Biography

Three-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year winner and 2016 nominee, Claire Lynch pays homage to Canadian songwriters through a set of bluegrass and Americana tracks on her new album NORTH BY SOUTH. Inspired by her recent marriage to a Canadian, Lynch began to dig into the vast catalog of songs written by Canadian songwriters. Working with Alison Brown in the producer’s chair and the longtime Claire Lynch Band members behind her, she delivers stand out versions of Ron Sexsmith’s “Cold Hearted Wind” with Jerry Douglas on Dobro, the catchy “Kingdom Come” written by Old Man Luedecke featuring Bela Fleck​​ (banjo)​ and David Grier (guitar)​ and the gorgeous maritime ballad “Molly May” written by Cape Breton’s J.P. Cormier. Lynch also offers thoughtful reinterpretations of songs by Lynn Miles (“Black Flowers”), Dave Francey (“Empty Train”), Gordon Lightfoot (“It’s Worth Believing”) and Willie P. Bennett (“Andrew’s Waltz”) featuring Stuart Duncan (fiddle). In addition, she contributes one of her own songs: the light-hearted “Milo” to the project. These carefully chosen, elegantly rendered songs are an exquisite sampling of the rich tradition of Canadian songwriting, but Lynch remarks that “this collection only touches the tip of the iceberg”. NORTH BY SOUTH is the product of a love for the songs of Canada, now a centerpiece of Lynch’s life.