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For downloadable photos, poster, stage plot, and publicity quotes, please visit the "Bio" page ...
Nov 2008
 Today is the final day in the UK, it's been a busy busy tour punctuated with visits and recuperation. Highlights include our tour of Liverpool with our pal Scott, a recent LIPA graduate (Sir Paul McCartney's performing arts pedagogic pride and joy), and time in the dales of Yorkshire...
All the gigs were great, overall the tour was pretty awesome, more about that in the next update. At the moment we're getting the hire car packed and finalising the last minute details that one must do at the end of a tour. Peace and Light!
Oct 2008
This year's WCMA weekend just ended, and singing with the Sojourners during the awards ceremony on Sunday evening was a highlight! I also played with the inimitable David Taylor and the indefagitable Hugh McMillan at an after hours showcase on Saturday night, which was a major blast. Steve Dawson graced the stage for the first number, sitting in on gnarly slide, and the tech crew at The Artery was fast and efficient, a throw and go setup in 10 minutes, yee haw!
September saw me and my guitars tooling across some of the NW states, spreading the Light as it were. I'll write more about that soon. At the moment I'm headed back to the Peg to put together more trad songs and fun stories for my first "headline" tour of some UK folk clubs and venues. Hugh's going to play with me on this tour, he's played many of these clubs over the years with James Keelaghan, so it will be fun to take him back there.
That's all for now,
Peace and Light
Sept 2008
The girls next door asked me once why I was "rolling the lawn." Ever since then, that's how I think of reel mowing; it's quiet, clean, and snips the grass neatly without ripping... not that I can really tell what the grass prefers... and it's a decent little warmup, a lovely breath of fresh air. Why would someone want to run a gasoline engine, or manage an extension cord with an electric mower? It boggles the mind.
Peace and Light
Aug 2008
Hi Folks!
Summer is nearing an end, always makes me a bit sad. Just when I'm going for my first swim of the season and getting used to the sunshine and warmth, it's almost over. Sigh. Summer in Canada is just not quite long enough. But it has been a good one regardless. Most of the festivals I played were plagued with wet weather here and there. Winnipeg's weather was crazy -- I have never seen so many loyal fans willingly sit thru a downpour and harsh winds. Thank you!!! During the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival (one of my favourite festivals), we had two very willing volunteers come up and protect us from the rain. They made great back-up singers! Check out this fun photo, taken by our lovely billets Mike and Rosie.
Highlights of the summer so far:
- playing for the first time at the South Country Fair in Ft Macleod (and meeting the incredible group of folks who run the festival) and at the Islands Folk Fest in Duncan
- being invited to the Lunenburg Festival (I last played there with the Jennys), being fed fabulous food by Louis, meeting all the incredible volunteers and programming staff, meeting other musicians, and playing the fabulous gospel workshop
- the "Rye Bread and Chedder Cubes" workshop at the Winnipeg folk fest (Manitoba party indeed!)
- being asked to take part in two Willie P. Bennett tribute workshops. Wow, what a songwriter. I also had the honour of meeting his mom and sister. Two very strong and lovely women.
- hanging out at the park with my wee nephew James (who had me climbing the monkey bars!)
- swimming in Whitefish Lake (MT) and Kalamalka Lake (BC)
- driving the Highway to the Sun through Glacier National Park (MT)
- seeing my dear friend Kelly and meeting her new baby BuBu
- the freedom of the road
In other news, my hand is slowly healing up! I still can't use my index finger for playing but I've been able to get by. whew! It's been an adventure.
I'll sign off by saying that the Light Fantastic has just been nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award - Outstanding Roots Album. What an honour! I'm looking forward to the event, which is happening in Edmonton this year. Hope to see some of you there!
Wishing you an enjoyable rest of your summer, wherever you may be.
Peace and light -
Cara
June/July 2008
Hi folks,
It's been an adventurous past few weeks. May and June saw Hugh and I in the Netherlands, for my first tour over there. What a fabulous time! Thank you Karen and Bert for setting it all up for us. We opened many shows for the most wonderful Caroline Herring (check out her new album "Lantana" -- it's beautiful), had lots of fun driving in a big diesel van (stick shift! yee haaaw!), getting lost (and being rescued by SatNav), eating great chocolate and those ginger spice cookies, meeting lovely folks, experiencing Coffee Shops, smelling flowers whilst driving into Amsterdam, and RIDING BIKES! wheeeeeee! I have never been anywhere so flat! Well... ok.... I do live in a flat city (largest hill is an overpass). But I have never ridden a true Dutch bicycle before, helmet-less at that, feeling safe as can be on every street. Amazing. Here's a shot of me feeling free!
And wouldn't luck have it that I have my first bicycle wipe out in 14 years AFTER I leave Holland! Yes, it's true, I arrived home to the Peg, hopped on my bike to run errands, and my tire got stuck in a rut on one of Winnipeg's famously deteriorated streets. I flew over my bike and landed on my right hand -- 2 of my fingers are rather mangled. I haven't experienced that much pain in quite sometime. Needless to say guitar playing has been somewhat difficult, and I haven't felt like riding my bike since. Hmmm. But my goal is to prove the doctors wrong and be playing again soon. In fact the Winnipeg Folk Festival is just around the corner and I will be there with bells on! Damon Mitchell (from the New Meanies and Nathan) will be joining me, as well as Donovan Giesbrecht.
Despite the rotten hand injury I am looking forward to the rest of the summer -- festivals in AB, BC and Nova Scotia. Should be fun! Check out the Shows page for more info.
Two communities lost dear friends recently. Virgil Stauffer, the director of King's Fold Retreat Centre in Alberta (where I have spent many a month), was killed tragically in a car accident. Virgil was a good man with a good heart. The music community also lost a friend - Oliver Schroer, Canada's tallest free-standing fiddler. Oliver was full of light, energy, colour. He recorded three albums while in the hospital, continuously encouraging people to go and live out their dreams. He was truly an inspiration, his music beautiful and profound. Oliver and Virgil, you will be missed.
I'll finish off by sharing that the first track off The Light Fantastic (There's a Train) has been released to Triple A Radio in the USA. So far the response has been great -- it has been officially added in Boston, throughout North Carolina, Portland and Eugene, Anchorage, throughout Pennsylvania, throughout Colorado, Kansas City, Tampa, throughout Virginia... It's very exciting!
Best wishes to you all this summer season. Be safe out there, whether in a car or on a bike. Peace and light -
Cara
May 2008
Wow, it's the May long-weekend already. I'm relieved that spring is here, winter has a way of hanging on just a tad too long. My bike is all tuned up, the trees are finally starting to bud, and the neighbours' tulips are out. I'll soon be in the land of tulips -- I'm off to Holland for a tour in just over a week! It's very exciting! A huge thank you to the fine folks at Rounder Europe who have worked so hard to bring us over. We'll be doing some "Cara with Hugh" shows as well as opening for American artist Caroline Herring. Should be much fun! Hmmm... already dreaming about bike riding.... :)
I've been thinking a lot lately about living in a city, and living in a central neighbourhoods. I've discovered that I can pretty much walk or ride everywhere I need to go, whether the library or the grocery store. Becoming less reliant on a vehicle is kinda nice. I spent much of April in Calgary and it was interesting (and frustrating at times) to see how reliant we all are on vehicles. Walking to get groceries? Not always the easiest thing there. But there were some unexpected delights I discovered -- a year-round farmer's market that carried a lot of organic and locally grown/raised food; a small community dedicated to the old bartering system for goods ("Calgary Dollars"); bike paths that are the envy of most major cities; great alternative health magazines. Very cool.
In music news, I'm happy to announce that we've released a single to AAA Radio in the USA! "There's a Train" is being added to playlists in various regions, and I'm tickled pink! As well, Paste Magazine has included The Light Fantastic as one of their Recommended Albums for the month of May! If you're in the States you can check it out at a Paste listening station located across the country in fine independent record stores (for one near you please check out http://www.pastemagazine.com/recommends/)
Looking forward to seeing you on the touring trail...
Peace and light -
Cara
Apr 2008
 Spring is here! (I think... I hope!) I spent part of March and April in my hometown of Calgary where every kind of weather swept through town (more snow in April than they had all winter). Weird. It was great to see friends, discover new haunts, visit old ones, and help paint a classic 70's house. Check out the photo :) If only they still made wallpaper like this!
One of my favourite people in the world is back home in the Peg -- the fabulous Gina Mount! Speaking of favourite people... I stopped in Wilcox, SK on may way home from Alberta and had a most lovely visit with Sister Vicki. She even gave me a backscratch before bed. Ahhh, it was glorious.
Upcoming shows... Hugh and I are off to Holland for our first tour there, starting the end of May. The summer will be busy for both of us -- summer festivals, Spirit of the West shows (it's their 25th this year!) and hopefully a bit of lake time with friends.
Wishing everyone a fabulous spring, full of bike rides, good food and lots of sun!
Peace and light -
Cara
Feb 2008
 Wow, it's cold. My car thermometer hasn't gone much above -24 the past month. Hugh and I ventured out West for some shows in SK, AB and BC and it truly was an adventure! The night we played in Fernie we weren't sure if the snow was going to stop, and if we would even make it out of the hotel parking lot. ai yi. The next day we drove to Jasper, passing cars in the ditches, watching the temperature drop and drop, arriving at the Downstream with our poor wee NanoVan (the Matrix) wheezing like a cold tired soul.
Our last stop on the tour was the fabulous ColdSnap festival in Prince George (so appropriately named!) where we made some wonderful new friends, connected with old ones, and absolutely loved the audiences.
Now we're gearing up for our first trip to Memphis -- showcasing at the North American Folk Alliance conference. Should be fun!
Highlights of the past month:
- playing for Sara's 39th birthday party in Edmonton and watching movies on Rick's Big Screen (BS). I've never truly experienced a home theatre room quite like that!
- snow, snow and more snow! Fernie got dumped on... and so did everywhere else it seemed. Beautiful!
- driving the road from PG to Jasper.... so isolated and beautiful. We always see moose there regardless of the season.
- the ColdSnap Festival. It truly rocked!
- spending some time in Canmore at my friend Mel's house -- knitting time!
- seeing Kevin and Mia from Vanderhoof. I love them!
- watching Tony in Jasper ride his bike in -40 to the Downstream cause his car wouldn't start. Frosty bearded bundled on a classic city cruisebike!
Here's hoping you are all well, staying warm, enjoying the longer days.
Peace and light -
Cara
Dec 2007
 That boat is only marginally bigger than the microvan in which we completed the Cross-Canada TLF initial promotional tour...
The new website is in the wings, being stocked with extant goodies and room for expansion so will keep this short for now. More information will appear in the upcoming first journal entry of caraluft.com 2008. Our very best wishes as the days now begin to lengthen, for wonder and joy being present for all;
Peace, light and hope --
Cara
Sept 2007
Hi friends -- I'm back in the province of my birth for some release shows. It's good to be on the prairies... that ever far-reaching sky does wonders for the soul. We're staying with our dear friend Sweet Baby James. He is following in his Auntie Cara's footsteps and has started rocking out on guitar! 
"Here's a picture of him strumming and singing "Can't Touch This"
... I need to teach him to sing "Give it Up" hee hee :)
Summer was good, and I wish it were longer. Fall had a rough start... some very sad news, an unexpected death in the family while on the road. Still out there sharing with others, music can be very healing.
Highlights of the past few months:
- hanging out at Mabel Lake with Al and Peg Hiebert -- so remote and quiet.
- doing a tweener on the mainstage at the Canmore Folk Fest. So many old Calgary friends at that festival! The finale was quite hilarious -- "The Mary Ellen Carter" has never had such a funky percussion section before (thanks to the great Mexican, African and Latino percussionists on stage)
- performing at the Festival of Friends in Hamilton, ON -- what a great group of volunteers. Seeing my good friends Larry, Joe, Melody and Andrew
- performing at the Sunshine Music Festival in Powell River, BC -- there wasn't a lot of sunshine but loads of wonderful folks, and a stage that faced the ocean. Ate great food with the Kifts (I love them!). Meeting new friends Todd Butler and Billy Manzik.
- singing in Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria -- what a room! 3 pipe organs! What's up with that?!?! Eating salad with Geanine... Rowing with Joan... b-fasting with Chris and Tracey.
- doing a triple bill with Bob Kemmis and the Gentle Infidels in Vancouver -- what a fun evening! Our label head Steve Dawson came out and sat in on a few songs.
- eating fabulous vegetarian cuisine at the Ashcroft Opera House
- Andy's Garden Concert in Rossland - what a place for a concert! No bears were invited :)
Hope to see some of you at our "TLF" release shows -- we just finished several weeks in BC and are continuing to places further eastward. Peace, light and hope to you all --
Cara
Joan and Cara backstage photo hm
July 2007
Hope this finds everyone well, enjoying summer. Time's flying! Must get outside! :)
We had a great Canada Day show in Calgary where it was cookin' hot. Calgary has changed so much... but they still have the best bike paths! Then we did several opening slots for Joan Armatrading. Here's a fun little photo of the two us (what lovely smiles we have!). The woman is a legend! What a treat it was to do the shows with her and her band! The Calgary shows were hilarious -- it was hot as Hades in the church venue but it was quite the religious experience :) Joan had folks waving their hands and dancing in the pews!
Also, just finished playing at the Mission folk fest where I hung out with Annabelle Chvostek (who took my place when I left the Wailin' Jennys). She too has left the band... amazing to sit and visit and share our experiences. We took part in a hilarious workshop called "Bailin' Jennys, Outlaws and Fierce Independents". It was a riot!
Also gearing up for a cross-Canada tour starting in September. Our first tour to the East Coast! In November! Are we crazy? :) The new record is also being released this month in Europe with Rounder Records. We'll be heading back across the pond in the New Year. Wonder if it will rain... ha ha
Wishing everyone the best. Here's hoping we get to come to your community soon to share some good music with y'all!
Peace out -
Cara
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