Originally from the rural north of New York State, Than Brown first came to St. John’s to study folklore. They soon fell in love with the local traditional music, spending their free evenings playing sessions in the local pubs. She has begun to break into performance, most recently as an accompanist for Kelly Russell. Than plays the octave mandolin with a rhythmic, melodic style that’s sure to perk up your ears and get you grooving!
2x Juno Awards R&B/Soul Recording of the Year nominee and 3x Polaris Music Prize long-list nominee Tanika Charles in synonymous with Canadian Soul music. She has embraced the sound and aesthetic of the genre without gimmick, whilst pushing the boundaries of what audiences can expect. Her music revels in honesty and attitude, her live show is high energy and endearing, and she continues to organically win audiences over one album, one stream, and one encore at a time.
Tanika is an Edmonton-raised first generation Trinidadian-Canadian residing in Toronto, but she is most at home on the stage. She embarked on her first cross Canada tour in 2016 and began performing internationally in 2017. Since then she has performed in over 150 cities across 10 countries ranging from headlining club dates, main stage festival slots, and even moving trains.
Tamsyn Russell is a musician most proficient In button accordion, but also dabbles in guitar, singing and flute. Tamsyn has performed with Terra Bruce Productions where she has taken part in projects such as the touring musical No Change in the Weather and concert series Sounds Like Home, among others. She has been performing all her life, whether it be at the NL Folk Festival, Beaches Accordion Festival, Harbourside Park Concert Series, and other performances such as Feast of Cohen and A Time in Pigeon Inlet. In the summer, she performs solo and with various local musicians aboard the Iceberg Quest Boat Tours, and plays various pub gigs singing blues, folk and country and playing tunes. Outside of her musical involvement with the arts, she currently works in social media marketing with the NLFAS.
Steve Earle is one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. A protege of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and countless others. 1986 saw the release of his record, Guitar Town, which shot to number one on the country charts and is now regarded as a classic of the Americana genre. Subsequent releases like The Revolution Starts…Now (2004), Washington Square Serenade (2007), and TOWNES (2009) received consecutive GRAMMY® Awards. Restlessly creative across artistic disciplines, Earle has published both a novel and collection of short stories; produced albums for other artists such as Joan Baez and Lucinda Williams, and acted in films, television (including David Simon’s acclaimed The Wire), and on the stage. In 2009, Earle appeared in the off-Broadway play Samara, for which he also wrote a score that The New York Times described as “exquisitely subliminal.” Earle wrote music for and appeared in Coal Country, a riveting Public Theater play that dives into the most-deadly mining disaster in U.S. history, for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Mr. Earle was recently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
St. John’s Storytelling is a not-for-profit organization that has been active in the Storytelling community of Newfoundland and Labrador since 2004. St. John’s Storytelling hosts and organizes an annual Storytelling festival bringing storytellers from across the province, Canada and internationally to the stage in St. John’s. We host a monthly Storytelling Circle on the second Wednesday of the month, bi-monthly Storyteller networking/workshopping sessions, and programming for kids, youth, and adults year round. St. John’s Storytelling hosts workshops and courses for emerging and professional storytellers in the interest of preserving, promoting, and developing the art and tradition of storytelling. The activities of St. John’s Storytelling are directed by a Board of four to eight volunteers.
The mandate of the St. John’s Storytelling Festival is to promote the art and tradition of storytelling in Newfoundland and Labrador and throughout Canada; to foster creative expression of this art; and to promote cooperation among organizations related to the art and tradition of storytelling.
Splash’N Boots are a beloved Canadian children’s music duo consisting of Nick Adams (Splash) and Taes Leavitt (Boots). With 20 years of experience, Splash’N Boots have become a household name, creating music and concert experiences that bring happiness and joy to children of all ages.
Their newest album, I am Love, follows their recent success with their second JUNO Award for “Heart Parade” in 2021 and a Canadian Folk Music Award in 2022. Splash’N Boots have created a global community dedicated to making every child feel seen, heard, and loved for exactly who they are.
With their hit TV show on Treehouse TV and Disney Jr. Canada, Splash’N Boots have appeared daily in over 8.5 million homes across Canada. They have also recently written and produced an episode for Sesame Street.
In addition to their own original music, Splash’N Boots have collaborated with a wide range of artists including Alice Cooper, Brett Kissel, Johnny Reid, Alan Doyle, Simon Ward of The Strumbellas, The Wiggles, and Sharon and Bram. Their music is enjoyed around the world, with millions of streams on Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube.
Beyond their music, Splash’N Boots are committed to using their voice to raise awareness for important causes. They have supported and worked with organizations such as Sick Kids Hospital, Camp Ooch, Plus1, MusiCounts, Kids Up Front, and the Starlight Foundation. They are also the creators and stewards of a uniquely powerful pen pal program geared towards children with autism, called Lucas’s Letters, which encourages children of all ages and abilities to connect through letter-writing.
Through their music, television appearances, and advocacy work, Splash’N Boots continue to spread joy and positivity to children and families around the world.
Like a sporadic option on a menu, Soup’ du Jour performs a variety of music styles both in English and in French.
There is no shortage of talent and charisma in this dynamic duo who rejoice in offering an amusing performance that will surely delight the diverse tastes of their audience.
Tout comme une option occasionnelle figurant sur un menu, Soup’ du Jour interprète une variété de styles de musique en français et en anglais.
Il n’y a pas de pénurie de talent et de charisme dans ce duo dynamique qui réussit à offrir une prestation amusante qui plaira sûrement aux goûts divers de son public.
Spectrum Queer Choir is a non-auditioned community choir that creates a place of celebration, belonging, and safety for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and their unique voices and needs. Spectrum welcomes all who wish to join regardless of musical experience, ability, identity, or financial means. Together the choir seeks justice, growth, and connection through our music-making to enrich lives and the culture of Newfoundland and Labrador. Spectrum Queer Choir was founded by and is under the artistic direction of Alice Hietala.
