Calgary Folk Club
November 25, 2013
Interview: Opener Ashley Condon
An Interview With 2013 Canadian Folk Music Awards Nominee
Ashley Condon -
appearing at
The Calgary Folk Club, 11/25/13,
opening for Lunch At Allen’s
During the weekend that the Canadian Folk Music Awards were held here in Calgary this past Nov. 8th-13th, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Ashley Condon, a nominee herself for an award.
Ashley also happens to be appearing this coming weekend (Nov 22) to open for the musical revue “Lunch At Allen’s”, which features Canadian music icons Murray McLauchlan, Cindy Church, Marc Jordan, and Ian Thomas.
While Mo Kenney ultimately won in her category of New/Emerging Artist Of The Year at the awards, she has been riding a wave of success with her latest album, “This Great Compromise” - including an appearance at #1 on Galaxie’s Folk/Roots channel.
Coming from a musical family, Ashley learned to play guitar at 15, then went on to study theatre in university. Blending those two skills together for 10+ years, she has emerged as a storyteller in her songwriting, wanting her audiences to feel like they have been moved when they hear her songs. She shared in our conversation that she carries that through in-between songs when performing.
Aiding in that ongoing effort for her sophomore album was three-time JUNO-award winner David Francey, a winner at those very same 2013 Canadian Folk Music Awards as English Songwriter Of The Year, for “So Say We All”.
Listening to the title track from “This Great Compromise” on her YouTube feed recently, I can safely say that the Calgary Folk Club audience is in for a treat Friday night - she stays true to old-fashioned straight-up folk with a gentle but compelling style reminiscent of artists like Nancy Griffiths, or Liz Longley.
When I asked what her most memorable moment onstage in her career so far might have been during our brief interview, she was quick to remember her first exposure to a national audience - Toronto’s Hugh’s Room, about 2 years ago. Not only was that a high-water mark for performing in a noted venue for her chosen genre, but that’s also where she first saw Francey live.
Warm and approachable in person, I'm personally look forwarding to this Friday night's upcoming event - I expect I’ll be walking away with a copy of a CD or two by the time her set is over.
Discover more for yourself before the show at:
2 comments:
Reading this after seeing her, you were indeed correct. She was a treat. Loved her songs, particularly Great Compromise and Betty's Song. Can't wait to listen to the CD you picked up!
A rising star - her CD is in the mix, coming up soon!
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