As regular listeners will know by now, Come By The Hills is nothing if not eclectic in terms of how it defines Celtic music. I try every week to give you a range of styles, content and artists. However, this week, in honour of the fact that my husband and I will be attending a Loreena McKennitt concert this coming Tuesday, I've decided that this Sunday's show will be devoted to a look at the career and of course the music of that artist. Not only is she an excellent musician and businesswoman, but she has been an amazing ambasador for Canada throughout the world. She is one of my heroes in life, and I will be discussing why that is during the show as I share how it was I came to know her music and to yearn to know more.
I'll be doing away with the usual features this week so that we can stay focussed on Ms. McKennitt's extensive body of work. The first two hours will be devoted to a history of her recordings and a look at the evolution of her sound from a strictly folk base to a sound which cannot be defined by any one label. We'll look at why her music cuts across demographics and how it has remained so consistent even as it has changed to embrace different influences from around the world. Then, in the last hour of the show, I'll share some live recordings of Loreena's music so that we can have a concert-like experience, and then I'll come back to the studio recordings again at the end for a couple of absolute favourite selections.
In doing this special show, I will be fulfilling a dream I have long held. I will be sharing the music of Loreena McKennitt and my passion for it on my own radio show. I hope you'll come and join me on this amazing journey which will take us from a little town in Manitoba to places as far flung as Ireland, Mongolia, Venice and Siberia, and back again to Canada which Loreena still proudly calls her home and native land. I promise you that you will not regret it.
So, tune in on Sunday night at 8:00 PM Eastern, with a replay on the following Friday at 4:00 AM Eastern, 9:00 AM in the UK and Ireland! I'd love to have you along as I celebrate my favourite Celtically-inspired artist in the world!