Grapevine Music Agency - representing some of the finest roots musicians from the UK and North America. Folk, Blues, Country, Americana.

Linda McRae is a star, no question. She is often called the Queen of Canadian music and has made a huge name for herself firstly as a member of the extremely popular folk-rock band Spirit of the West and more recently as a solo artist, releasing a string of highly acclaimed albums. In between she has recorded and toured with The Wonder Stuff (featuring on their album Never Loved Elvis), played at festivals all over the world and has two platinum and three gold CDs to her credit. She now lives in Nashville.

Canadian singer/songwriter Linda McRae is a multi-instrumentalist, Juno nominated, Platinum and Gold recording artist. After having tenured as bassist, accordionist and vocalist with Canadian Roots group Spirit of the West Linda left the band in 1997 to resume her solo career and has since released three critically acclaimed recordings. Flying Jenny produced by Colin Linden, featured a high-powered roster of Canadian talent and showcased the songs Linda had written while with SOTW. Cryin' Out Loud produced by Gurf Morlix was pure honky-tonk. Linda's latest release Carve It To The Heart co-produced by Linda and Marc L'Esperance features 10 new songs steeped in the dust bowl traditions as far-reaching as the Canadian Prairie to the heartland of the Appalachian Mountains.

Throughout Linda's career she has received a number of grants and awards and in 2007 she was awarded a prestigious Canada Council Professional Musician's Study Grant affording her the opportunity to study songwriting with Grammy winning Nashville songwriter Jon Vezner and Round Peak clawhammer banjo with renowned aficionado Brad Leftwich. Clawhammer banjo has now become an integral part of her songwriting and is featured prominently in her live shows as well as her recordings. It has also reinforced her love for old-time Appalachian music. Linda was also awarded a Canada Council International Touring Grant and has just returned from her sold-out tour of Europe and Canada as well as appearances at the SXSW Music Conference in Austin.

Linda's musical journey has taken her to Nashville where she has generated quite a buzz on the singer/songwriter circuit performing regularly at songwriter venues alongside premiere Nashville writers. In addition to her busy touring schedule, she also writes a monthly column for BC Musician's Magazine entitled "This Winding Road" and is currently working on her next recording to be released later this year.

Awards
*2 Platinum CD's Warner Music
*3 Gold CD's Warner Music
*Juno Nomination, Best New Artist

Selected Performances

*Symphony Performances with the VSO, Calgary Philharmonic, Edmonton Symphony, and the Lennie Solomon Waterfront Orchestra (Toronto).
*Sing Out For Sight SEVA Benefit, featuring Rick Danko, Bob Weir, Wavy Gravy, Rob Wasserman, Jorma Kaukonen, Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC
*Winnipeg Folk Festival Workshop with John Prine, Townes van Zandt, Guy Clarke.
*Roots on the Rails Fred Eaglesmith
*Fred Eaglesmith Charity Picnic, Aylmer, ON
*Gurf Morlix & the Real Killers, guitarist/vocalist
*All Women's Band featuring Jane Sibbery, Joan Besson (Prairie Oyster), Sue Leonard (k.d. lang), Linda Kidder (k.d. lang), Karen Graves, Revelee Nixon, Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC
*Neko Case, Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC
*Vancouver Folk Fest Workshop Host with Dave Alvin, Tony Price, Alberta Slim, Herald Nix
*Vancouver Folk Festival Workshop with Peter Seeger.
*Alberta Slim's 90th Birthday, Vancouver Folk Fest Presents
*Stan Rogers Tribute Performance, Winnipeg, MB
*Roadside Attraction, Tragically Hip Touring Festival
*Canadian Tour with Irish Band The Fat Lady Sings
*British Tour with the Wonder Stuff, Glasgow Barrowlands, Brixton Academy, The Marquis Club
*Horde Tour, Blues Traveler U.S. Touring Festival
*European Tour with German band Poems for Laila
*Festival Highlights: Vancouver, Kispiox, Bella Coola, Calgary, Edmonton, South Country Fair, Regina, Winnipeg, Mariposa, Ottawa, Hillside, Festival of Friends, Peace Accord, Rock'nTwang Golden, Stan Rogers Folk Festival, Bumbershoot, WOMAD, Reading, Glastonbury, and many more

Selected Television Appearances
*CMT documentary "Farm Tracks, A Celebration of Roots Music" featuring Stephen Fearing, Ralph Boyd Johnson and Billy Cowsill, Sue Foley, Tim Williams, and National Dust, narrator Jim Cuddy.
*Open Heart Symphony a Bravo Special filmed and recorded live CD, Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC
*Intimate and Interactive, Much Music Special

"When all the trends fade and become dated, and all the music from the cutting edge becomes dull, Linda McRae will continue to stand tall, singing and playing music with honest soul and humility, cutting through the fog with her timeless clarity. Linda is one of the true, soulful pioneers of honest roots music. Her singing and playing brings honour to her heroes and to her friends and fans." Colin Linden (Grammy Nominee, Producer, Guitarist for Bruce Cockburn, Emmy Lou Harris, Krauss & Plant)

"Don't let the cute cherub on the front cover fool ya 'cause Linda's slicin' up some of the blowziest country blooze music you'll hear in a tune's age. The wall of sound sonics are so thick you'll want to devour it with a fork--but use a spoon instead because you'll want to get every drop. Mmm mmm good!" Creem Magazine, USA, Jeffrey Morgan

"Linda's music intrigues like a sepia postcard from the past, but is vibrant and alive and very much of the present. The singing and playing are just right. And that is a great accomplishment indeed." Eddie Schwartz, Award Winning Songwriter & Producer of The Doobie Brothers & Rita Coolidge "Carve it to the Heart" is versatile, musically excellent, and above all a bloody good listen. Honestly, you really couldn't ask for more" Americana UK, Sian Claire Owens

"Hoot and Holler is as close as alt-country gets to Peggy Lee. McRae's warmly powerful voice is the bedrock of this album. With one foot in the real world and one in Western folklore, McRae proves that being well-balanced and interesting aren't musically exclusive" Emmet Matheson, No Depression

"This is the kind of record that mainstream Nashville would be making if it still knew how to creatively update the traditions at the heart of country music." Sing Out Magazine, Mike Regenstreif

"Heart wrenching Country-Folk, heavy on the soul. Gets your heels stompin', your toes tapping, your body swaying, reaches into your heart and spreads feeling like good whiskey - that sweet-sweet burn." YVR On-line Magazine