Whispering Pines - The Northern Roots of American Music...From Hank Snow to The Band
Whispering Pines - The Northern Roots of American Music...From Hank Snow to The Band Canada is not just the land of Stanley Cup hockey. Our northern neighbor is home to some of the most loved and respected songwriters of the 20th century. Why has Canada been such a great breeding ground for talented artists? Robbie Robertson once stated, "Must be something in the water" when asked this question.
 Joni Mitchell, performing in 2004 (source) |
Author Jason Schneider traces the history of Canadian music, from the 1930's to the 1970's, beginning with Canadian recording artists Hank Snow and Wilf Carter, both of whom hailed from Nova Scotia. The title, Whispering Pines, is taken from a song written and sung by the late great Richard Manuel of The Band. Historically, Canadian artists have come to the United States to seek their fame and fortune. Why has this music crossed borders so well? Schneider explains the unique and haunting landscape of the vast Canadian territories and its impact on Canadian writers as one explanation. Also, many feel that Canadian song writers have a detached look at the culture to their south which allows them a fresh perspective on the Northern American experience.
Whispering Pines is the first in depth look at how Canada developed its own musical identity. Among the artists profiled are The Band, Ian & Sylvia, Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bonnie Dobson, and Bruce Cockburn.
 Gordon Lightfoot at Massey Hall, Toronto, Ont. Photo by Kasra Ganjavi (source) |
Throughout this fine book, Schneider shows us the many creative connections shared by Canadian musicians. It is hard to imagine our musical landscape without the contributions of the many artists spotlighted in this book. Greg Quill from the Toronto Star has said "Whispering Pines is a vivid journey to the heart of the Canadian narrative song tradition, the nation's most enduring form of self-expression. Jason Schneider is more than a passionate victim of the affirmative power of music; he's also a masterful storyteller who brings to electric life the characters in this epic yarn, and illuminates their contributions to Canada's---and the world's---artistic treasury with stunning clarity and style."
Whispering Pines
The Northern Roots of American Music...From Hank Snow to The Band
By Jason Schneider (ECW Press)
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Whispering Pines: The Northern Roots of American Music . . . from Hank Snow to The Band
Review by Scott Acton:
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