
Ottawa, ON - Ottawa Folk Festival, Aug 21-23rd
Pefferlaw, ON - Eaglewood Folk Festival, Aug 28-30th

Hope you're having a great summer
xoxoxo
~The Good Lovelies
www.goodlovelies.com

New Music Video - Baby I Got My Way

2009-07-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Check it out! Thanks to Jared Sales here is our brand new video for Baby I Got My Way!

Click HERE at go to our VIDEOS page.

Music by and Starring - The Good Lovelies http://www.thegoodlovelies.com
Concept, Edited and Directed by Jared Sales http://www.jaredsales.com
Filmed Entirely at Comedy Bar in Toronto, Ontario

SUMMER OF FUN TOUR - GOOD LOVELIES - 2009

2009-07-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Toronto, ON - City Roots Festival - Sat June 27th
Toronto, ON - Pride Festival - Sun June 28th
Orillia, ON - Mariposa Folk Fest - July 3-5th
Montreal, QC - Montreal Jazz Fest - July 7th
Edmonton, AB - Haven Social Club - July 9th
Red Deer, AB - Lewis House Concert - July 10th
Hinton, AB - Wild Mountain Music Fest - July 11th
Saskatoon, SK - Lydia's Loft - July 12th
Hamilton, ON - Pearl Company - July 17th
London, ON - Home County Folk Fest - July 18th
Nipissing Village, ON - Piebird - July 19th
Marathon, ON - Private Function - July 21th
Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Fest - July 24-26th
Invermere, BC - Bud's Bar and Lounge - July 27th
Vancouver, BC - Railway Club w/Deep Dark Woods - July 29th
Enderby, BC - Lorenzo's Cafe - Aug 1st
Winlaw, BC - Cedar Creek Cafe - Aug 4th
Canmore, AB - Communitea Cafe, Aug 5th
Golden, BC - Summer Kicks Series, Aug 6th
Medicine Hat, SK - Ottoman Lounge, Aug 7th
Regina, SK - Regina Folk Festival, Aug 7-9th
Toronto, ON - Private Conference, Aug 20th
Ottawa, ON - Ottawa Folk Festival, Aug 21-23rd
Pefferlaw, ON - Eaglewood Folk Fest, Aug 28-30th

Edmonton, Red Deer, Hinton and Saskatoon

2009-07-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, we're not kidding - we like to travel. We like to sing, to play, to fly on airplanes together. Here we are in the parking lot of Safeway being strange.

So, we're in Edmonton and we can't wait to play. The sun is finally coming out and I have a brand new dress. I hope my mom is reading this, it's been awhile since we spoke... HI MOM.

Hello to all Moms, really - and DADS... What am I saying, HELLO TO EVERYONE!

xo
Kerri O
for the Good Lovelies
Caroline, Kerri & Sue

Good Lovelies sing Juanita by Gram Parsons

2009-06-29T18:52:00.000-07:00

NEW WEBSITE IS UP & TORONTO FESTIVAL WEEKEND

2009-06-28T22:18:00.003-07:00

EVERYONE! The new website is up and running! We are so pumped!

Click HERE to see the NEW WEBSITE!

This Weekend - City Roots and Pride Festivals in Toronto

2009-06-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

A Weekend Away From Home

2009-06-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

We truly know how to make our weekends feel as long as possible.

On Friday, the "beginning" of the weekend, we found ourselves with a new friend and videographer, Jared Sales, in the basement of a great bar on Bloor Street, to film a video for Baby I Got My Way. The video includes seven costume changes and a whole lot of hairdo-fretting and bobby pins. Somehow, armed with only our own collections of makeup and shoes, and piles and piles of Value Village apparel we dressed up and sang for the camera. The idea was to hit as many eras or styles of dress as we could in a 2 minute song. I think the collective favourite was the wardrobe for the 80s.

This was due in part to the fact that the minute we had our costumes on, we realized we had to move the car that was parked outside on a very busy Bloor Street. I opted to stay inside, missing what I can only imagine was a very amusing trip to the parking lot, with Caroline dressed like a fairy princess with a side ponytail, and Sue in a sequined tight fitting dress and the highest heels I've ever seen her in.

Lucky for me, they took some videos, and nestled safely inside, I was free to change my outfit for the third time, and re-apply my sexy pink lip gloss, and pull my leg and arm warmers up a little higher.

There is nothing more fun than playing dress up with your two best friends and then having a fun dude like Jared film you acting like teenagers. I am not kidding, it was amazing.

With our dogs a-barkin' and our faces thick with makeup, we made our way home to grab some much needed dinner and thirst quenchers. Caroline and I ate Green Curry and parted ways with Sue. This would mark one of the only nights we would have had off in about 16 days. My sister came over and we acted silly and watched bad TV just like when we were kids, and Caroline headed home for a night with our dear band husband.

The next day, we headed to Port Severn where our dear buddy Peter Katz was about to wed his lovely fiancee (now wife) Andrea. In one of the most beautiful and personal wedding ceremonies I have ever witnessed, we discovered that Caroline has a leaky left eye, Sue's a weeper, and I like to crack jokes with my buddy Catherine Wallace, to avoid becoming too overwhelmed by the union of two people who are more than perfect for each other.

We sang songs, drank from the open bar and partook in a great party well into the wee hours. We played original Good Lovelies tunes for a crowd of dancing friends and strangers, which was uplifting and memorable. A few hours later, we would all crawl into our bunk beds in a nearby cabin, only to sleep for a mere four hours before waking up and heading to Guelph for another great show the next afternoon.

(Photo courtesy of Ted Passmore, taken at the Moonshine Cafe in Oakville.)

Thanks to the Funky Mamas, and namely Kate, we found ourselves in a most peaceful setting just north of Guelph where the name of the festival was local, homegrown, healthy and sustainable living. We sang to a receptive crowd on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I tasted some of the best black bean hummus I've ever eaten, and followed it with a grilled veggie wrap and an ice cream cone. We visited a healing garden filled with herbs, vegetables and flowers and Caroline and Colin celebrated their one year anniversary with us.

The open bar from the night before became a distant memory as we left Guelph and headed back to Toronto. The traffic was just light enough to get us back downtown quickly, but the fatigue of the night before settled in and we were becoming weirder by the second.

As we dropped Sue off at home and headed to my place to drop off our gear, Colin said to Caroline and I, "Can you believe it was just yesterday morning when we picked you up and headed to Peter and Andrea's wedding?"

And you know what, I really couldn't fathom that we had packed our weekend so full of friends, music, driving and adventure in a mere 30 hours.

I certainly wouldn't regret how I spend my nights and days if I were to die tomorrow.

Of course, I was a bit out of it after sleeping the evening away, then waking up for dinner and a phone call, and falling back asleep for a solid eight hours and waking up to a Monday packed with more friends, music, Christmas and things to do.

What a weekend...

(Courtesy of Ted Passmore. Taken at the Moonshine Cafe.)

xo
Kerri O

Singing in the Rain at Metro Square in Toronto

2009-05-31T12:59:00.000-07:00

On Thursday afternoon, there we were, the Good Lovelies singing for a few hard core fans who braved a thunderstorm, a chilly wind and a downpour to end all other downpours. The show was great, the sound amazing, and the view of Roy Thompson Hall was stunning. Here are a couple of shots, one from Ryan Ayukawa and the rest from Sue and I.

xo
Kerri O

A Wedding We Played

2009-05-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

These photos are from the first wedding we performed at last September. It was beautiful and so much fun. We sang a few cover songs and then when everyone was well into the party the Good Lovelies and Matt Barber performed acoustically for the crowd.

See You Tonight in Toronto 6-8pm

2009-05-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

Buy Good Lovelies Album Online in CANADA!

2009-04-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

If you are in Canada and want to get your hands on our latest album "GOOD LOVELIES" but you are unable to catch a live show in the next week or so you can now purchase our newest album "Good Lovelies" online at MAPLE MUSIC.

Click HERE to ORDER NOW!

For those of you in the U.S. and outside of North America - CD BABY & the iTunes Store are still the best way to buy our albums.

As always, thanks for helping put shoes on our feet and for helping us buy groceries!!

CBC Fresh Air Meets the Good Lovelies

2009-04-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

It was an interview with Mary Ito on Fresh Air that had us trekking across the city by foot at the end of last week. We motored down quite a bit before we realized if we didn't hop in a cab soon, we might be late.

Our dear friend and publicist Richard Flohil joined us for the interview offering us humour, good company and some great photo-ops.

Here, take a look -- this first one might be my favourite photo of Richard.

What's fun about Richard, is he has a great sense of humour, and a terrific sense of irony, so he was happy to take our photo with the same sign - even though he works for us...

After giving Mary Ito some strange answers to some simple questions she happily held my hand and posed with us for the blog. On air, she called us on our answers (lies) to her questions and we also had a lot of fun behind the scenes saying things we're very happy were not taped for national radio. Interviews are fun both on and off mic, and I wish I could bring more people out to the studio to see what it's like on the inside. In the end everyone is just curious and interested in how things came about. We have a good time with each other and our interviewers so it's never boring. (I'm also referring to a taped interview with Alan Neal of Bandwidth, where we were in Toronto and he was in Ottawa, and he had to guess who was saying what through the microphones. That was also a hyper and hilarious day.)

Here we are with Mary Ito from Fresh Air.

The interview itself didn't last too long, but we took our sweet time leaving the CBC. We stopped by to chat with Matt Galloway, we ogled some of the studios we hadn't seen yet and we stopped by the TV studio we would later the same week be playing a tune.

Ontari-ari-ari- Oooooooo

2009-04-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

Not having a regular nine-to-five (or rather six-to-two) job has really opened my eyes to a few things.

A) Waking up WITH the sun and not 2 hours BEFORE sunrise is the correct way to start your day.

B) There are hundreds, if not thousands of other self-employed (or unemployed) people also trolling the streets of Toronto and somehow they all end up in the Eaton's Centre, buying stuff with all their money - wherever it's coming from.

C) You never feel like you can stop working when you work for yourself.

D) I can now exercise at different times of the day and start writing a song while dining on Cheerios first thing in the morning.

E) I believe I am experiencing "The Time of My Life" and am not interested in stopping anytime soon.

Just a little note now that I'm back in Ontario and settling in nicely to the touring/musician lifestyle with my best buds Susie and Caro B. Those are their rapper names.

Mine's K-Bob.

I know, it's weird, but I'm no longer sleep-deprived and I have more time alone to think weirder thoughts than ever before.

More on that later, I'm sure.

Have a great weekend.

xo
K-Bob

Could it Be?

2009-03-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

Is this tour wrapping up? Are we in our last week? Is this possible?

I am surprised to see that the last month has just flown by. The things I've seen, the people I've encountered, the activities in which I partook... I can't believe this is my life.

On March 6th, when I left my beloved job with the Ontario government, I knew my life was starting to change. I knew things were never going to be the same, but I didn't really fathom what that meant for me. And now, here, in the wee hours of March 31st, I'm writing from a bedroom in Marathon, at our host Nancy's beautiful home, just trying to wrap my head around this new lifestyle.

Last Day of Winter?

2009-03-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

Here we are in heavenly Delta Beach, just outside of Portage La Prairie...

This was our last day in the Prairies. Off to Northern Ontario and beyond.

A jumping photo that didn't quite work. The snow was heavy and prevented us from our full leaping capacities... (Except Caroline.)

Jacques Meets Jacques in Minnedosa

2009-03-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

In a Minnedosa B&B called Tilsonplace - our dear puppet met his first ever Jacques.

Here they are in the kitchen with bagel chips.

And here we are at the B&B with our new friends Jacques and Ria. So cool! So far I don't have a photo of our hosts, but on our way out today I will try.

We are off to Brandon, Manitoba this evening for another Home Routes concert!

Bye!

The Days Before Home Routes

2009-03-25T22:51:00.001-07:00

Edmonton

It was early Friday March 13th when we awoke at 5:30am to pretty-up for Breakfast Television in Edmonton. It's not easy to apply makeup when you can barely open up your eyes but somehow we managed and jumped in the car. We were grateful to be in the loving hands of our friend and fellow musician Ben Sures as we loaded into the car in what felt like the middle of the night.

What I haven't yet told you is that we drove straight from Toronto to Edmonton in four days and arrived in Edmonton on Thursday night - the day before the early wake-up call. So, after four days together in a car or squished in hotel rooms sharing beds we had completely forgotten how to act when other people are around...

Lucky for us the folks at Breakfast Television didn't mind.

What's funny to me now, looking back on that day is we don't have one picture of us from our studio day, but we have a whack load of videos. So for now, we'll just have to wait until I have a minute to upload them.

(This was us on our way to Edmonton. Once in Edmonton we also did an interview with CBC... VERY FUN.

CALGARY

We played a great show the next night in Calgary. Our dear hosts and great lovers of music filled the house with friends, family and music appreciaters. It was amazing - and we can't wait to go back and spend way more time with them!

First though, we did an interview with Tom Coxworth of CKUA Calgary.

On Sunday we hit Saskatoon for another pre-Home Routes Tour house concert and were so happy to meet some fine folks there. We went hot-tubbing and I had the best sleep ever after watching CSI New York.

There is so much to write and say, but the girls are trying to fall asleep beside me and the clickety clack of the keyboard is so noisy in this beautiful B&B - I promise... more tomorrow.

xo/ko

Canada to the U.S. & Back to Canada

2009-03-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

March 11, 2009
From Rogers Minnesota to the border of Saskatchewan and Alberta

Dear Mom and Dad

I know you don’t often read my blog posts because you have dial-up internet, but while my telephone is charging, I wanted to write to tell you about what I’m doing during the March Break. First though, I think I should tell you that I quit my job so I could take a trip on the March Break. And I suppose I should also tell you that I packed up all my belongings into bags, bins and cardboard boxes, and rented my apartment out to a nice young lady while I’m driving around the countryside for two months.

On Monday morning, three days after my last day of work, and 2 days after a two-day partying binge, my buddies and I piled into the newly tuned-up Volvo and took to the highway. Basically, we have four days to travel from Toronto to Edmonton, Alberta, and with a little help from Red Bull I think we’ll make it.

I haven’t really slept very much in the past two weeks. I’ve had a few projects to finish up, some photo archiving to get done, and I’m getting ready to file my taxes. By the time Monday came around, my eyes could barely stay open and I was certain I’d forgotten to do something before leaving home for sixty days.

Since most of this tour is located in the Prairies, all three of us packed heavily for severe cold. In my bag, I have at least fifteen pairs of socks, two sets of long johns, 2 long-sleeve shirts ... and my bikini. Caroline is wondering whether she should buy a balaclava to save her silky skin from the horrors of -40 wind chills, and Sue is happily sipping at a cream soda from the United States (her favourite) not worried that she’s forgotten anything at all.

We drove down the 401 through south western Ontario then on to the Sarnia border crossing. I’m fairly certain the good ladies operating the station wagon drove us through Michigan – but I was passed out in the backseat, with a little bit of drool rolling down my cheek, so I can’t say for certain. When I awoke we were in Indiana (in Michigan City) and opted to stay at a Knight’s Inn. We dined at a Texas Corral where we ordered salads, smooshed peanut shells with our fists and guzzled 50 cent draft beer. What strikes us as odd in the U.S is the fact that restaurants still have smoking sections. When we ask for a non-smoking table, the waiter dutifully nods at us and places us eight feet from the smokers, in the “non-smoking” area which is always, of course, full of the noxious cigarette smoke. Mmm.

In the morning, with an expected departure time of 9am – we groggily awoke at 8:30am – and strolled into a smoky Denny’s around 9:30. When we find ourselves in unhappy situations but don’t feel like making a spectacle, we simply look into each others’ eyes and quietly agree to abandon ship. Lucky for us there was a McDonald’s next door and a Starbucks three blocks down the road. We fuelled up on Americanos (in our bellies) and gasoline (not in our bellies) then drove on to Chicago, Illinois through to Wisconsin, Minnesota (where we hit a minor snow storm and decided to upgrade the windshield wipers.) We stopped to eat at an Italian eatery called Buca where we had our photo taken with a Pope bust and then we strolled over to a nearby Super 8 – where the hotel room was cold and the internet didn’t really ever work. While Sue worked away upstairs in our hotel room, Caroline and I went for a dip in the pool and hot tub downstairs.

Right now, as we approach Brandon, Manitoba after a loooooong day of driving (we started in Rogers, Minnesota at 7:00am and it’s now 7:00pm and we’re in Manitoba) things are getting nutty. We started rapping and though it’s fun, the rhyming schemes are a bit wonky, and the subject matter is questionable.

If you’re Canadian and have never been to the Prairies in the winter, I recommend you do it at least once. Outside the sun is starting to set beside us, and the frosty -20 wind is tapping against the car doors as we boot it up to Regina.

Off we go. My brain is drifting on to other things.

xo
Kerri O for the Good Lovelies

(At the border of Manitoba and the US - near Emerson, Manitoba.

My empty apartment -- ready for a dear girl to sublet.

Our Trip to St. Thomas & Windsor

2009-03-03T03:31:00.000-08:00

Sue and Caroline perched atop some frozen sand on Lake Erie

Two Good Lovelies and Three Autumn Lovers in St. Thomas.

Kerri jumping in front of Jumbo the Elephant in St. Thomas.

Sue with her wooden friend.

Caroline and Lake Erie.

To Come While on Tour in Manitoba

2009-02-27T10:45:00.000-08:00

Imagine our collective glee at discovering we're visiting Flin Flon Mantioba in the middle of our Home Routes Tour next month. I hear the city is beautiful and I'm excited to share this bit of trivia with you courtesy of Wikipedia.

FLIN FLON, MANITOBA

Town's name is taken from the lead character in a paperback novel, The Sunless City by J. E. Preston Muddock. A prospector named Tom Creighton found the book in the wilderness. The story is about a man named Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin, who piloted a submarine through a bottomless lake. Upon passing through a hole lined with gold, he found a strange underground world.

When Tom Creighton discovered a rich vein of almost pure copper, he thought of the book and called it Flin Flon's mine, mercifully shortening the name. The town that sprung up around the mine adopted the name. Flin Flon shares with Tarzana, California, the distinction of being named after a character in a science fiction novel.

The character of "Flinty" is of such importance to the identity of the city that the local Chamber of Commerce commissioned the minting of a $3.00 coin, which was considered legal tender within the city during the year following its issue. A statue representing Flinty was designed by cartoonist Al Capp and is one of the points of interest of the city. (See below)

A statue of Flinty designed by cartoonist Al Capp.

What We Know Now

2009-02-26T11:11:00.000-08:00

This was our second trip to the US - each time for a folk music conference, and each time tremendously different. For starters, this trip started in a rental van, not Ms. Station Wagon, and we had two companions in addition to the three Lovelies.

It's a stressful thing, crossing the border - I don't know why it makes us sweat so hard - it's not like we're guilty of anything - but it does and I'm certain I lose a year everytime I reach a border crossing (and I'm more sure that Sue, our resident worry-wart does too. As we approach the gate the mood in the car either gets tense and sullen or contrarily we burst into inappropriate laughing fits that are sure to land us in prison - or at least in the detaining station beside us.

So for the first time ever, we were asked into the detaining room...

Don't worry - it was just so the British citizen we were travelling with could sign some papers - really not a big deal. This fella I'm referring to is our dear Flohil, our friend and recently-hired publicist. This man is so good at his job, we were fairly certain we were going to be playing a free concert for the customs officers in the dingy white room where we waited. One thing I noticed and haven't been able to forget, while sitting in my plastic retro chair in the detaining room was a customs officer, maybe 6 feet tall, drinking what I can only guess was a 40 oz cup of blue slushie. It was so big and so blue that it seemed wrong that a man in a position of authority should be sipping such a comical drink with a straw. I wanted to laugh, but knew there could be trouble.

I kept my cool and we jumped into the car and headed for Michigan. The night was marked by a few laughing fits, very little music and a lot of chit-chat in the van.

We spent some time trying to convince Richard that he should get an iPod, but he was discouraged at the thought of loading 10,000 records to his old Mac computer. I don't blame him. What a terrible way to spend eight days of your life.

I digress.

After Monroe, we drove until we were dumb and blind. We ate sub after sub and candy bar after cream soda and finally landed and wandered through Nashville. We sang, we laughed, we increased the wrinkles of our crow's feet. It was a hoot and a holler. It was a roadtrip to put all roadtrips to shame. Then we sailed into Memphis in the mid-afternoon.

As always at conferences like this we were met with friendly faces, great hotel service and a shitload of cowboy boots. There was music, there were discussions, there was a man named Cloud Moss -- there was everything. I went home with 40 cds, a drinking habit and a brand new banjo after smashing mine in a fit of diva-rage...

...Or rather, there was a clumsly drop on my part and there popped off the neck of my banjo -- to be discussed further later. However, I will say, I have never been at a place before where when one does kill their banjo, at least four people in the audience offer up their banjos until you get a new one. It's such a magical place.

It was nice to remind myself that we were in Memphis - and it was difficult to do so since most of the activities happened indoors and in the wee hours of the night. But we were in Memphis, and we played and sang with all of our energy. We stayed up late, made some new friends, met great presenters from the States and others from Canada. The whole experience further solidified my love of the US. Everywhere we went people were friendly, hospitable and easy-going. I think my only cranky run-in with anyone was with an overtired, overworked person who I think deserved to be cranky.

It was an exceptional trip - and we figured a few more things out about travelling.

1) Caroline should be in the driver's seat when we cross back into Canada. She's nice, polite, talks both languages and somehow manages to find the handsomest customs officer at the border.

2) Subway is an invention of a mean woman who never wanted her husband to be a travelling salesman for longer than a week. I can't even walk near a subway and I was only gone six days - and only ate 4 subs.

3) The station wagon was meant for the three of us - and if we travel with more a van is a must.

4) We will never go anywhere without the electic guitar again.

5) We really like each other.

6) No-Smoking signs don't mean no one smoked in the room before - they just mean, no one is smoking in the room right now.

xo
Kerri O

Elvis, Caroline and Sue -- I'm in the photo in spirit. I am behind the lens.