Episodes
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Host Don Amero looks back on his first 20+ episodes of the Through the Fire podcast. Thinking about the "fires" that have been confronted on this show and the tools people have shared as they emerge from difficult times, Don shares some personal updates with the audience ahead of a summer break.
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Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
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On this episode, host Don Amero speaks to musician Steve Bell; a songwriter, storyteller, and troubadour for our time. Over the course of a 30-year solo career, he has been sharing messages of love, hope and faith through songs, stories, and writing. He is a mentor to many and an advocate of numerous meaningful causes.
His advocacy work has raised significant support for organizations like World Vision, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Compassion Canada, and the North End Family Centre (Winnipeg). He is the recipient of the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal awarded to select Canadians who have, “made a significant contribution to their fellow countrymen, their community, or to Canada over the previous sixty years.”
Find out more about Steve Bell HERE.
Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/donamero
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
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Since making her debut with 2016’s multi-award-winning Grace & Grit, Meghan Patrick has embodied the kind of unbridled truth-telling that leaves listeners feeling undeniably seen and understood. A back-to-back CCMA Female Artist of the Year whose accolades also include 18 CMAOntario Awards, the Nashville-based artist doubled down on that soul-baring specificity in the making of her latest project, The Greatest Show On Dirt. Over the course of the EP’s six intimately detailed tracks, the rural-Ontario-born singer/songwriter sets her storytelling to a high-energy but expansive sound that stretches beyond the boundaries of country—a move befitting of a musician whose background includes co-founding an all-girl band at age 13, studying opera and jazz, fronting a 10-piece funk act that once opened for Aretha Franklin, and touring extensively as part of a bluegrass group. Anchored in the powerful vocal work she’s brought to the stage as support for legends like Dwight Yoakam and top artists including Keith Urban, Old Dominion, Kip Moore, Brothers Osborne and more, the result is a body of work that captures the nuances of her emotional experience with equal parts boldness, humor, and wildly colorful originality.
Naming John Prine, Neil Young, and Waylon Jennings among her longtime inspirations, Patrick first started honing her distinct narrative voice as a kid in the small town of Bowmanville, then took up guitar after graduating from high school. During her time at McGill University, she built up her chops by busking in the Montreal subways, eventually dropping out of school to tour with her bluegrass band. Within a year of striking out as a solo artist, Patrick landed a deal with a major label and soon teamed up with the likes of Vince Gill to record the widely acclaimed Grace & Grit. But while the coming years brought a number of triumphs—including scoring her first #1 single with “Walls Come Down” (from her 2018 sophomore LP) and winning a Juno Award for her 2019 EP Wild As Me—Patrick later endured a period of intense upheaval compounded by the chaos of the pandemic.
Now at work on her first full-length since 2021’s Heart on My Glass, Patrick has found that strengthening her creative vision has reaffirmed her sense of purpose as an artist.
Find out more about Meghan Patrick:
https://meghanpatrickmusic.com/
Follow Meghan on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MegPatrickMusic/
Follow Meghan on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/megpatrickmusic/
Follow Meghan on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@megpatrickmusic
Follow Meghan on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MegPatrickMusic
Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/donamero
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
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In this episode of Through The Fire, Host Don Amero speaks to the man behind his record label, Mike Denney of MDM Recordings. Founded in 2008, MDM Recordings Inc. (MDM) is a multi-award winning full service independent label and management company specializing in country music. Boasting an impressive roster that includes platinum-selling JUNO and CCMA Award winner Jess Moskaluke, multi-JUNO and CCMA Award winner and CCMA Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Major, three-time JUNO Award nominee Don Amero, CCMA Award nominees Tyler Joe Miller and Black Mountain Whiskey Rebellion, and newcomers Five Roses and The Redhill Valleys. MDM was the number ONE Independent Country Label in Canada in 2021. Since its inception, MDM has earned multiple distinctions at the CCMA Awards for ‘Record Company of the Year’ and a 2021 win for ‘Management Company of the Year’, and individually, Denney is currently a three-time Record Company Person of the Year Award winner and was named Industry Person of the Year in 2020. MDM boasts more than twenty-five Top 10 songs and over 250M global streams, with additional licensing in Australia and New Zealand via ABC Music Corp and in the UK and European markets via Enki Music, and support in the live tour space from Heliocentric Entertainment in Australia, the UK, and Europe.
Find out more about Mike Denny and MDM Recordings:
https://mdmrecordings.net/about/
Find out more about the Henry Armstrong Award
http://henryarmstrongaward.ca/
Support this podcast on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/donamero
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On this episode, Don Amero honours former friend and bandmate Vince Fontaine with his daughter Gabrielle and longtime bandmate Jay Bodner. The three musicians discuss their favourite memories of Vince and the legacy they will carry forward in his honour.
Gabrielle Fontaine is an Anishinaabe singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Winnipeg MB. Gabrielle joined Indian City as a singer-songwriter on the 2017 Here & Now album. She is the daughter of the late band leader, Vince Fontaine. After the sudden passing of her father, Gabrielle was motivated to follow in her father’s footsteps within the band as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Gabrielle performs music and captivates audiences with her lyrics of personal experiences and perspectives of life, often highlighting her view through an Indigenous lens. Her honest melodies and angelic voice are sure to leave a unique and lasting impression. She is poised to follow in the strong tradition of Manitoba's vibrant music community while fostering her talent nationally and internationally.
Jay Bodner has been a singer, guitar player and songwriter with Indian City since joining the band on their 2018 Juno nominated album Here and Now and most recently their 2022 Juno nominated release, Code Red. Prior to Indian City, he held tenure for 25 years with the band Eagle & Hawk along with his musical partner and the founder of Indian City and Eagle & Hawk, Vince Fontaine. Eagle & Hawk recorded 10 albums in its career, toured internationally and went on to win a Juno Award in 2002 as well as nominations in 2004 and 2006. Both Indian City and Eagle & Hawk were humbled with numerous Indigenous music industry awards and nominations in Canada and the United States over the past few decades. Jay believes that music is medicine and remains committed to Vince Fontaine’s vision of building bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Follow along with both Indian City and Eagle and Hawk:
http://www.eagleandhawk.com/
http://www.indiancity.ca/
Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/donamero
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
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Sam Corbett is a founding member and the drummer of the JUNO Award-winning and platinum-selling band The Sheepdogs, and a cancer survivor. He just released his debut solo album NUTANA on April 7 featuring 10 original songs and two captivating covers) he wrote while stepping away from the band to undergo cancer treatment, one month before his first daughter was born. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, the saying goes. In the case of Corbett, the cancer that didn’t kill him made him both stronger and vastly more creative as a songwriter, lyricist, and musician.
Follow along with Sam's new project Nutana:
https://nutanaband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NUTANAband
https://www.instagram.com/nutanaband/
https://twitter.com/fakesamcorbett
Support this podcast on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/donamero
If you're a musician struggling to make ends meet during a health scare, please consider reaching out to Unison; a non-profit registered music industry charity that provides counselling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community through times of hardship, illness or economic difficulties.
https://unisonfund.ca/
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
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This week, host Don Amero speaks with fellow country musician and cancer survivor, Kalsey Kulyk. Raised in Hudson Bay, SK, Kalsey Kulyk got hooked on singing and playing the guitar at a young age. She took part in hundreds of talent shows and competitions, winning her first songwriting competition at age 13. Everything changed in high school when Kalsey fell ill with cancer, though her journey to recovery created song writing inspiration, and the entire experience solidified Kulyk’s belief in a career in music. With her mind made up, Kalsey’s musical career sped up from there, with the help of Fleetwood Mac producer Richard Dashut, a relocation to Music City, and winning both the Canadian Country Music Association’s Discovery Artist program, and Anthem Entertainment’s (formerly Ole) “On the Spot'' competition in one day in 2017. Kalsey returned to Nashville with a publishing and record deal, and wrote songs with Liz Rose and Phil Barton. Now with an arsenal of songs and a survivor’s determination, Kalsey Kulyk is sharing her passions with the world. In remission for over 10 years, she says “What is life unless you’re doing what you love every single day?” Her most recent release in 2023, “Ain’t Enough Whiskey” can be heard on streaming platforms everywhere.
Kalsey Kulyk's Website
Follow Kalsey Kulyk on Instagram
Follow Kalsey Kulyk on TikTok
Follow Kalsey Kulyk on Facebook
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With a voice like “gravel on silk”, Brampton-born singer-songwriter AHI (pronounced “eye”) has learned to balance his instrument’s power across a colourful landscape of tightly-crafted lyrics, driving rhythms and catchy melodies, propelling him to the forefront of the contemporary Folk/Roots scene.
From charting on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon, to delivering captivating performances on CBS & NPR Tiny Desk and touring internationally with Mandy Moore and Milow for his latest studio release Prospect, AHI has quickly amassed over 60M streams worldwide. NONE of it has been easy, especially at home in Canaada as you'll hear in this conversation. He's very excited to be working on his next project and share some of the lessons learned along the way.
Find out more about AHI: https://ahimusic.com/
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
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With more than 250M global career streams, Lindsay Ell has become one of country music's most celebrated female voices. Lauded as “one of the most exciting and talented young artists” (Forbes), Lindsay Ell has two Canadian #1 singles ("Criminal" / "wAnt me back"), a US #1 PLATINUM-status single alongside Brantley Gilbert ("What Happens In A Small Town") and has been celebrated for her incredible work hosting Canada’s Got Talent.
Ell has been nominated for ACM Awards (New Female Vocalist (2019), New Female Vocalist (2020), Music Event of the Year (2020)), CMT Awards (Social Superstar (2015), Collaborative Video of the Year (2019)), CMA Awards (Musical Event of the Year (2019)) JUNO Awards (Country Album of the Year (2021)) and 18 CCMA Awards. Her GOLD single ("wAnt me back") led to the execution of her first Canadian headlining tour and allowed her to share the stage with her childhood idol, Shania Twain, at Canada’s biggest outdoor country festival, Boots & Hearts.
This spring Lindsay will return as host of Citytv’s Canada’s Got Talent and rejoin Shania Twain, performing in numerous US and Canadian markets on the Queen of Me Tour. 2023 will also see Ell continue her philanthropic work through the Make You Movement and release new music.
You'll hear Don speak to Lindsay about what lead to the Make You Movement, her struggles around self-worth and her relationship to food and fitness, and more.
Learn more about Lindsay Ell HERE.
Some mental health resources:
Canadian Mental Health Association – https://cmha.ca
Mood Disorders Society of Canada – https://mdsc.ca
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – https://www.camh.ca
Resources for Victims of Sexual Abuse - https://findahelpline.com/ca/topics/sexual-abuse
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
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On this episode of Through the Fire, host Don Amero interviews fellow musician Theo Tams who is rediscovering his identity as an artist. The Canadian singer, songwriter, and performer has been playing since his teens and releasing music for the past 15 years. He has three albums and three EPs to his credit, along with a formidable collection of singles and...oh yeah, that championship run on the sixth season of Canadian Idol in 2008. Tams has put together a body of work that's substantial and diverse. It speaks of an artist whose mission is growth and adventure -- building upon his proverbial laurels, rather than sitting on them. With each step, Tams has made a stride forward, and sometimes even further. That's certainly been true of the past few years, particularly with the series of three-song Trilogy EPs he's embarked on, with the third just arriving and taking him into even more new sonic and lyrical terrain. Tams lives in Toronto with his partner and their 11-year-old daughter explains that to understand where he's going, it's important to know where Tams has been until now. Born and raised in the small town of Coaldale in southern Alberta, Tams was raised in a strict Christian household, learning to sing in church (two services on Sundays), with a family that was steeped in music. He began writing poetry and prose pieces as a teenager, gradually moving towards songwriting influenced by the likes of Jewel, as well as confessional Canadian storytellers such as Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette, Sarah Harmer, and Sarah Slean. After a series of rock bottom moments, Theo says he took the plunge of "spontaneous sobriety" in 2020, declaring himself finished and embarking on therapy that made a world of difference in his healing, and in Tams' resolve.
Follow Theo Tams on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theotamsmusic
Follow Theo Tams on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theotamsmusic
Follow Theo Tams on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theotams/
Find out more about Theo Tams on his website: https://theotamsmusic.com/
Find Theo Tams on YouTube
Some mental health resources:
Talk Suicide – https://talksuicide.ca/
Canadian Suicide Crisis Support – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html
Canadian Mental Health Association – https://cmha.ca
Mood Disorders Society of Canada – https://mdsc.ca
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – https://www.camh.ca
Mental health and substance use support for people in Canada and Canadians abroad. Always free and virtual, 24/7:
https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA
https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA/service/talk
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
Listen to Don Amero's music: https://donamero.lnk.tt/ATLEM
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On the new episode, Don is joined by singer-songwriter Jessica Mitchell. They discuss the ups and downs of working in the music industry, mental health and more. Please scroll down to see some of our suggested resources as some of the content in this episode may be hard for some to hear.
Jessica Mitchell is, at heart, a storyteller – an open book, inspired by the raw honesty and storytelling nature of the genre. Mitchell’s much anticipated debut album Heart of Glass, was released in 2018. The record embodies powerful and soulful melodies and lyrical brilliance, while showcasing Mitchell’s vocal talent in the purest of forms – and the result is utterly and heartbreakingly beautiful.
She has spent the last decade travelling between Toronto and Nashville, focusing on writing new music, collaborating with top-notch songwriters and crafting her richly unique sound. Mitchell continues to make her mark as a renowned singer-songwriter. She wrote “The Chase” off Celine Dion’s album, Courage, which debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Mitchell’s acclaimed single “Workin’ on Whiskey” was recently cut by country music artist Trisha Yearwood and was released on her latest album Every Girl in August 2019.
Mitchell’s “Workin’ on Whiskey” was the top added song to radio at the time of its release. Mitchell has opened for Kiefer Sutherland, Royal Wood, Ron Sexsmith, Terri Clark, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Reid, Willie Nelson and Matt Mays. She sites honouring Neil Young with a Tribute at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala at Massey Hall as a career highlight.
Mitchell believes that pain and loss are oftentimes at the heart of every relatable piece of music. As she puts it, “You’ll never see the light until it’s completely dark, and it got dark for a while.” After losing her mother to a long battle with cancer, Mitchell had her own epiphany about what kind of artist she wanted to become. Her hope is that by sharing grief, and other personal experiences through her music, she will forge genuine bonds with her audience. When listening to Mitchell’s music, she makes it very easy for you to latch on to her genuine, powerful lyrics – while making just anyone realize they are not alone.
Follow Jessica on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessicamitchell
Follow Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicamitchellmusic/
Find out more about Jessica on her website: http://jessicamitchellmusic.com/
Find Jessica on YouTube
Some mental health resources:
Talk Suicide – https://talksuicide.ca/
Canadian Suicide Crisis Support – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html
Canadian Mental Health Association – https://cmha.ca
Mood Disorders Society of Canada – https://mdsc.ca
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – https://www.camh.ca
Mental health and substance use support for people in Canada and Canadians abroad. Always free and virtual, 24/7:
https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA
https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA/service/talk
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast:
https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
Listen to Don Amero's music: https://donamero.lnk.tt/ATLEM
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To begin 2023, host Don Amero sits down with his executive producer Sarah Burke to discuss the intention behind the Through the Fire Podcast while reflecting on the first ten episodes. Both Don and Sarah discuss some of their past "fires" and how they have learned from those experiences. Sarah Burke is a Canadian broadcaster, podcast host, producer, and storyteller based in Toronto. She is currently the evening host for Indie88 (CIND-FM) in Toronto, the Women in Media Podcast, and formerly SiriusXM. She’s also co-hosting and chase-producer for the Jann Arden radio show and podcast.
Find out more about Sarah and her work:https://www.sarahburke.ca/
Listen to Sarah's Women in Media Podcast: http://womeninmedia.ca/
Follow Sarah on Instagram @Burketalks
Follow Sarah on Twitter @Burketalks
Find Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Burketalks
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast: https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
Listen to Don Amero's music: https://donamero.lnk.tt/ATLEM
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With a natural talent for telling stories through music, rising Canadian country artist Jade Turner continues to share and support the Indigenous culture that inspires her. Recognized for her original songwriting and stunning music videos, she has also been very open about her experiences as a member of Misipawistik Cree Nation and her mental health journey. Disclaimer: in this episode, there is a discussion about suicide and the content may not be suitable for all audiences.
Learn more about Jade Turner:
Follow Jade on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Jade_Turner
Follow Jade on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jade.turner.music/
Find Jade on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmGj4UVXnvUogXUu_UQgStQ
Jade also recommends the following books:
The Mountain is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery, Brianna Wiest
When You're Ready, This is How You Heal, Brianna Wiest
Rise Sister Rise, Rebecca Campbell
Some mental health resources:
Talk Suicide – https://talksuicide.ca/
Canadian Suicide Crisis Support – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html
Canadian Mental Health Association – https://cmha.ca
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – https://www.camh.ca
A new three-digit telephone number available to Canadians in need of mental health and suicide prevention will be in place by November 2023, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission recently announced.
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Host Don Amero sits down with multi-instrumentalist R&B singer-songwriter, Sebastian Gaskin. He is based in Winnipeg, Canada, and grew up in Tataskweyak Cree Nation, or Split Lake as it’s better known. Sebastian writes and self-produces music that is anything but formulaic, thanks to eclectic musical tastes in R&B, Hip Hop, Metal,and Punk. The Winnipeg Free Press says: “...think Post Malone mixed with Frank Ocean, all swag and smooth vocals, hits of hip-hop and rap, rounded out with emotive thoughtful lyrics.” Gaskin is the recipient of the 2021 Western Canadian Music Award for R&B Artist of the Year, the 2021 Kevin Walters Songwriting Award, and was also chosen to attend the 2021 Allan Slaight Juno Masterclass. He was also recently included in TikTok's Indigenous creator accelerator program.
Find out more about Sebastian: https://www.sebastiangaskin.com/
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast: https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
Listen to Don Amero's music: https://donamero.lnk.tt/ATLEM
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Host Don Amero sits down for an in-depth conversation with third-generation singer-songwriter, Kelly Prescott. While there are many laughs and memories of when they first met, Kelly recounts a scary time for her family and reflects on a past relationship that was difficult to navigate. She finds gratitude through it all!
As a third-generation singer-songwriter and bona fide country music blueblood, Prescott’s career choice has always been obvious. But the speed at which the wildly charismatic performer has realized her goals has been extraordinary.
Find out more about Kelly: https://www.kellyprescottmusic.com/
Follow along with Kelly on Instagram (especially for CP Holiday Train content) @KellyPrescottMusic
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast: https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
https://www.instagram.com/throughthefirepod/
https://www.tiktok.com/@throughthefirepod
https://www.instagram.com/donamero/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedonamero
https://twitter.com/donaldamero
Listen to Don Amero's music: https://donamero.lnk.tt/ATLEM
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Host Don Amero sits down with Mark Chipman, Executive Chairman & Governor of Truth North Sports & Entertainment (Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club) and his daughter Sarah Howe, a med-school student who currently sits as Chair of the Board of the North Point Douglas Women's Centre in Winnipeg Manitoba.
Mark also serves as the Governor of the Winnipeg Jets on the NHL’s Board of Governors.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Mark attended St. Paul’s High School and later, the University of North Dakota where he played varsity football while earning an Honors B.A. in Economics and a Juris Doctorate in Law.
Mark entered the business of professional hockey in 1996 and led the team that developed Canada Life Centre and ultimately the acquisition and relocation of the NHL Atlanta Thrashers. The club was re-named the Winnipeg Jets by Mark at the 2011 NHL entry draft. In December of 2016, Mark was named to the Executive Committee of the NHL’s Board of Governors.
Mark has been the recipient of the AHL's James C. Hendy and Thomas Ebright awards as well as the Order of Manitoba and the University of North Dakota’s Sioux Award.
In addition to his business and hockey interests, Mark is actively involved in a number of community efforts. He established the True North Youth Foundation in 1996 and founded Gonzaga Middle School in 2016. Mark was named to the Selection Committee of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019 and is the Chairman of the Winnipeg Downtown Community Safety Partnership.
Sarah Howe (maiden name Chipman), was born and raised in Winnipeg. She moved to Toronto in 2014 where she met her husband Jake, and the two of them have since moved back to Winnipeg.
Sarah completed a bachelor's degree with honours in Kinesiology and was accepted into a Master of Science program at the University of Manitoba. However, she recently decided to pursue her career as a private chef. Sarah started her company, Sarah Howe Creative Ltd., during the pandemic as a way to offer a unique experience while we were all stuck at home. She started out by offering online cooking classes, where ingredients were delivered to each participant's home, and the class was taught on Zoom. Since then, she has grown her business to offer private dinners, catering for parties, custom meal prep, and is working on a cookbook.
Sarah is also the Chair of the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre, and is involved with many community organizations. She founded Soulfull Meetings, a support group that has grown to partner with the Women’s Health Clinic, providing weekly support to those struggling with eating disorders.If you are struggling with an eating disorder, please visit some resources:
https://edfc.ca/resources-2/
https://nedic.ca/
https://www.camh.ca/en/professionals/treating-conditions-and-disorders/eating-disorders
Find out more about Mark Chipman: https://www.tnse.com/staff/mark-chipman/
Find out more about Sarah Howe: https://www.npdwc.org/our-board.html
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast: https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
Follow the Through the Fire Podcast on Instagram @ThroughTheFirePod
Follow the Through the Fire Podcast on TikTok @ThroughTheFirePod
Follow Don Amero on Instagram @DonAmero
Follow Don Amero on TikTok @TheDonAmero
Follow Don Amero on Twitter @DonaldAmero
Listen to Don Amero's music: https://donamero.lnk.tt/ATLEM
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On this episode of Through the Fire, host Don Amero meets country singer-songwriter Cadence Grace for the first time. Also a member of the freshly re-united Runaway Angel, Cadence tells Don about her surprise battle with Leukemia and how coming through the fire of this diagnosis formed her new outlook on music and life.
The Whitby-born, now Courtice, Ontario resident retraces every setback through blood transfusions, experimental treatments, and finally a Bone Marrow transplant with ease now, hoping her story can inspire others.
Find out more about Cadence: https://www.cadencegrace.com/
Find Leukemia survival / transplant resources here: https://loveandleukemia.ca/
Grab tickets to see Runaway Angel reunite at their upcoming industry showcase HERE.
Follow Cadence on Instagram HERE.
Follow Cadence on Twitter HERE.
Find out more about the Through the Fire Podcast: https://donamero.ca/through-the-fire-podcast/
Watch the Through the Fire Podcast Video Series HERE.
Follow the Through the Fire Podcast on Instagram HERE.
Follow the Through the Fire Podcast on TikTok HERE.
Follow Don Amero on Instagram HERE.
Follow Don Amero on TikTok HERE.
Follow Don Amero on Twitter HERE.
Listen to Don Amero's music: https://donamero.lnk.tt/ATLEM
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Jeremy Dutcher is a performer, composer, activist, and musicologist. His music transcends boundaries: unapologetically playful in its incorporation of classical influences, full of reverence for the traditional songs of his home, and teeming with the urgency of modern-day struggles of resistance.
A member of Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick, Jeremy first did music studies in Halifax before working in the archives at the Canadian Museum of History, painstakingly transcribing Wolastoq songs from 1907 wax cylinders. Jeremy heard ancestral voices singing forgotten songs and stories that had been taken from the Wolastoqiyik generations ago. As he listened to each recording, he felt his own musical impulses stirring from deep within. Long days at the archives turned into long nights at the piano, feeling out melodies and phrases, deep in dialogue with the voices of his ancestors.
These "collaborative" compositions appear on his debut LP Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa. Delicate, sublime vocal melodies ring out atop piano lines that cascade through a vibrant range of emotions. The anguish and joy of the past erupt fervently into the present through Jeremy's bold approach to composition and raw, affective performances enhanced by his outstanding tenor techniques.
Read more about Jermey Dutcher and connect with his social accounts HERE.
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Host Don Amero sits down for a conversation with acclaimed family entertainer, singer/songwriter, composer, actor, writer, author, TV host and keynote speaker, Fred Penner. With a career spanning forty-five years, he touches on everything from entertaining children's audiences to dealing with the grief of losing his sister and father at a young age in this intimate conversation.
His diverse repertoire includes a prolific 12 Children’s Albums, countless energetically packed live shows for throngs of eager audiences across North America, composing the music for APTN/YTV’s Tipi Tales, and writing the score and hosting the TV documentary The Simple Way (focused on the relevant, world-wide topic of voluntary simplicity). He has, without a doubt, established himself as a fundamental part of the North American family entertainment scene. A devoted father of four, lessons learned through the challenges and rewards of parenthood are translated into all that he does.
His pre-music experience working with troubled youth set the stage for what was to come; providing an understanding of the trauma of child abuse and the ability of music to heal. Those learnings, along with the untimely passing of his 12- year-old sister with Down’s Syndrome and subsequent passing of his father a year later, sparked a period of deep soul-searching and life-changing decisions. Inspired by his sister’s pure love of music, the man who had planned to become an economist, made a choice to become a performer. Lucky for us, he did.
More than the music, the two-time Juno winner (equivalent of a Grammy) for Best Children’s Album, Fred Penner’s Place (1985) and Sing with Fred (2004) and eight-time nominee’s body of work is about energy and emotional connection. The guy who crawled magically out of that hollow log for 12 seasons and more than 900 episodes in the hit CBC TV show Fred Penner’s Place receives fan mail to this day from some of the 55 million American viewers where the show ran for four years on the Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr.. Always building on a common theme rooted in integrity and a “belief in what I can do” he has created a lasting impact that crosses the generations and continues to grow.
His visibility has allowed him the privilege and joy of using his voice to “bring something of value” as a spokesperson for organizations like UNESCO, World Vision, UNICEF and the National Conference on Down Syndrome. In 2005, Fred journeyed to Zambia, Africa with World Vision to host a program for Child Sponsorship in the Western World.
A humanitarian always conscious of the “delicate balance required to create a positive influence that fosters healthy self-esteem in the life of a child”, his work is infused with a steadfast commitment to communicating with children and families in a clear, non-condescending way. “More than just fun”, this multi-talented artist has the wisdom and humility to know that the importance and the meaning of what he does can reach deeply into the lives of others.
Read more about Fred and follow him on social media HERE.
Some resources for loss and grief:
For bereaved parents: https://tcfcanada.net/articles-2/the-bereaved-parent/
https://www.mygrief.ca/
Find some resources related to alcohol abuse here: https://www.ccsa.ca/
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Don Amero welcomes multiple JUNO and CCMA Award-winning entertainer, Dallas Smith to the Through the Fire Podcast. Episode three was taped live at Country Music Week ahead of the 2022 CCMA Awards in Calgary, AB.
Dallas Smith is one of the most celebrated artists in Canadian country music. Amassing 18 Canadian Gold-certified singles, four Canadian Gold-certified albums, and seven Canadian Platinum-certified singles along with more than 500 MILLION collective streams to date and 2 MILLION global album equivalents. Smith is also the first and only Canadian country artist in the Nielsen BDS era to have TWELVE #1 singles, including four consecutive chart-toppers from the same album, and closed out 2019 as the most played artist (domestic/international) at Canadian country radio for the year. Adding to the list of accolades, Smith is the sole Canadian country artist in the Nielsen BDS and Mediabase era to earn TWELVE #1 songs in history and have 23 consecutive singles peak in the Top 10 of the country airplay chart. Smith is the three-time CCMA Award winner for Entertainer of the Year (2019/2020/2021), continuing to set the bar high for Country music in all that he does.
In 2021, Smith launched the Lifted Dallas Smith Charitable Foundation – a non-profit organization committed to ensuring that mental health services are accessible to anyone and everyone in need.
Here are some other mental health resources:
Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse and Addiction – https://www.ccsa.ca
Canadian Center for Addiction – https://canadiancentreforaddictions.org
Canadian Mental Health Association – https://cmha.ca
Mood Disorders Society of Canada – https://mdsc.ca
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – https://www.camh.ca
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