Hidden Track

She was born into Canada's first family of folk, the Wainwright/McGarrigles; but Martha Wainwright has always carved her own path, and led with her heart.

On the March episode of CKUA's Hidden Track podcast, Martha tells us about dealing with death and divorce, moving back to Montreal for the first time since she was a teenager; putting down roots with her kids in her mom's old home; opening her own cafe/music venue; penning her memoirs Stories I Might Regret Telling You (out March 29th); and finding all kinds of new hope, strength, and music in the life that she's created.

"The Prairies got something to say."

When he was awarded the 2021 Polaris Music Prize, Cadence Weapon spoke from the heart; giving a long, loving shout-out to his home town and province: Edmonton, Alberta. Rollie Pemberton a/k/a/ Cadence Weapon always been passionately proud of his roots. His family, his community, his hometown helped make him the renowned, respected creator he is today. And Cadence Weapon, in turn, has always kept where he comes from at the very heart of what he does.

In this episode, we'll trace some of the story of his remarkable career, as we're joined by some of his friends, family and fellow creators. Edmonton jazz and funk luminary Brett Miles was an important early collaborator - and also Rollie's uncle! We'll hear from a key influence in Shout Out Out Out Out's Nik Kozub. We'll talk to renowned fellow YEG hip-hop artist Arlo Maverick, as well as multi-media artist Natalie Meyer; they're the filmmakers behind a brand-new video documentary series about Edmonton hip-hop called Allow Me to Introduce. We'll gather some perspectives from a past collaborator of Rollie's who's well outside the hip-hop tradition: Alberta singer-songwriter Colleen Brown. Plus, we'll be hearing from the ultimate expert speaker on this topic... Cadence Weapon's mom, Michelle Miles! And of course, we'll talk to the idiosyncratic and iconoclastic artist himself, the one and only Cadence Weapon.

Amos Garrett's solo on Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis" has often been cited as the greatest solo of all time. By the time he played on that 1973 hit, he'd already performed with Ian & Sylvia and Anne Murray. That's just the beginning of a legendary career of the most revered guitar stylists in all of roots music. He's recorded with everyone from Paul Butterfield to Emmylou Harris to Stevie Wonder; guitar gods like Vernon Reid and Jimmy Page have pointed to Amos as an influence. On this episode, we put the spotlight on Famous Amos, the Fishin' Musician, with guests Holger Petersen, Maria Muldaur, Michelle Josef, and Clayton Linthicum of Kacy and Clayton.

They were alt-country before alt-country. By the time that became a buzz term in the mid-'90s, Jr. Gone Wild had a legendary career, and called it a day. Over 25 years later, the Alberta music scene remains imprinted by the band's work. The cow-punk trailblazers are back with their first album in 25 years, 'Still Got The Jacket'. On this episode, Grant Stovel talks with Corb Lund, Stony Plain founder Holger Petersen, and Jr. Gone Wild's Mike McDonald about the band's incredible legacy and exciting future.

They were an iconic band that re-wrote the rules of pop music. This November, ABBA will release their first studio album in 40 years, Voyage. And what a voyage it's been! The band has racked up an astounding 28 UK Top 40 singles since their breakout moment on Eurovision back in 1974. Two of those chart-toppers are 2021 singles from their forthcoming album. According to Billboard, they've sold a half a billion albums during their '70s and '80s heyday. If you came of age in the '70s, '80s, or '90s, chances are you had an ABBA record in your family collection of vinyl or 8 tracks or cassettes or CDs. Their music has spawned a museum, a hit musical, and a film franchise with an estimated box office of $1 Billion and counting. Mamma Mia, here we go again! This May, ABBA are set to reunite in a very unexpected way. Digital avatars of Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Fried will perform new songs on a reunion tour of sorts, backed by a 10-piece live band. The groundbreaking Voyage show will take place in May of 2022 at a custom-built arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. The cutting-edge ABBA-tars were designed by Industrial Light and Magic, the special effects outfit behind Star Wars. Those technical wizards brought together a massive team of visual effects artists to create a show featuring ABBA as they looked in their prime back in 1979! Their breakout back in 1974 was game-changing, so why should their comeback be any different? ABBA is big business. And that commercial success has earned them detractors over the years. But no matter what your feelings are about ABBA -- and everybody's got feelings about ABBA -- they were about far more than just "Money Money Money." They were among pop music's all-time most successful hitmakers, they defined an era, and they were innovative technological trailblazers. On this show, we're going to dig into the roots of ABBA's folk influences, look at the many ways they broke the music industry mold, and reflect on the scope of their influence and popularity. Our guide on this Voyage through ABBA's career is Carl Magnus Palm. The Swedish writer, historian, and preeminent ABBA researcher is the author of the authoritative book Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA.

Memphis soul legend William Bell was there for Otis Redding's meteoric rise as a trailblazing force in 1960s popular music. William was supposed to be on the fateful flight that claimed Otis' life on December 10th, 1967. He would go on to write and record a 1968 hit song dedicated to Otis called "A Tribute to a King". As we celebrate Otis Redding's remarkable life and career on what would have been his 80th birthday this month, William Bell joins us to reflect on the musical legacy of his friend.

If Otis Redding were alive, he'd be turning eighty this month. Instead, the world lost him at the age of 26. Redding revolutionized popular music, created a lasting legacy, and was the personification of soul. This episode of Hidden Track traces his journey, from modest roots to chart-topping hits, and we wonder what might have been. On this episode, Jonathan Gould, author of Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life joins host Grant Stovel to explore the fascinating story of Otis Redding's life and career. 

It's often been said that they became legends without ever becoming stars. The Replacements' last album was released in 1990, but their visionary work profoundly informed the artists who would roar into the mainstream that decade. August 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of the Replacements' ferocious, strident, snarly debut album Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, and so, we delve into the band's wild history, take stock of the fearless, inspired way they created music together, and appreciate the improbable-seeming legacy that began with that breathless collection of short, super-charged bursts of deceptively poetic expression. Joining us for the ride: Grammy-winning Replacements biographer Bob Mehr; Rhino Records' Jason Jones; Rheostatics' Dave Bidini; Art Bergmann; Faith Healer's Jessica Jalbert; and Shaye Zadravec. Subscribe to the Hidden Track podcast!

The Hidden Track podcast is presented by Bent Stick Brewing's Hidden Track Citra Lager.

She was a musical visionary, a champion of women's voices in the male-dominated industry, a builder of connections between musical worlds, and a true Alberta treasure. Ellen McIlwaine's abilities as a vocalist and guitarist were seemingly endless in scope. She moved effortlessly between genres, styles, settings, and traditions. Her career is dotted with guest appearances by greats like Jimi Hendrix and Jack Bruce. On this episode, we remember Ellen with the help of Taj Mahal, Sue Foley, Cassius Khan, Peter K. Siegel and Holger Petersen.