Steel Belted Radio, UMFM 101.5

Music nerds who found each other. That’s how a friendship and a radio show came together. The story is too long to tell from the beginning so we will start our “in the life of the Steel Belted Radio crew” in May 2004.

We hope that it is mildly entertaining and one more reason to check out steelbeltedradio.com. This is the adventures of T-Bar, Jeff and KK.

Caught Romi Mayes and the Weber Brothers at Times Change(d). What a kick ass show. Romi has become one of alt country's best and with the Webers backing her up the night was fantastic. This unfortunately was their last gig for awhile. The Webers have commitments elsewhere and Romi is heading out on a tour of her own. If you were lucky enough to see this show good on ya, if not, make sure you don't let the next one sneak by you.

Trout Forest Music Festival - August 7, 8, and 9. The crew headed out to Ear Falls, Ontario for this great little fest in the gorgeous Canadian Shield. The highlight for us was the BOP Ensemble - Bill Bourne, Wyckham Porteous, and Jasmine 'Jas' Ohlhauser. The rain didn't dampen our spirits or take away from the amazing talent that showed up to entertain us.

Here we are, a little soggy but none the worse for wear, with Dominic Lloyd, Artistic Director, West End Cultural Centre, and his lovely gal, Erin; and Devin Latimer, Artistic Director, Trout and member of our favourite local band, Nathan

August 20 saw one of our favourites come back to town. Rob Szabo, talented singer/songwriter performed at The Edge Gallery in Winnipeg, MB.

In between our folk activities we do manage to take in a big rock show once in a while. On August 22, we put on our devil horns and saw AC/CD with 45,000 other fine folks. The boys from down under certainly know to rock a stadium. Lots of fun. Even us old folkies know to party.

Winnipeg Folk Festival - July 8-12 - Well this is what all music nerds and especially the Steel Belted crew wait for, the Winnipeg Folk Festival. This year it is five days instead of four as Elvis Costello is due to open the big show. With him is Martha Wainwright who is as SBR fave. Elvis and Martha are great. He performs all his hits and lots from his new CD, which is a keeper. Looking good and sounding great, his two hour set flew by and the crowd would have stayed all night if they could have. To add to this fantastic night we got to meet Elvis and get some stuff signed and a few pics. While we were chatting he had a phone call from Diana Krall, asking how his show went and how he was doing. What a sweet, down to earth couple, a real gentleman and a talented guy. Hope the rest of the Fest is half as good.

Day two and it's a lazy beer day. No acts on before 7:00 at night so it's a good day to check out the program and folks we want to see. Serena Ryder gets better every time we see her. She is such a gifted singer/songwriter with an amazing voice. It is great to see her and chat. She has been a real friend and is one of the nicest people you can meet. She never turned down a request for pictures or an autograph. Be sure to look up

her new CD, Is Everything Okay. You won't be sorry.

Neko Case is here this year as well and is awesome. She makes it look so easy. What a voice. Her new CD is receiving rave reviews and is available at all fine record stores.

We will provide list of artists and their CDs at the end of this article that we felt were the best of the Fest and ones that you may be interested in.

Josh Ritter is also here and is a crowd favourite. Armed with a gorgeous voice, beautiful songs and great looks. It is hard not to fall for him. Josh is voted the best hugger at this year's Folk Festival.

Tony Dekker was a true warrior doing lots of workshops and was amazing in all of them. Serena Ryder joined him on several shows and together they were dynamite.

Okkervil River was a true highlight for the old T-Bar. Will Sheff and company had an incredible workshop and the funky Nashville group owned the crowd. Super nice guys and very talented.

Someone that was new to us was a young man who goes by the name of Bahamas. Fantastic to watch. He honed his chops playing with Feist and looks like he is destined for a bright future.

Hey Rosetta wowed the crowds and you couldn't find any of their CDs after the first day. Great Band.

And now Louden Wainwright and Arlo Guthrie. What can you say about two musical geniuses. They did not disappoint and it was a thrill to see them and to meet them. Arlo needs to lighten up a bit with the fans and learn to enjoy. Three autographs after a show is not unreasonable and would have taken five minutes. Maybe he could take some lessons from the dozens of other artists who took a few minutes (including Louden) to sign and chat. Hey, it's only folk music Arlo. I bet your dad would have talked to the working man.

Well, the crew is tired, dirty and broke so it must be over. Only 365 days until next year.

Leeroy Stagger at the StuDome - Full band show in a house. Does it get any better? Leeroy has been on Steel Belted's radar for years now and we are all at the show. Sounds great and the band is unbelievable. Ninety minutes of solid tunes and fun. Leeroy has an alt country, pop feel to him and his new CD is one that all nerds should own. Check it out on Boompa Records. The disc is called Everything is Real and is filled full of great tunes. We especially like "Snowing in Nashville" and "Another Friday Night."

June 30 - Al Green, Winnipeg Centennial Concert Hall - Yes, THAT Al Green. Corky and T-Bar are in the second row and have been super excited for weeks. Mr. Green is a legend as far as Steel Belted is concerned and not to be missed. The Winnipeg Jazz Fest is bringing Al to town along with many more great acts over a ten day period. The All Green show was life changing. He owned the stage and the crowd was mesmerized. Any doubts about Green being able to hit those notes were soon put to rest. With energy to spare Green worked the stage like the old pro that his is and the fans couldn't get enough. As he prowled the stage, Green handed out roses and kisses to all that approached him. Luck Corky - She still has that rose. Mr. Green's back up band, including his two daughters, were top class and great to watch. We were still talking about his one weeks later. Thanks Al.

Well, T-Bar and Corky made it back from the Islands. Great times, loads of fun and great people. The Jazz Fest was kicking off in St. Lucia and artists such as Amy Winehouse, Patti LaBelle, Michael McDonald, K.C. and this Sunshine Ban plus dozens of others were floating around. Amy Winehouse played at a small restaurant for a couple of hours, no charge, and she looked and sounded great.

On the 14th Winnipeg's own Queen of Alt Country is having her CD release party at the Pyramid. Romi Mayes and her band the Weber Brothers will burn the house down as they bring you Romi's new CD, Achin in Yer Bones. They are just coming off a European tour where they kicked butt. New CD is a dandy and watching it played live from start to finish will be a treat. Romi has gained a confidence and polish over the last year and with this band has really found the groove.

Spring is just around the corner. We made it. Some big shows happening in our fair city. Gordon Lightfoot and Leonard Cohen are both here this month. Given their age and limited touring schedules this might be a rare chance to see two legends in a matter of days.

First thing though we have a funky little duo from Toronto in town. We first saw Revival Dear last year with Rob Szabo and fell in love with them. They are playing a Le Garage on the 7th. This little venue is a gem and becoming our favourite spot to hang. Great show, good crowd and then back to Corky's and T-Bar's to catch up. Shelley and Eddie stay over and get some much needed rest and then it's back on the road for Revival Dear. If they are in your neighbourhood be sure to check them out.

Steel Belted is bringing in Brock Zeman and Dan Walsh on the 10th of the month for a show at the Mudge's (Jeff's) or as are calling it, the Sunset Saloon. Nice little crowd and the guys play their hearts out. Mudge and his lovely wife Jaine are wonderful hosts. Dan is a guitar wiz and a top producer of other artists in Canada and Brock is a rising star in the alt country scene.

April 15th sees one of Steel Belted's favourite guys coming to town. Martin Sexton is one in a million, with a voice like you've never heard. Mesmerizing to watch, you will wonder where the sounds and notes come from. Martin is playing at the Burton Cummings Theatre and it should suit his style. T-Bar and Corky have been asked to host Martin while he is here and we are thrilled to do so. A super guy, humble and sweet with a voice like an angel. The show is nothing short of stunning and the crowd goes home happy and looking forward to his next visit.

Well, that's about it for the month. T-Bar and corky are off to St. Lucia in the West Indies to get some rest and rum. Thanks for digging the show and tuning in each week. It's a blast bringing you music and artists that we love. Each week we hope that you have found some that you love, too. Oh yeah, Leonard Cohen was life changing. Keep on rockin".

Well we're into it now - Winter that is. Dark cold February. A few things are going to help make it easier. We will miss the first week as we are still in El Salvador, but we're back just in time to see Pat Dinizio at the StuDome on the 7th. For those that aren't familiar with Pat he is the lead singer of one of the greatest pop bands in the world. We, of course, are talking about The Smithereens. Hits like "A Girl Like You", "Only a Memory", and "House We Used to Live In" are some of pop's best. The album "11" is still, according to Steel Belted Radio, one of the classics of the '80's. A little older and a little heavier, Dinizio pleased the crowd by doing all the fav's and telling some great stories. Thanks to Mike Latschislaw for the photo.

On the 20th of the month, Winnipeg's own Romi Mayes is playing Le Garage, a funky little bar. Romi is a fantastic alt country singer/songwriter who is a Steel Belted favourite. Her album "Sweet Something Steady" was a top 10 pick and her new CD, which just dropped in March, is a knockout. "Achin' in Yer Bones" produced by Gurf Morlix is sure to finish in the top lists by many critics. A great show, and good times, even if we did stay out past our bedtimes. Romi had the full band and did three sets. What a blast.

The show is till No. 1 and we are still having fun doing it, so it just doesn't get better than that. Thanks for listening and if anything is on your mind let us know. Talk to you next month.

Happy New Year to all you folks that buy CDs, support live music, get involved and listen to Steel Belted Radio. Typical January here in the 'Peg - cold, snowy, windy and not a whole lot goin' on. Corky and T-Bar are going to escape and get some sunshine in El Salvador and Guatemala for three weeks. We hate to be this boring but with getting Christmas and New Years out of the way and planning a trip we done much. The biggest news is that Chris Carmichael CD release party at Times Change(d) - a talented guy who is often seen playing with Romi Mayes. Also, on the 30th, one of Steel Belted's favourite guys, Ridley Bent, is also at Times. If you haven't seen him, do yourself a favour and check him out. His last album, Buckles and Boots made the Steel Belted top ten list for good reason. Don't forget Steel Belted stills cooks up some of the best tunes you'll hear in Country, Alt Country and Roots every Thursday night. Thanks for diggin' us and we'll talk to you in Feb.

Not alot going on in town. Carrie Underwood is here on the 2nd and T-Bar and Corky have to work that one. Oh well, you can't win them all. Got to see Sarah Brightman at the MTS Centre. What a voice and yes I do get cleaned up once in awhile.

The big event this month is the Romi Mayes show at Times Change(d). This is a bit of a fundraiser for her new CD due out in the spring. Steel Belted can hardly wait. Romi has to put on two shows and is fabulous.

Earlier in the day, T-Bar and Corky go to see Loreena McKennitt at a CD signing. Super nice lady with so much talent. You can check out the photos of our visit.

Big news coming for Steel Belted Radio - we have had a logo developed and are going to have T-shirts, stickers and whatever else we can come up with done. Keep your eyes open for that.

The top ten lists for all of us will be up as well. People have told us that they enjoy our thoughts on some of the best CDs and tunes of the year, so we are more than happy to do so. I am sure there will be lots of new tunes under our trees and we will be spinning those for you on the first show back on the 1st. The station has given us six hours to run wild so it will be filled with some of our favs, some new stuff and of course some of the funny, weird and bad, of the last 12 months.

Thanks for listening and digging what we do. It's not often that you get to do something that you love and is a passion in your life. Thanks to all of the artists that have come on the show, sent us CDs and have filled our lives with the joy of music. Thanks to the clubs and venues that give these hard-working folks a place to play.

Well, winter is here. It may be cold outside but in the clubs and on the show it is hot.

Sir Bob himself is paying us a visit on the 2nd of the month and what a way to start things off. Dylan has always fascinated me and the show will be great - if you like Dylan. He looks great and has a five piece band backing him. Bob stays away from the big hits and plays the piano, but we still leave happy. There is a great side story to Dylan's visit. As some of you know, Neil Young spent some time in Winnipeg in his youth and wrote some of his tunes there. Bob decided he needed to see the house and catch the vibes first hand so had a cab take him there. Dylan politely asked the people living there now if he could go through the house and take a look. They did, he did and the rest is history. Who says Bob is weird.

Trans Siberian Orchestra - very visual and very cool x-mas tunes served up like you have never seen them.

November 7 brings the Queen of alt country - Lucinda Williams. With a new CD in hand this is going to be one great show It is almost impossible to take your eyes off Lucinda as she tears through old and new tunes. The new CD is hot and I am sure will show up on top 10 lists everywhere - Jeff, I hope your neck isn't too sore from having to lookup from the first row.

Another big show we are all excited about is the Fred Eaglesmith Train. This is a train that goes up north and back and is loaded with musicians. There are concerts every day and night on the train with stops at some very cool spots. This year Fred, Jon Dee Graham, Audrey Auld, Washboard Hank and more were on board. The Winnipeg show at the Albert was scheduled for 8:00 but bad weather pushed it back until word came down that it would not get there at all. Well, that could have ruined many folks' nights but being Winnipeggers and being music nuts, all 200 people stayed in the the club while they put together a show that featured Romi Mayes, Scott Nolan and the Andrew Neville and the Poor Choices. Had a blast and hats of to the promoters, fellow musicians and the fans that stayed.

To top of the evening, Washboard Hank invited T-Bar to kick in. Could it be that Washboard appreciated T-Bar's great taste in shirts?

Lots going on at the Bubble as well. Rob Szabo, a wickedly talented man from Toronto and a great friend, is staying with T-Bar and Corky along with a great band called Revival Dear. Rob is playing at The Edge Gallery and spending sometime with us. Can't go to the show as we are working the Dolly Parton gig. Seeing Dolly was a thrill - she looked and sounded fabulous, despite being under the weather. Got home and spent the rest of the night and some of the morning with Rob, Ed and Shelley from Revival Dear. If these guys come to your town, do yourself a favour and check them out.

Justin Rutledge, along with Jenn Grant, is heading our way on the 18th of the month at the Park Theatre and T-Bar and Corky are his host for the night. Good looks, talent, charm and a voice from heaven. This young man has it all. It is a pleasure to spend the evening with him and Jen and the sold out crowd went home happy. Thanks Justin. By the way, all these talented artists have CDs for sale and would love to sell you a few. They work hard criss-crossing the country (now I am talking not talking about the Dollys and the Bobs) and all bring a little joy into our lives. Show a little love and pick up a disc or two.

The Steel Belted crew is getting geared up for a visit from Texas legend Gurg Morlix and local fav Rom Mayes. Gurf is in town to produce Romi's new CD (can hardly wait). They both come on the show and it is a highlight of the year. Later they play Times Change(d) and tear the place down. I actually saw Desi smiling so you know it was good.

The month is drawing to a close and the Gambler himself, Kenny Rogers, is here. The old boy is not bad and T-Bar gets a signed photo. I know I am a nerd.

A special friend is in town on the 27th. Peter Katz is here. One of T-Bar and Corky's favourite people, Peter will play on Steel Belted, then head to the Edge Gallery for what will be an amazing show - they always are. Peter writes powerful and meaningfull songs and performs them with such passion. We love him. Peter is getting married this June and Corky and T-Bar are going - can hardly wait - you know how wild those musicians are (we hope).

Well that's the month and it was a busy one. Thanks for listening, reading or downloading us. And thanks to the artists and their music that makes all our lives better.

Okay, I know that there has been a huge gap in the old "What's Up" part of the program, but we're going to pull up our socks and start behaving now. We have seen some great shows, been on some holidays, worked lots, and even had time for a baby. Congrats to Desi and his beautiful gal Jayne on their little guy.

Some sad new, Candor Books and Music has closed up shop and are looking for a new location. Good luck to Jules and Amanda, two of the nicest people you will meet. The Candor was a bright spot in Winnipeg for music lovers and small up-close concerts and it will be missed.

Lots of new shows coming up and the Steel Belted gang will try to be at as many as we can.

One show that has passed by was so good that I just have to mention it - the Ryan Adams gig. This guy is a genius and was hands down the best concert we have seen in years. Oh ya, thanks to the guy who puked on me. Hey you want to be a drunk and an a-hole, stay home and barf on your own shoes.

Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Feist and Kenny Rogers (love that chicken) are all coming in the near future and there will be full reports on how they were and our adventures. Lots of smaller, more intimate shows that will be seen and reported on.

This weekend a great little event starts. The Icelandic Festival, which is held in Gimli (about 70 kilometres from Winnipeg) happens. This small town buzzes during the next four days. Rides, food and, yes, a small folk fest. T-Bar, Corky & Desi all head out to check it out. The Western States, Nathan, Romi Mayes, The Sadies - one of the best live bands you will ever see, and Andrew Neville all play. The best part is that it's free. Unbelievable.

Up next is the Trout Forest Music Festival which is run by one of our old pal's, Devin Latimer (from Nathan) and is a gem. The event gets better and better and is held in the picturesque Ear Falls, Ontario. This year Fred Eaglesmith is headlining and he is always a treat. Well done Devin. The night before Fred plays a small club in downtown Winnipeg and K.K. and Desi check that one out. T-Bar and Corky go to see Carrie Catherine at a small outdoor setting. We met Carrie a few years ago when she came on Steel Belted as a guest and have been hooked ever since. The band stays at the Bubble (T-Bar and Corky's) and we have a great time drinking wine and yakking.

This year only Desi goes to Trout Forest as T-Bar heads to Regina. Suzanne Vega, Kathleen Edwards, Jill Barber, Jim Bryson, Ndidi Onukuwulu and the Weakerthans are there. Throw in an 80th Birthday party for Corky's Dad and it's off to Regina we go. Doesn't disappoint and Suzanne Vega is fantastic. (Anyone remember "My Name is Luka"?) As always, the shows by Kathleen, Jill and Jim are tons of fun and great. Check out the photos of some of the goings on.

Home for now with a few things on the go. T-Bar and Corky are going to lose their Birkenstocks, tease their hair and rock out to Billy Idol and Def Leppard on the 13th. Nobody holds up lighters anymore, it's all cell phones. Man I must be getting old.

Next up is Ryan Adams and we can hardly wait. This guy is in my top 5 of all time fave's and this is a big thrill. I don't know how he does it but the creative juices just don't stop flowing from Whisky Town to his solo work the man is amazing.

Will keep you up to snuff with shows, CDs, stories, photos and whatever else we can think of. Thanks for tuning in.

Well the big day for music nerds is here. The Winnipeg Folk Festival has arrived this year, has something for everybody and will be four great days. The Steel Belted gang is ready with CDs, Sharpies, beer money and tons of energy.

The Festival is always a blast. Seeing old friends, Nathan, Romi Mayes, Andrew Neville, the D Rangers and making new ones. And of course, the music. It also gives us a chance to catch up with some of our out of town friends like Danny Michel, Jim Bryson, Dustin Bentall and Kendall Carson.

Things get started at 6 pm on the first day and we are keen on seeing Carrie Rodriguez and The Weakerthans. Carrie is a sassy Texan who is an amazing violin player and has a sultry voice. Big crowd on hand and Rodriguez gets things started with a great set. The Weakerthans are on in an hour or so but Eliza Gilkyson and Danny Michel are doing short sets in between, so will stay happy. Can hardly wait to see these two tomorrow when the Festival gets going from 11 am to midnight.

Awake Friday morning to sunshine, looks like a perfect day. The workshops begin today and this is a great opportunity to see most of the performers up close and personal. Jim White, Justin Townes Earle (Steve's kid) and Tres Chicas start T-Bar and Corky's day off. Three words - wow, wow, and wow. Jim White is a character and has been a Steel Belted favourite for years. It was a real treat to see him perform and to meet him. His new CD (Transnormal Skiparoo) is a must and has been played on the show many times. Tres Chicas is a three piece group, lead by the lovely Caitlin Cary (of Whisky Town fame) and had outstanding beautiful harmonies and were beautiful gals. Justin Townes Earle was just plain awesome. We have spun his disc tons on the show but were not sure what to expect. We went from fans to superfans. He had the crowd in the palm of his hands the entire weekend. Don't miss out on this talented young man. Pick up his CD (The Good Life) and get hooked.

Saturday is here and so is the bad weather. Cold, rain and wind with no sunshine in sight. This will not stop the hard core folkies though. Workshops start on time at 11 am and we go to see Harry Manx who is always great. Next up is a set by Tres Chicas, Eliza Gilkyson, Catherine MacLellan and Pascal Picard. Eliza is amazing and it is hard to take your eyes off her. Steel Belted has been on board train for years and it is a thrill to see her perform, get to chat after the show and get some CDs signed. What a gracious gal. Catherine MacLennan, who has a voice like an angel also wows the crowd and Pascal Picard is a funky little lady with a big voice. Get CDs signed by them as well. I told you we were nerds.

Time for a few beers and to talk over the performers we have seen. The crowds are good considering the weather sucks - where did summer go. What do you know - the backstage Voodoo Lounge is empty, and Corky and T-Bar are all by themselves. That is until Justin Townes Earle and his sideman come in. They sit beside us and Justin plays for an hour. Talk about a thrill.

The rain is coming down but we go to check out the Dynamites, featuring Charlie Walker. They have the crowd in a frenzy - what a great live act. I swear for one moment the sky opened and the sun shone down on us. Next we go over to see The Acorn, Calixico and Apostle of Hustle. What a great way to end the day. Even though we are soaked to the skin and cold it was still a great day.

That night corky and T-Bar meet up with Dustin Bentall, Kendall Carson (Outlaw Social) and Andrew Neville and spend a few hours with them watching main stage and had a super night. Dustin is a favourite of Steel Belted and his last record (Streets with No Lights) is a top ten pick of the show. Watch out for his new album in late fall.

Sunday sees the weather improve and we head into the last day of a fabulous Folk Fest. We go to see Charlie Louvin who is a country legend. Even at the age of 81 this guy rocks. Get to meet him and it is a real honour. See Danny Michel (we love him), Jim White, Catheri

ne MacLennan, Martha Scanlan, Justin Nozuka (this kid is going to be a star), Carrie Rodriguez and Jesse Sykes. Did not know a whole lot about Jesse, but she was mesmerizing.

Packed a ton into today so now it's time for a bite to eat and a glass of wine. We head backstage. We love backstage and the atmosphere. It's great to hang and chat with so many of these talented performers. Have supper with Keri, Shelley and Devin from Nathan (the Juno Award winning Nathan no less). Love these guys to pieces and are honoured to call them friends. We had a great time with them. The main stage tonight features

Kathleen Edwards, Joan Armatrading and Ray Davies (yes that guy from the Kinks).

Do an autograph session for Miss Armatrading and then head down to the stage to catch Ray. After a bit of a hissy fit he settles in and puts on a solid show. Desi and T-Bar catch him backstage and get a CD signed, no easy task.

Well it's over and now it's time to start thinking about next year. Some fun stuff coming up in the next few months. Gimli Folk Fest, Regina Folk Fest, Hillside in Ontario and Trout Forest. We will fill you all in about the music and the adventures of the Steel Belted gang.

June 10 - We took in the Tom Jones at the MTS Centre. It was a lot of fun and the dude can still rock

May 30 & 31 - The Last Waltz at West End Cultural Centre - On May 30 and 31, the WECC was the site of one of the most memorable concerts in their twenty-plus year history. Twenty three performers took to the stage in an incredible homage to one of the greatest concerts of all time as we bid farewell to the current West End with the Last Waltz. It was a tremendous way to say farewell to the building. The five musicians who anchored the show were: Lloyd Peterson as Richard Manuel, Tom Fodey as Rick Danko, Chris Carmichael as Robbie Robertson, Marc Arnould as Garth Hudson, and Damon Mitchell as Levon Helm.

Winter dragged on slow and March started out like a lamb, but ended like a lion. In the space of a week we had three shows that made us all giddy.

March 25 brought us Los Lobos who are a smoking Tex-Mex band out of East LA. These guys have been on the music scene for over a quarter of a century and never disappoint. Got to chat with them after the show at the Burton Cummings Theatre and they are always accommodating. Thanks guys. The opener was James Hunter who is a blues-soul singer out of England. Do yourself a favour and check this dude out. His first album, ``People Gonna Talk`` on Rounder was unbelievable and the new album, due out this month, should be just as good.

Even though we are just recovering from the Los Lobos show, we are gearing up for the next one on March 27. We are al excited that Paul Kelly is playing the Royal Albert that night. But he also is coming into the studio to play live and have a chat with us on Steel Belted Radio. How cool is that. Paul is one of Australia's greatest singer-songwriters and we are truly blessed to have him pay us a visit in the studio. One of Steel Belted's absolute favourite performers. If that's not enough for the old T-Bar, Patrick Park is opening. This guy should be a star. He hasn't put out a bad record yet, and everyone should part with their $15 and own one of his CDs.

Just catching our breath as Peter Katz pulls into town. Peter is playing The Bubble, aka T-Bar and Corky's house. Great crowd and Peter is on the top of his game. There is nothing like a house concert to get up close and personal with the performer. Everyone at the sold-out show went home happy, and most of them had at least one of his CDs tucked in their back pocket. Several of his songs have made our 'best of` lists. Check out the songs `Forgiveness' or 'The Fence`. It's okay if you get a bit misty eyed.

That`s it for this month. Thanks and we'll try to keep spinnin' all the tunes you like and keep you updated on all our adventures and what's happening.

Here we are, dead of winter, so that means about 800 below in Winnipeg. Thank goodness the music is always hot. We all had great trips and managed to make it back without too many scrapes or bruises, just a few extra pounds.

It's quiet month in town, but a few highlights. On February 14 Colin James plays the MTS Centre. This guy seems to get better with age. His voice still sounds fantastic and he looks about 21. I wonder what he puts in his cornflakes.

Late this month John Wort Hannam makes an appearance at the West End Cultural Centre. John's a singer songwriter out of Alberta and is a real talent as well as one of the nicest guys in music. He's got a great sound and has a real knack with lyrics. His new album ``Two Bit Suit`` is definitely worth checking out.

As well, some of our favourite haunts continue to bring in local and out-of-town talent so our thanks to John at Times Change(d), Dom at the West End, Amanda and Jules at Candor, and the gang at the Pyramid.

The big day in December came and went and the Steel Belted gang got more than their share of records under the tree that I'm sure we'll be spinning on the upcoming shows. Not a lot of things happening in town in January. Everybody is still recovering. Blue Rodeo hits the stage at the MTS Centre on the 26th and as usual are great. Corky and T-Bar are taking a bit of a holiday to Honduras. KK is off to Hollywood and Desi is heading to Florida. Stay tuned. Don't give up on us, we'll be back soon.

The last day of the month brought Martyn Joseph, one of Steel Belted's favourites to town, to the West End Cultural Centre. Unfortunately we were away and cried ourselves to sleep every night thinking about the great show we were missing. Martyn is one of the most passionate and powerful singer songwriters that you will ever see and is a great friend of ours. Be sure to check out his new album, "Vegas" on Pipe Records.

December music nerdism slows down and family and friends pick up. The Steel Belted Radio show continues to roll along and gain fans with every passing week. Thanks to everyone who listens, emails, phones and contributes.

Did go to one show, Bon Jovi at the MTS Centre, which we call the Big Old Phone Booth, on December 9. 15,000 people were there so he must be doing something right.

Looking forward to Christmas and especially all the music that Santa will bring, we hope.

Here's wishing everyone has a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and whatever it may be that you celebrate, and talk to you in 2008.

Wow - the year is flying by. the crew is staying busy taking in live shows, buying as many CDs as possible and having a blast doing the show. The highlight of the month was a visit from Dustin Bentall on November 21 at the West End Cultural Centre. The son of legendary Barney Bentall, Dustin has his own style and is fast becoming one of Canada's best singer/songwriters. the Steel Belted gang went to the show which was smoking. Great crowd on hand and everyone enjoyed. Had a beer after and caught up with Dustin, then it was home time. check out his CD. It would make someone happy this Christmas.

PS - Congrats to the West End Cultural Centre for being named venue of the year at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Way to go!

OCTOBER 2007

How you all doing? Thanks for tuning in. Lots going on, but the one thing the Steel Belted crew is excited about is Marty Stuart. A star when he was just 15, this guy can still rock. Yeah he was in the Earl Scruggs Band and played with Johnny Cash - how would you like that on your resume. No surprise, Marty was great. Got to talk to him and get a few things signed. What a talent! The only disappointment was that no one had a camera. I guess the nerds forgot to be nerds that night.

October 18 brings us two great singer/songwriters and all around good guys, Peter Katz and Rob Szabo. They are playing at the Academy Coffee House and this should be a fun night.

The West End Cultural Centre, Times Change(d) and the Pyramid have all been busy and have brought in some great talent. Winnipeg is lucky to have them to promote and keep the music scene hopping.

Some new releases that Steel Belted will be following:
Neil Young - Chrom Dreams II
Robert Plant & Alison Kraus - Raising Sand
Dwight Yoakam - Dwight Sings Buck
Gram Parsons - Archives Vol I
Buck 65 - Situation
The Flying Burrito Brothers - Live at the Avalon 1969.

Not a bad way to spend some cash.

T-Bar has bought a few, okay a few too many CDs this month. Some that are floating his boat now are:
Sam Baker - Pretty World
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - 100 Days & 100 Nights
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Follow the Lights
Steve Tombstone - Devil's Game
Scott MacLeod - From Sea to Almost Sea

These have the Steel Belted stamp of approval, so you know they are good.

The show on Thursday is roaring along and we thank everyone who tunes in, writes, phones, or emails - keep letting us know what's up. Jeff, KK and T-Bar will have lots more to report in the next few weeks, so keep your stick on the ice and keep on rockin'.

Western Canadian Music Awards

The results are in, and among the twelve winners from Manitoba are Steel Belted's picks:

Outstanding Roots Recording – Duo/Group
Winner: Nathan - Key Principles

Outstanding Roots Recording – Solo
Winner: Romi Mayes - Sweet Somethin' Steady

Songwriter of the Year
Winner: Romi Mayes - Sweet Somethin' Steady

Live Music Venue of the Year
Winner: West End Cultural Centre

Best Album Design
Winner: Ron Sawchuk for The Wailin’ Jennys - Firecracker

Hey guys, T-Bar and Corky are back from a week of rest in the Bahamas, okay, so maybe it wasn't all rest. T-Bar was heart broken that he missed his favourite singer/songwriter of all time, Steve Forbert at the West End Cultural Center, but his old radio pal, Desi was there and he can live vicariously through Desi's experiences. Among the sand and surf and sun and many rums, they did get to see Joss Stone in concert. It was a rare opportunity to see this young diva up close. She put on an amazing performance.

Joss Stone at the Atlantis, Bahamas, September 28, 2007

Something that should interest you folks is the James McMurtry and The Heartless Bastards LIVE Web-cast on Michael Nesmith's Videoranch on Saturday, October 6th at 7:00pm (PST).

WATCH IT LIVE FROM YOUR PC!

Go to www.videoranch.com, click Enter, then click on the "Visit Videoranch 3D" link on the front page. This will take you to a page where you can download the browser (PC only and you need high speed internet access) and log in as a "Visitor". You can become a "Ranch Regular" by signing up for a FREE 7 Day Trial from the same page. No payment information necessary. Ranch Regulars have unlimited access and full software functionality! Find out more information by emailing vr3d@videoranch.com. The show will also be simulcast on KPIG radio.

T-Bar and Corky will be taking in the Marty Stuart concert on October 4. Looking forward to that one and will give a full report on the details and if we get to meet the man with all the hair.

SEPTEMBER 2007

Steel Belted wants to congratulate Romi Mayes, Nathan and the D. Rangers on their nominations for Western Canadian Music Awards. Great people and great musicians. We're lucky enough to see them perform in our town and proud to call them our friends.

Romi Mayes, Sweet Somethin Steady - Outstanding Roots Recording and Songwriter of The Year
Nathan, Key Principles - Outstanding Roots Recording - Duo/Group, Independent Album and Songwriter of the Year
Nathan, Director: Mighty Kraken Films, The Wind - Video of the Year
Nathan, Director: Yael Staav, Trans Am - Video of the Year
D. Rangers, the Paw Paw Patch - Independent Album of the Year

Don't forget Scott Nolan and Gurf Morlix have their Double Barreled CD release party coming up on the 21st of the month at the West End Cultural Centre in Winnipeg. Art and the fine folks at Transistor 66 records bring you Scott and Joanna Miller together with receiver/reflectors co-producer Gurf Morlix and beat box/spoken word master C.R. Avery. Don't miss this one.

On Saturday, September 22nd, the West End Cultural Centre presents Steve Forbert. Although Steve is one of T-Bar and Corky's favourite performers, they'll be out of town for this one, but Desi will be there to represent the Steel Belted crew.

Big week -- T-Bar, Corky and Desi are all going to the Crowded House concert on Saturday; legends in the pop world. This show should be tons of fun.

For this week's show, both Desi and T-Bar went CD shopping so there will be some new tuneage as well as some classics. One of Steel Belted Radio's fav's, Nathan, is playing at Times Change(d) on the 6th, 7th, and 8th with guests and we will be there. Can't get enough of this great band.

Scoop of the week - Rumour has it that the newest member of the Weakerthans is Mr. Jim Bryson. Keep your ears and eyes open for a tour that's coming to a city near you, or just check out the website - http://www.theweakerthans.org/tour_load.html

T-Bar is exited. Miss Corky and he got tickets for the Marty Stuart show next month. I'm sure you will hear lots more about his one.

Looking ahead to next week - the talented, the gorgeous, the sexy Romi Mayes will play at Times Change(d). You will want to be there.

AUGUST 2007

August 26 - September 3, 2007

Summer is fading. Desi is getting ready to go back to school, no not for his grade 9, but to teach, and T-Bar keeps on trucking. Thanks to all the labels and artists who take the time and effort to send us their CDs. We always appreciate them. Great show planned for Thursday. Desi has Brock Zeman and Dan Walsh on "Tell the Band to Go Home" this week. Great guys and great performers. They are playing at Candor Music Store on Monday so if you can, go see them.

......

August 19 - 26, 2007

Hi boys & girls. Slow week, we must be getting old. The Big Event was Justin Timberlake in town. Miss Corky thought the show was great and that we should mention it was. Not T-Bar's cup of tea, but hey, to each his own. We worked the show and the 28,000 people who were there ate it up. Give me a singer songwriter any day. T-Bar saw JT's private jet come in (yes, T-Bar works at the Airport) and when it landed two buses came out and blocked the view of JT and Miss Biel getting out. You'd think it was the Beatles coming to town. Anyway the kid can kick up a storm and said some nice things about Winnipeg. So good for him.

T-Bar and Desi did their best to keep the music stores in business, so will have lots of new tunes to play on the show Thursday. Hope you tune in.

.......

August 12 - 19, 2007

All back safe and sound. T-Bar and Corky both agreed that Iris Dement was the star at the Regina Folk Fest and someone we can't get enough of. There were decent crowds for the night time stages and everyone there seemed happy with the lineups. During the day we kept busy taking in some of the workshops but spent a lot of time in the beer tent. Amy Millan of Stars, and a fine solo act, and Liam Titcomb were the most entertaining during the sunlight hours. Met Amy and Dan Whiteley for drinks after her workshop and shared a few stories and some laughs.

One plus was running into Jim Cuddy from Blue Rode and getting to chat with him. Also spotted was Sean Dean from The Sadies. They played the Friday night in a small club but we missed them. Too bad because they are one of the best live bands ever. All in all it was okay; we are not sorry we went.

Liam Titcomb and Sarah Slean paired up in a workshop. Liam is a talented, polished young performer - someone to watch out for.

The Trout Festival this year had a fantastic lineup. the best local musicians and some of the country's finest will all meet this weekend. The A. D. who assembled this fine cast was none other than Devin Latimer of Nathan. Local heroes the D.Rangers, Nathan and others join forces with Carolyn Mark, Kris Demeanor, Elliott BROOD and one of our fav's NQ Arbuckle. This guy has it all and his new CD is a knockout. Check out Last Supper in a Cheap Town and you will see why SBR loves this guy.

Here's Desi's report on his adventures in Ear Falls, Ontario:

Well, my first time at Trout Forest Music Festival was an enjoyable experience for certain. Were you there? Wanna know what I liked & what & saw? I know you do. Check it out if you dare: http://www.tellthebandtogohome.com/photos/troutfest.htm

......

August 5 to 12, 2007

Great week coming up. T-Bar and Desi have Kris Demeanor on the show this Thursday and then they are both off to different festivals. T-Bar and Corky are going to the Regina Folk Festival and Desi is taking in the Trout Forest Festival. The Regina show features Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo, Michael Franti, and the highlight in Steel Belted's view is Iris Dement, an amazing artist and someone we can't get enough of. The Regina Festival is unique in the fact that it is free during the day (although it is a bit weak, but hey the price is right). The evening stage is $50 a night and runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A bit pricey, but it seems to work for them. Set in a small park in the heart of downtown it is worth a looksee.

JULY 2007

July 1 - Romi Mayes and Hayes Carll - Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club, Winnipeg, MB

July 5 - 8 - Winnipeg Folk Festival

JUNE 2007

June 26 - Fred Eaglesmith, West End Cultural Centre, Winnipeg, MB

MAY 2007

What a month. We may have to clone ourselves just to keep up. The month kicks off on the 3rd with Jill Barber and Jim Bryson at the West End Cultural Centre and doesn’t slow down. Geoff Berner and Kris Demeanor on the 5th. Danny Michel is there on the 6th and I have to say that he delivers one of the best live shows that you can see. He has a new DVD out and you know that the Steel Belted Radio crew will all have one when they walk out of the building.

Joel Plaskett plays the same venue on the 10^th and we expect this one will be a rockin’ good time.

Oh Suzanna and Scott Nolan play Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club on the 10^th and Suzanna will be live in the studio with us. Always a pleasure to have this fine singer with us. Nobody can sing a hurtin’ song like Suzie.

Romi Mayes and a band, the Divorcees heat things up at Times on the 16^th and Nathan plays two shows there on the 25^th and 26^th. Oh yeah, have we told you that Steel Belted Radio is Nathan crazy?

All these fabulous talented people have CDs out and can be picked up on line or at your favourite store. If you need titles, names, songs, info, just get ahold of the crew at steelbeltedradio@shaw.ca and we will be more than happy to help you out.

APRIL 2007

Spring is springing and the beat goes on. The show is doing great and we seem to gain ore fans every week. Not much going on in the clubs so we’ve got more time to shop for CDs.

Romi Mayes drops into Times for a show on the 19^th. This talented singer/songwriter is always in demand and for good reason. On the 26^th, John Mayer comes to the 'Peg for a show and it should be sound. Our old pal Kathleen Edwards opens for him and we will hook up with her after the gig. A big plus is Jim Bryson is playing in Kathleen’s band for this tour. Jim is a guy loaded with talent and has some fabulous CDs out there – check him out.

Dan Bern from New York lands in town for a gig at the West End Cultural Centre on the 29^th and we are all looking forward to this one. Haven’t seen Dan since his show many years ago at the Winnipeg Folk Festival where he was great so this one should be good.

MARCH 2007

A few big concerts this month at the MTS Centre. Van Morrison comes to town on the first and the whole Steel Belted crew will be there. No opening act, just two hours of Van. The end of the month brings Eric Clapton and once again the kids will spend their hard earned money on music. In the middle of the month Brock Zeman and Dan Walsh come into the studio and it’s always nice to see old friends. They put on two great shows at Times Change(d) on the 6^th and 8^th.

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings play at the West End Cultural Centre on the 5^th and their new CD is a dandy. Let’s Frolic Again is on True North and is well worth your lunch money.

The Great Lake Swimmers take the stage at the WECC on the 27^th. Put on your life vests.

March 19 – Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Guy Clark, and Joe Ely on one stage at the same time, with us in the fifth row – Priceless. We have had our tickets for six months and now the big event is here. This will not be the first time we will have witnessed the magic. About five years ago we drove 1000 miles to see them together. It was worth every mile and every dime, so you know how excited we are to see them in our own town. We were lucky enough to meet them all after that show five years ago so we hope that we will get the same opportunity this time around.

At the end of March, Jeff and KK take off for Toronto to see the final show for the Rheostatics. T-Bar and Corky will hold down the fort. Have fun and behave.

February 1- Okay lets get busy. I know the updates have been sparse, but we promise that things are back on track. T-Bar and Corky have just returned from a month in Mexico so we are well tanned and rested, well maybe well tanned. I don't want to bore you with all the details, but we had a blast. Swimming with sharks, hand feeding giant stingrays, snorkeling in the ocean off a reef, visiting schools to hand out supplies, exploring the island on a motor cycle and meeting everyone we could. Of course there was some time for sand, sun and cerveza. Desi is busy at school, yes he is a teacher now, and a darn good one. The kids love him. K.K. is still a computer genius and keeps us in line. Now that takes care of the personal stuff, so let's get down to business.

Next week sees a new CD store, Candor Books & Music, unofficially opening up in Winnipeg. This is exciting on its own (because we need one) but the best part is Jesse DeNatale is going to be there for the big event on Saturday the 10th, and then doing a show at the West End Cultural Centre the next day (February 11). That weekend's planned.

Steel Belted first met Jesse at the Winnipeg Folk Festival two years ago and we knew the minute we saw him he was the real deal. One of the country's best singer/songwriters and the nicest guy you could meet. We will have a review of his new album in this blog so if you are in Winnipeg, or Jesse is in your part of town do yourself a favour and check him out, you'll be glad you did.

The music scene in Winnipeg is still buzzing and a booming. One of our favourite bands, Nathan, is having a CD release soon, Romi Mayes is busy wowing them down south and is coming home soon with Sam Baker in tow (T-Bar's crazy about his guy). Martyn Joseph from Wales is here soon, Josh Ritter, Van Morrison, Guy Clark, Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, John Mayer, Ruth Foster and more.

We will keep you up to date on what's happening in this town, who's coming, reviews of shows, CDs, playlists, stories and photos to go along with them.

Feel free to email us with questions, request, artist info and advice on CDs and music. We will do our best to never steer you wrong. If you are an artist coming to town, let us know and we can put your dates and venue on the site (which we do weekly).

So tune into Steel Belted Free Range Radio every Thursday 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Central time or Tell the Band to Go Home every Sunday 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central time. You'll get all kinds of music that you just can't hear on your normal radio. T-Bar, K.K., Desi and Corky thank you for listening to and following along with them on their musical adventures. Enjoy.

February 10, a great week. Candor Books & Music Store is open. A new CD/book/funky stuff store opened in our fine city. Candor is built for all you folk/roots/alt country people. Besides giving the steel belted crew a new place to spend its money, and as promised, they also brought in our dear friend Jesse DeNatale for their grand opening. Jesse treats the crowd to a great acoustic set and after we get a chance to catch up with our pal from San Francisco. The next night took us to a full out concert with Jesse and Matt Epp at the West End Cultural Centre. What a show. Jesse should be a big star. You can see all the photos on the Photo Album page. Thanks Jesse.

Thursday, February 15 - time for the radio show. Lots of new stuff to play. Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Ben Kueller, Po' Girl and tons more.

February 17 we are back at the West End for a young man from Idaho, Josh Ritter. His last CD, "The Animal Years" made the "best of" list for Steel Belted so you know we are excited. Great show, great guy and can hardly wait for him to come back.

Big week for T-Bar. A new job. If all goes well the old cowpoke will be at the Airport bringing in the big silver birds. Okay, at least getting your luggage on and off the plane. Should be exciting.

More stuff on the horizon. The city is a hot bed for live music, and we are lovin' it!

December 2 took us to Winnipeg's West End Cultural Centre for one of the most unusual and entertaining performances we've experienced. That One Guy and his magic pipe was described by one audience member as "hippy-techno", but I believe this is an act that actually defies description. Very unique.

On November 29 we were fortunate to have Carrie Catherine perform at T & T's house for a early Christmas party/concert. As usual, Carried wowed her captive audience with her mesmerizing voice and soulful style.

October 22 - Western Canadian Music Awards at the Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg.

September 22 - The Wailin' Jennys with Patrick Keenan at the Burton Cummings Theatre.

Got to see an outdoor show as part of the Gimli, Manitoba Icelandic Festival, that featured Greg McPherson, Wayne Petty (Cuff the Duke) and our friend Allison Russell. Allison who is part of Po' Girl, has a side project with Awna Teixeira called Salt. Smooth, sultry and sexy.

Also in Winnipeg in August was Paul Kelly on the 9th at the West End Cultural Centre, The Dixie Chicks with Bob Schneider on August 19 & 20, and Ben Lee at the West End Cultural Centre.

KK and Jeff headed to Edmonton for their Folk Festival. Read about their adventures on Jeff's Tell the Band to Go Home site. T-Bar and Corky only made it as far as Regina where the highlights for us were Alex Cuba and Feist.

Winnipeg Folk Festival is here. This is a busy time of the year for the Steel Belted crew. The fest is now one of the biggest folk festivals in North American and the line-up this year is solid. We see Steve Earle and his talented wife Allison Moorer. Son Volt is reunited, Solomon Burke does his thing and Riki Lee Jones is brilliant. This festival runs for four days and is held in the park outside city limits. This means the more the merrier and no noise restrictions. Vic Chesnutt is razor sharp and always a treat. Neko Case, Amy Rigby, Oh Susanna and the Wailin' Jennys were all great. A new find was a young singer from England named Mia Dyson. This young lady has it all and expect to hear big things from her. A real treat was spending the afternoon with Richard Thompson watching the World Cup Soccer final. A super great guy and a legend in the music and folk world. The weather was hot, the acts were smokin', the beer was cold and the best part was the Steel Belted gang was together. You can check out the photos here.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young came to town on the 14th of July and played to a packed house at the MTS Centre.

A fun outing was made on July 18 to a local hamburger joint to see the Canadian legend Burton Cummings who fronted the Guess Who for years.

M Ward performed at the West End Cultural Centre and was brilliant. If you don't have one of his CDs you're missing out on a real talent.

Jeff and KK head off to Calgary for their Folk Festival and you know that they will have a blast. It runs July 28, 29 and 30 and is chalk full of talent. Read all about it and see the pictures on the Tell the Band to Go Home site.

That wraps up July, and August looks just as busy. The radio show is still spinning tunes and artists that need to be heard. We try to turn the listeners on to music that they may not get a chance to hear on commercial radio. We love this gig.

We are back. A couple of quiet months with not much going on. Hey maybe we're getting old. Naw. The show rolls on and keeps us busy looking for new tunes and digging up some of our faves. Thanks to all the artists who take the time and effort to send their discs to us. They are always appreciated.

Lots going on this month. We are all a tingle as Mr. Gurf Morlix is coming into town to produce the talented Romi Mayes's new CD. The big event is at the Times Change(d) High and Lonesome club, and it's smokin'. Gurf does a great set and Romi plays a bunch of new stuff from her album. Looking forward to that release. Gurf does us the honor of signing a few CDs and some pictures. We have a couple of beers with him and fade into the night.

The Jazz Fest starts in Winnipeg in June and brings great acts this year. Elliott BROOD is playing a free outdoor concert. If you have never seen these guys play live get to one of their shows. You won't be sorry. They rock. KK, Desi, Corky and T-Bar are all there and we have a blast.

Later that week T-Bar checks out his old buddy Harry Manx. Harry is never anything but amazing. Get to chat with him after the show and spend an hour talking old times.

Desi spots something on the web. Slaid Cleaves is playing on the 30th in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It doesn't take too much arm twisting and we pile into the car and make the two hour drive in, well what do you know, two hours. Slaid plays at a beautiful old theatre called The Empire. This guy is the real deal. A singer songwriter with talent to spare. Do yourself a favour and pick up one of his CDs.

Peter Katz and Carrie Catherine are back. This time it's a house concert at Corky and T-Bar's. Twenty five people are there and it is an amazing evening. These two singer songwriters are talented and so nice, they deserve the best. It was a real treat to have them and this will always be a special evening.

Not much going on for a week or two. Bill Bourne and a young singer by the name of Eivor Palsdottir are coming to the West End Cultural Centre. Bill Bourne is a great Canadian folk singer. The evening doesn't disappoint. Eivor is a real treat. What a voice! Good times and a full house, nice to see.

Leroy Stagger stops by the radio show and plays live in the studio. This guy is good and if you haven't heard of him check it out. He plays at Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club later that night and knocks the crowd out.

February 7 has Elliot BROOD in town and you have to see these guys live. What a show. They are playing at Times Change(d) and the place is so full the walls are sweating, which is hard to do in Winnipeg in February. All I can say is wow! The whole gang takes in the show and we have a great time.

February 9 and more guests. Steel Belted is pleased to have Carrie Catherine and Peter Katz on the show. Jeff is away so it's KK and T-Bar running the asylum. What wonderful people. Carrie from Saskatoon and Peter from Toronto, were a real treat. What talent - more on these two next month.

Steel Belted is going punk, at least for one night. Gogol Bordello, a Ukrainian punk band from New York are at the West End Cultural Centre on February 10 and we're going. There are about twelve or fourteen of them in the band. It's hard to tell, they move so fast.

Corky and T-Bar make a vodka run. What you do for the stars of the show. The place goes wild and for an hour and a half the building is shaking. What fun.

It's a new year and new adventures. KK and Jeff are going to hold down the Fort while T-Bar and Corky take off for three weeks to go to Colombia.

Aerosmith and Lenny Kravitz hit the stage at the Big Arena and T-Bar and Corky are there. More security than Fort Knox and no one gets close to the stars. No interviews this night. They were both great, so no complaining.

The next night takes us to the West End Cultural Centre to see Jorane and Valery Gore. Saw Jorane at the Folk Fest a few years ago and was very intriguing. Sold out show and the crowd loves it. Valery Gore is a pleasant surprise. Get to chat with both after the show and had some fun.

The month closes with a Xmas show from the Bare Naked Ladies. Corky and T-Bar go and then to an after party that features wine, food, Karaoke and the Ladies. Good times.

Winter is setting in and there is not much in the way of music going on, I guess no one likes the cold. The radio show is still going strong and it seems to get more popular with each passing week. The big new this month is that Bruce Cockburn is in town, for a CD signing and we will be down to see him.

Meet Bruce and got a few CDs signed. Nice guy. Chat for awhile and find out that he will be back for the Winnipeg Folk Fest. Good for the festival.

Martyn Joseph played on October 4 at the West End Cultural Center. This live music venue is one of the best clubs in Canada and has had the most amazing acts through its doors over the last fifteen years.

KK, Desi, T-Bar and Corky will all see Martyn. A powerful, passionate singer/songwriter from Wales, Martyn has become one of the Steel Belted Faves. Corky and T-Bar have a special love for Martyn and his family. Airport to hotel, hotel to sound check, sound check to dinner and dinner to show. Corky is the driver and looks after Martyn while he is in town. The show is a dandy. Martyn's new CD, Deep Blue, is out on the 15th of November and is a brilliant, emotional piece of work.

October 18 brings another fave, Martha Wainwright to the West End. We were lucky enough to see her at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and are even luckier to see her in such an intimate club. The whole gang heads down to the Wainwright show. A young singer by the name of Justin Rutledge opens and he is nothing but good. A real bonus. Martha hits the stage and it is magic. We are blown away. Martha has it all going on tonight and is one of the best live shows we have seen is quite some time. We get to meet her after the gig and she is as nice as she is beautiful. Photos can be seen on photo album page.

Things slow down a bit as we all do our own things. The show still rocks on Thursdays at 6:30 and there will be lots more to report in the upcoming weeks.

Corky and T-Bar stay busy working lots of rock shows and the Paul Anka show, which was good.

A show we're very excited about is George Jones. While not a youngster any more, George can still rock. The show is a dandy. Corky and T-Bar have gotten to know George's wife Nancy over the years so it is real nice getting to visit with her. Nicer people you could not meet. George played for over two hours and covered fifty years of hits. Our thanks to the Jones family for the signed CDs and photos.

It's Winnipeg Folk Festival time. It all goes down starting on the 7th and ends on the 10th. Too many CDs bought, no forget that, you can never buy too many CDs. Too many beers, no forget that, too. We should have a blast.

Jeff (Desi) and Kristy (KK) are going to Hillside Music Fest on the 20th of July. It takes place in Guelph, Ontario and looks like a dandy. Eliza Gilkyson is there, who SBR loves. Terry (T-Bar) and Terry (Corky) are staying at home for this one. Their car was totaled so there goes the slush fund.

The two T's will take in Evan Dando at the West End Cultural Centre. You may remember the Lemonheads. Evan was the lead singer in that group and is now out on his own. A real talent. This one should be a good one.

The whole SBR gang is taking in the Regina Folk Festival and that'll be a blast. In the meantime, Hayes Carll is at Time Change(d) on July 4. Hayes is one of Texas's great singer/songwriters.

On July 6 NQ Arbuckle and Carolyn Mark are at the same venue. These two artists should be bigger stars than they are. Next day is Winnipeg Folk Festival - hang onto your hats.

We will have a full report on who was great, who we met and what went on while we were there. We're going to put the F back in Fun!

Well, the party's over and what a party. The Winnipeg Folk Fest was truly a work of art. Four days of sunshine and the best music you could ask for. The highlights could be the entire event, but we will pull up on the reins and give you a more manageable list.

Of course you have the obvious, such as Emmy Lou Harris who was one of the most gracious and talented performers that we have seen or met.

Buddy Miller was incredible as was Steve Forbert who was probably tired of seeing the Steel Belted crew at all of his shows. The Gourds kicked butt and Camper Van Beethoven rocked. Jackie Greene, well, was Jackie Greene and wowed the crowd as he always does. Willy Porter is a guitar wizard and puts on a great show. He was once an improv performer, so take it from there. Blues singer Nathaniel Mayer was a crowd favourite, and Xavier Rudd still mesmerized the crowd.

A highlight was a talent from San Francisco, by the name of Jesse DeNatale. This guy should be in everyone's CD player and on every top ten list there is. Tom Waits calls him one of the best singer/songwriters he has seen. Jesse's album is called Shangri-La West and, in the eyes of the Steel Belted gang, is a must have.

Pictures of the Folk Festival and some of the artists can be seen on the photo album page. And, of course, the smiling faces of Desi, T-Bar and KK can be seen as well, so beware. I think between the crew we spent a small fortune on CDs and beer, the rest we wasted.

Now we have two weeks to clean ourselves up and head to Regina for their Folk Festival and this little event is a dandy. Free during the day, yes I said free, it has first rate entertainment and a great setup. Held downtown in a small park it is a real deal. Evening shows are only $20 a nite and if you buy the early bird you can get Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the price of $40. This year it is an all Canadian line up featuring Ron Sexsmith, Sarah Harmer, Danny Michel, Sarah Slean, the Weakerthans, the Sadies and tons more.

The red headed stranger is coming to town. Willie Nelson plays the MTS Centre on July 13 and T-Bar and Corky will be there.

Willie was great. Two hours of prime time Nelson. I don't think he gets enough credit for his playing, that man can pick a guitar. A real bonus was that Kathleen Edwards opened the show for Willie. Rolling Stone picked her as a singer/songwriter to watch and they were right. We have been lucky enough to have seen Kathleen on several occasions and she rocks. One of the brightest stars in music today. Got to chat with her after her set and as always she was more than accommodating.

What a blast. The Regina Folk Fest came through again. It was great to see old friends Nathan, Danny Michel, and Kris Demeanor. For those who have not seen these talented artists check them out. You won't be disappointed. The weather was as hot as the acts that took the stage for three days. Lots of Fun. If you're on a budget this is your best bet on the Canadian folk circuit. The daytime shows are free so it doesn't get better than that.

On the way home we stopped at corner Gas. This is a Canadian TV series, and it's a hoot. Pictures, souvenirs and we were on our way home. You can check out our photos on the Regina Folk Festival album page.

The Winnipeg Folk Festival line up is starting to come together and what a line up it is. This could be the show of the year in Canada. The list of performers make the Steel Belted crew tingle with excitement

T-Bar went solo to see Jenny Whiteley, who has put out two CDs and has won two Junos, not bad. Got a chance to chat and she is more than accommodating.

The radio show purrs along on Thursdays and is attracting a loyal and steady increasing audience.

This is a big month for Canadian music. The Junos, our national music awards show is held in April and was hosted by Winnipeg this year. Corky and T-Bar were hired by the Juno people to sell their merchandise, should be cool. It's four days of music, parties, no sleep and ten beers too many. But having a blast. Corky gets to meet jacksoul, a fabulous blues/soul singer. He is up for a Juno award and has a good chance to win.

We all take in a show at a local club, Times Change(d). What a night! Nathan, Jason Plumb, Gordie Sampson, Alana Levandowski and the amazing NQ Arbuckle. We get to hang with NQ for awhile and then it's time to get some beauty rest. The girls don't need it, but Desi and T-Bar have faces made for radio. We must be getting old, it's only 3:00 a.m. The Junos are a hit and Winnipeg should be proud.

Things get back to normal and the gang starts to think about the summer and Folk Fest season. T-Bar and Corky do the merch for Blue Rodeo, Kyle Riabko, and George Thorogood at MTS Centre, the new Winnipeg arena. One forgets how many hits Blue Rodeo has had.

Spring is within sight and the boys and one girl are coming out of their hibernation. Desi, being the young pup of the group is always on the go and is hard to keep up with.

The whole gang takes in Sarah Slean, Jorane and Jeremy Fisher at the West End Cultural Centre. The show is a good one and we get a chance to chat with all three and have some pictures and CDs signed.

On the 23rd Andy White comes to town. Andy is from Ireland, but is living in Australia. He is always fun to see and a great performer. We've met Andy before and saw him at the Calgary Folk Festival last year so are looking forward to this show.

An added bonus is that Stephen Fearing has come along with Andy, to lend a helping hand. He is one third of Blackie and Rodeo Kinds and one of folk music's best.

The new year has been a little quiet but this month brings us Martyn Joseph. The Steel Belted crew first saw Martyn at the Winnipeg Folk Festival a few years ago, and were blown away. The singer/songwriter with fierce convictions plays the West End on February 26 and we knew it would be a great show. We were not disappointed. Martyn Joseph was, as always, fabulous and played to a full house.

Corky and T-Bar are happy. Not only are they going somewhere hot and sunny with lots of rum, but when they get back one of Steel Belted's favorite singer/songrwiters will perform at the West End Cultural Centre. Mike and Jeff hold down the fort, keep spinning great music and taking n some cool live shows.

Hey, Santa comes this month. That only means one thing for music nerds - CDs under tree.

Jackie Greene made a stop at the West End Cultural Centre on the 3rd. Jeff and Mike held the fort down on the radio show while Terry played hooky and took in this amazing performer. I really believe that this kid is destined for greatness. At 24, this kid sounds like he's been around forever. Compared to a young Dylan, he can play and write with the best of them. His new album, "Sweet Somewhere Bound", is a solid effort and would look good in anybody's collection. One of the better shows I've seen in a while. Remember his name.

While T-Bar was out horsing around, Mike and Jeff hosted another outstanding show. Kim Barlow did a phoner and then put on a great gig at the West End on Saturday night.

That's all for now, folks. Lots more coming up including R.E.M. who makes a visit to Winnipeg next week.

Remember, you can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can't wipe your friends on the couch.

Hi fellow music lovers. It was a busy month. Had a rockin' good time. The Steel Belted gang stayed busy. Lots going on besides the day to day work and stuff. Radio show's still cooking and have had lots of great music and interviews. Mark Browning from OX was kind enough to stop by for an in-studio interview and set and we had a great phoner with Martin Tielli from the Rheostatics. Mark's new album is called "Upstairs Sound Laboratory EP".

Early October brought us Fred Eaglesmith and the Flying Squirrels. Fred Heads were out in full force. Mike caught Fred at the West End Cultural Centre and Jeff elected to see him a couple of days later, performing in a lighthouse in Gimli, Manitoba. T-Bar on the other hand passed and went to see Marty Stuart who put on a fabulous show, and I might add is a snappy dresser and still has the great hair.

Later that week we were treated to Danny Michel and Luke Doucet at the West End Cultural Centre. Danny is always one of Steel Belted's favourites, and the addition of Luke Doucet made for one great show. Both have new albums that are worth checking out. Danny's album is a tribute to David Bowie, called "Loving the Alien" and Luke's is a live CD called "Outlaws". Enjoyed the performance and the rum after.

Mid-month had the webmistress tingling. A visit from an amazing young man from Australia by the name of Xavier Rudd. He performed at the Winnipeg Folk Fest in 2004 and was like the Pied Piper, people followed him everywhere. Two sold out shows at the Pyramid on the same day. It makes me tired just thinking about it. Corky, T-Bar and Desi took in the show and weren't disappointed. Quick chat with Xavier after the show, a signed CD and we were off.

All four of the Steel Belted gang managed to get together on the 22nd to see one of the nicest guys in the business, Mike Plume, performing at Times Change(d). Mike, who gave Steel Belted Radio its name, is a gifted singer/songwriter and deserves to be heard. His new album, "Rock and Roll Recordings, Vol I", is just out and if T-Bar may suggest an album, "Song and Dance Man", is a favourite. Had a great time, got home too late, but we'll sleep when we're dead.

On the 26th, our good friend, Dom Lloyd from the West End booked "Lunch at Allen's". The cast of characters included Murray McLaughlin, Marc Jordan, Ian Thomas and Cindy Church. Four chairs, four talented singer/songwriters, four music nerds, equals one great night. You tend to forget how many classic songs this group had. Super show and some fun after.

October 29. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. (Did somebody else say that?) Two of your all time favourite bands on the same night, at different venues. That's what faced Desi, so he did what all good music nerds would do, bought tickets for both shows. Van Halen at the Winnipeg Arena got underway at eight with an opening act and Van Halen followed at nine. Rheostatics, with two opening acts starting at eight, hit the stage at 10:30. Of course, it's possible. Corky and T-Bar didn't have that problem, they sold merchandise for Van Halen , and Mike avoided any conflicts and just stayed home.

Lots of other shows went on, but there either wasn't enough time or enough money. That brings us to the end of October.

I'd like to thank all the artists who take the time to send us CDs and bios. It enables us to hear much more music than we normally would and we appreciate their efforts and talents.

Sorry it's been a while since our last entry but the Steel Belted crew has been a bit laid back. The radio show is still kickin' and the music scene in Winnipeg is alive and well. No road trips to tell you about yet, but still some great stuff happening in the Peg.

The gang at Steel Belted would like to congratulate Mike Plume and his beautiful wife Jenny on the birth of their new baby girl. Mike wrote the song "Steel Belted Radio" for which we named our show. Mike also has a new album out, "Rock and Roll Recordings Volume 1" and has put together a hot band called "The Future Hall of Famers", so look out for the CD in your favourite stores and the tour to follow.

The band Nathan, who was a huge hit at the Winnipeg, Calgary and Regina Folk Festivals had their CD release party for their great CD called, "Jimson Weed". The release was a sellout and the band rocked. Also thanks to the band for dropping into the studio to chat with us. Carolyn Mark, Geoff Berner and Ford Peir made a stop in Winnipeg. Mike and Jeff took that one in but the old T-Bar was doing the birthday thing for Mom, can't forget about Mom.

September also brought us David Francey, Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, and Fats Kaplin (not so fat). The four played at the West End Cultural Centre and did it as a guitar pull (all four on stage taking turns doing a song). The team of Welch, Kane and Kaplin have a new CD out which is fabulous (You Can't Save Everybody - Dead Reckoning Records), David Francey also released his new CD (The Waking Hour) with help from the three mentioned above. The CD is like poetry, but to music.

Lots going on in the next couple of weeks. Danny Michel along with Luke Doucet is in town on the fifth of October. Danny is one of Steel Belted's faves. His new album (I'm Dating Myself) is all David Bowie covers. SBR had the scoop while stuck in the Toronto Airport in May after flying in for a Steve Forbert concert. We ran into Danny and had a beer and got the lowdown on the new album. Can't wait to hear these tunes and others performed live.

Fred Eaglesmith armed with his new disc called "Dusty" hits Winnipeg in early October and all the Fredheads will be there. Diesel is tingling all over. Marty Stuart, fresh from his run in with the law is in our fair city on the 8th and 9th of October. Corky and T-Bar are in the first row - hee haw. His CD, called "Country Music" made T-Bar's top ten list last year as well as the much respected Stu Reid's (a fine music nerd and host of the Twang Trust radio show on CKUW 95.5).

The city of Winnipeg is a hotbed for live music. Xavier Rudd from Australia, R.E.M., Sara Harmer, Martin Sexton and dozens more great local and Canadian acts are all here in the upcoming months. Corky and T-Bar have also stayed busy doing the merch for Alice Cooper, Sarah McLaughlin and the WWE.

We must also mention Desi's Big Day. The good new is that two of his favourite bands, the Rheostatics and Van Halen are in town, the bad new is they are on the same night. Looks like our friend is going to be busy.

Lots more to tell you about in the upcoming weeks - plus some new features like the Steel Belted CD and Movie picks and concert listing for Winnipeg area, plus any good stories, shows or gossip that we can tell you about.

Tune in on Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on 101.5 UMFM and keep on rockin'.

The Steel Belted crew are getting ready for the Regina Folk Fest. Only three of us are going Too bad but Mikey has prior commitments - something about working and making money.

Jim Bryson is doing a house concert at the now famous StuDome in Winnipeg. Should be fun. Jim is a gifted singer/songwriter from Toronto and his album, The North Side Benches made the Steel Belted Radio’s top ten list of last year.

It’s going to be a good night. Terry, Corky and Jeff are heading out to see the Handsome Family at the West End Cultural Centre. Jim Bryson is opening, an added bonus. The Handsome’s blow the roof off the place. They are great and two hours goes by way too fast. We are lucky enough to meet Brett and Rennie Handsome after the show. They are wonderful people and it was a thrill to get to say hi and talk to them.

Now it’s time to start thinking about the Folk Fest in Regina. Tons of music and it’s only six hours away. That’s a walk in the park for music nerds. Vic Chesnut, Mary Gauthier, Nathan, Po’Girl and many more. It’s going to be a blast. Full report next week.

The alarm hits, 7 a.m. and we stagger out of bed – today we head to Regina, Saskatchewan for their Folk Fest. The Steel Belted Radio crew are once again heading out on a road trip. A quick stop at Tim Horton’s for coffee and we are off.

Get to Regina early afternoon. The festival starts at 6:00 pm., and the headliner is Hawksley Workman. Tomorrow is a full schedule, and we are looking forward to spending all day and night soaking up the music. The Regina Folk Fest is a wonderful event held downtown, and is a small intimate affair. Saturday morning and the sun is out, a perfect day for music. Nathan, a band from Winnipeg, is terrific. Po’ Girl are fabulous, Mary Gauthier is breath taking and Vic Chesnut mesmerizing. Music is a gift and we are glad that these talented people share it with us. We are also lucky enough to get to meet and know a lot of the musicians. Corky must leave on Sunday, but Jeff and Terry have another full day, we won’t come home till Monday.

More great music. Po’ Girl are wowing the crowds. A special thanks to them for getting the Steel Belted crew backstage passes. They get a standing ovation after their main stage show. The new album, Vagabond Lullaby, is a keeper.

Mary Gauthier follows and is also superb. Mary has just signed with Lost Highway Records and deservingly so. One of the nicest gals in the business. She too gets a standing ovation. More music, more beer, it doesn’t get better. The festival ends with Spirit of the West and so three days of memories come to an end.

We decide to go to the wind-up party. It’s held at a small club near the park. Bonus, beer is only $2.50. Lots of good food and a chance to mingle with many of the artists. Three in the morning and it’s time to head out.

New friends were made and old acquaintances renewed. It will be a long ride home on Monday. The radio show is Thursday and we have Nathan coming into the studio, always great to see them.

Lots more to chat about in the weeks to come. The West End’s fall lineup looks strong and the live music scene is cooking in Winnipeg. Talk soon.

One more sleep and the Winnipeg Folk Festival starts. There is much preparation for a four day event - CDs of artists that you want signed, CDs that you will need to buy and a tight schedule of performers that you want to see. You thought you just showed up. Not for the music nerd.

The weather is perfect. We all see acts we know and love and discover new ones that we will always remember. Xavier Rudd from Australia, Jackie Green from the US, Po’ Girl from Canada, and Martyn Joseph from Wales are just some of the brilliant people we saw. Time to go back on the radio and share the music that we discovered.

We have been lucky to meet many people in our travels and one of them is Martyn Joseph. The amazing singer-songwriter from Wales, who can make you cry and laugh in the same breath, is playing a house concert. T-Bar (Terry) and Corky (Terry) – yes same name – are going. Wonderful night and more great memories.

The Winnipeg Fringe Fest starts today, and runs for ten days. The crew will take in some plays. We do think of other things besides music, not very often, but once in a while.

More excitement – a road trip. We have decided to go to the Calgary Folk Music Festival. Lucinda Williams is there, say no more, along with loads of great acts – Steve Earle, Po’Girl, Martyn Joseph, Earl Scruggs, Caitlin Cary and many more.

Diesel (Mike) drives out on Thursday with the good friends Dom, A.D. from the West End Cultural Centre and Julie, accountant with the Winnipeg Folk Festival, great company. Desi (Jeff) heads out the same day, but stops in Regina and carries on to Calgary the next day. The drive is long, 13 hours, but straight as an arrow. They say you can watch your dog run away for two days.

T-Bar and Corky (the two Terrys) fly out on the Friday morning on a one way ticket. Will figure out a way home after the Festival. Desi has room in his car so it’s a done deal. Four days of music, beer, sunshine and memories.

Our first full day at the Festival site and we are like kids in a candy store. The workshops are planned, CDs and sharpies are at the ready. Some acts we see together, at other times we split up and catch different shows. The Festival is set on Prince’s Island Park with the city in the background, a beautiful spot to spend twelve hours a day. Six stages all going at once, so never a dull moment.

Great to make new friends and see old ones. Over the course of four days we see dozens of talented musicians and wonderful people. The two Terrys are lucky enough to have become close with Martyn Joseph and are meeting his family. At the Festival we are looking forward to spending some time with them. We see Steve Earle and he puts on a solid show.

Later that day a life changing event for Corky and T-Bar, well at least for T-Bar. Late afternoon, walking down the street, sunshine in our faces, going back to the park for night time shows. Could it get any better? Yes. In the distance a figure appears, a sleek beautiful blonde. We look, Lucinda Williams. One minute before or one minute later, we would not have seen her. Now comes the fate part. She is not playing until Sunday night, but T-Bar has not only her “Sweet Old World” CD in his back pocket, but a sharpie in his front pocket. We stop and say hello, she signs our CD and chats for ten minutes. One of the greatest singer-songwriters in the world. She is gracious and very nice. A handshake for me and a hug for Corky and we say goodbye. The CD is now framed on the wall. Wow. Legs still shaking we scramble back to the Festival to tell the other guys.

The show is cooking that night. Earl Scruggs, Spirit of the West, and Michael Frenti.

The big day – Lucinda is playing mainstage tonight. Mike has been kicking up his heels. He looks cute with blood shot eyes. Lots more music and fun. Lucinda is outstanding. Time to go home.

It’s a long drive, but we have no shortage of new tunes and stories to share. The Festival was a blast. Caitlin Cary, Po’ Girl, Steve Earle, Lucinda, the list could go on forever.

The drive seems like it will never end, but finally at midnight we’re home. The next week is a quiet one. Mike hits a couple of club shows, Terry and Terry do a West End gig to see a young man named Kyle Ryabco, the next coming of Stevie Ray Vaughan, I kid you not. Jeff is going to Gimli to see Ox, a great act from Toronto. Colin Hay is also playing this weekend, can you say “Men at Work”? Might be fun.

Some time in May the buzz is about Steve Forbert. Now, the gang is in Winnipeg, Steve is in Toronto. This won’t stop us. Our dog, Desi, is on it. Jetsgo has cheap flights, a relative lives in the Big Smoke and so free accommodation and the deal is done - the Steel Belted crew is off.

Hit the Winnipeg Airport, bags in one hand, Starbucks coffee in the other. We are giddy. A quick check of gear. We each have one change of clothes, but wait, oh yes, forty Forbert CDs between us. Steve will have hand cramps when he gets finished signing this swag. The Steel Belted guys are always grateful to the artists who take the time to sign CDs and pose for photos or do a station ID.

The show was at Hugh’s Room, sold out, and so it should be for one of the greatest. Mark Stuart (Stacey Earle’s better half) was playing with Steve, so even better. After a day of roaming around in as many music stores as we can, we arrive at the club and with much thanks to Hugh’s Room for the comps, we find our spot in the lounge. The show was brilliant. CDs were signed and pictures were taken. A night to be remembered forever.

Back to the airport. Of course we just flew in to see Forbert. Wouldn’t anyone do the same? We were still buzzing when we got on the plane. Forty minutes into our flight there seems to be a problem. The plane turns and heads back to the airport. The announcement says an hour or two. That’s cool, time for a beer. The brew is good, cold and pricey, but that’s okay. Corky, always a little sharper than the rest, speaks first, “Isn’t that Danny Michel?” It is. Now things are looking up. Michel, a very talented young singer-songwriter from TO is going to have a beer with the Steel Belted gang. His flight is also delayed. After a great visit, Danny is off for Vancouver for some R & R. As for us the hour or two is now ten hours. We arrive back in Winnipeg in one piece, a little tired but with memories to last a lifetime.

Life goes on, CDs are bought, stories are told and shows are seen. All four of us are involved in a music club as well as the radio show so music is always close by. Winnipeg Folk Fest is nearing.

Tune in on Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on 101.5 UMFM and keep on rockin'.