I see that Glen Hansard has passed away, and for someone who quotes musicians constantly, I’m embarrassed to admit I barely knew who he was. His name floated around the edges of my musical world, but I never stopped long enough to listen.
As usual, I started doing my research in preparation for a remembrance post — expecting to learn the basics about a musician I had somehow overlooked. Instead, I found myself shocked at just how good this guy was. Within minutes, I was wondering how I had missed him entirely.
The voice, the honesty, the emotional weight — it all hit at once. Then came the discoveries: his busking roots, his years with The Frames, the storytelling woven through every performance, and the quiet intensity that seemed to define him. I wasn’t a longtime fan, but suddenly I understood why so many people were.
There’s a strange ache in discovering an artist only after they’re gone. You feel the weight of everything you missed, paired with the gratitude of finally hearing them clearly. Glen Hansard left behind a body of work that deserves every bit of attention it gets, and I’m only now beginning to understand the depth of what he created.
I wish I had found him sooner. But I’m glad I found him now.
Every era produces a few wonderfully odd songs—tracks that seem to appear out of nowhere and instantly define a moment in time.
“In the Summertime,” released in 1971, is one of those unforgettable curiosities. Its charm came from its stripped‑down, jug‑band feel: no drums, just toe‑taps, a banjo, a jug, upright bass, and guitars. Somehow, that homespun mix turned into one of the year’s biggest hits.
Although many remember Mungo Jerry as a one‑hit wonder, the band actually enjoyed solid success in the UK, charting nine singles—two of which reached number one.
After 50 years, the band is still active. Ray Dorset continues to write and release music. Their latest album was released in 2020. This reminds us that one-hit wonders don’t end with that one memorable entry.
Image Credit: Jackson Free Press Source: Jackson Free Press article
Brian Fuente blends Southern grit with soulful vocals and a modern rock polish — a sound that’s matured into something uniquely his.
Brian Fuente appeared on Season 2 of The Voice, joining Team Blake Shelton. His standout moment came with a fiery rendition of “Paris (Ooh La La)” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. This performance showcased his raw vocal edge. It also highlighted his stage presence. Though he exited during the battle rounds, Fuente left a lasting impression.
🌟 Life After The Voice
“Whoever you are, I hope you find your way.” — Brian Fuente
After the show, Fuente planted roots in Nashville, both musically and entrepreneurially. He married fellow Voice alum Jordan Pruitt (Season 3), and together they launched Aero Bar, a mobile cocktail experience that’s become a local favorite. Their ventures expanded into electric RVs and lifestyle branding, blending creativity with business savvy.
Musically, Fuente’s solo work reflects a mature voice — emotionally resonant, grounded in Americana, and unafraid to explore vulnerability. His songwriting invites listeners into stories of reflection, resilience, and quiet triumph.
🎶 Highlights from Their Musical Journey
🎵 Whoever You Are 💬 A melodic invitation to self-reflection, wrapped in warm instrumentation and lyrical sincerity.
🎧 Albums & EPs Fuente’s catalogue includes heartfelt singles and EPs that explore themes of identity, love, and reinvention. His sound bridges Southern rock and indie soul, with standout tracks that reward repeat listens.
Brian Fuente turned a brief moment in the spotlight into a multifaceted career. He’s created soulful tracks. He has also pursued entrepreneurial ventures. He’s carved out a lane that’s both grounded and evolving. Fans have plenty to look ahead to.
Angela Wolff first captured hearts during Season 1 of The Voice, delivering a powerhouse rendition of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” that left audiences stunned. But her journey didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling—in fact, it was just beginning.
🌟 Life After The Voice
“Angela’s voice doesn’t just sing—it speaks to the soul.”
Since her time on Team Adam, Angela has carved out a niche as a deeply emotive vocalist and songwriter. Her collaborations with cellist Bryan Gibson have become a signature sound—cinematic, intimate, and hauntingly beautiful.
Angela’s 2015 EP Surrender & Release is a masterclass in emotional storytelling. Tracks like “Armour,” “Honeybee,” and “Holding Hearts” reveal her depth as a songwriter and her ability to turn vulnerability into strength.
Angela Wolff may have started as a contestant, but she’s grown into a true artist. Her music is more than entertainment—it’s an invitation to feel deeply. Stay tuned for more updates in this series as we continue to spotlight past contestants who are still making waves.
Barber’s early work leaned into folk-pop, with introspective lyrics and acoustic textures. But it was her 2008 album Chances that marked a dramatic shift. Trading her guitar for a velvet microphone, she embraced the lush orchestration of vocal jazz, channeling the glamour of the 1940s and ’50s. Collaborating with Ron Sexsmith and producer Les Cooper, Chances became a breakout success, earning her a Juno nomination and a devoted new audience.
A Love Affair with French Song
Barber’s artistic curiosity led her to the South of France, where she immersed herself in the language and culture. The result was Chansons, a French-language album featuring covers of classics by Édith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg, and Charles Aznavour. Her sultry, expressive delivery resonated far beyond Canada—Chansons became her most streamed album globally, with over 120 million plays.
Her latest release, ENCORE!, revisits this territory with fresh interpretations of timeless French songs. It’s not just a tribute—it’s a celebration of cross-cultural artistry.
Accolades and Artistic Integrity
Three Juno Award nominations
SiriusXM Jazz Artist of the Year
Western Canadian Francophone Album of the Year
But beyond the awards, it’s her commitment to reinvention and emotional honesty that keeps fans coming back. Whether singing in English or French, Barber’s voice carries a timeless elegance and vulnerability that feels deeply personal.
The Family Album and Beyond
In 2016, Jill teamed up with her brother Matthew Barber for The Family Album, a heartfelt collection of duets that explored themes of kinship and memory. It was a reminder that music, for Barber, is both a personal and communal experience.
Her songs have also found their way into pop culture, appearing in shows like Orange Is the New Black, further cementing her place as a versatile and resonant artist.
Final Notes
Jill Barber is more than a voice—she’s a storyteller, a cultural bridge, and a master of reinvention. Whether crooning in French or serenading in English, she invites listeners into a world of romance, nostalgia, and fearless artistry.
I will pursue a series of follow-ups with past contestants on The Voice. The plan is to pick a singer from each season in rotation randomly. This is the first post in the series. I will try to contact each choice and do a quick interview if they are willing. The interview will not include their time on the show. Instead, it will focus on their career since then. It will also cover what is happening now and into the future.
Once again, wish me luck. If there were a contestant you’d like me to contact, send me an email at johnlorieh@gmail.com and I will see what I can do
Have you ever wondered what happened to that voice, the one you liked in season something? Did they continue their careers, or fold their tent and join the labour force? In this series, we will touch on some of the over 1000 contestants that have appeared in this franchise, at least the American version. I hope you find this interesting. I follow independent artists and offer support wherever I can. Most of these artists, who have continued, are basically independents. I found a list on Wikipedia and will use a random number generator to tell me which artist I will follow up with. I will also attempt to make contact and hopefully produce an interview. There should be some interesting conversations.
Shazamed this one in 2015. The song is by Echofusion and was released in 2010. Echofusion is a DJ based in Cyprus. His name is Raffy Gharibian, and he goes by several additional names, Dj Raffi G and Feel Good Vibrations. He has released a few songs and EPs but hasn’t released much recent music. At least not as far as I can tell. The song is definitely electronic dance music, and quite good. Takes a bit of time to take off, but when it does it does.
Born in 1940, Sylvia Tyson (Fricker) is an important part of Canadian music history. Best known as part of the folk due Ian and Sylvia, she continues to perform with the folk group Quartette and has since 1993.
During the Canadian Content days of radio, she and her ex-husband Ian Tyson, were staples on Canadian radio. They likely would have been even without the content rules. The were a very good folk duo from 1959 to 1974, when they split up.
In addition to the duo, they also fronted another Canadian institution, the band Great Speckled Bird. Sylvia is a true Canadian icon. She was inducted into the Order Of Canada in 1994, has 7 Juno nominations (Canada’s Grammys) as a solo artist and was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2003. Additionally, she was included in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as part of the Ian and Sylvia duo in 1992.
I have included 2 videos, Four Strong Winds, (you may think of this as a Neil Young song, it’s not) recorded during a reunion concert in 1986. This has been noted as one of the most influential Canadian songs of all time. The second is a solo by Sylvia, “You Were On My Mind”.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat with The Mighty One’s front man, Tim Steinruck, and a great chat it was.
We started our conversation with a reference to a recent live interview on Kat Power Hits Radio, available at www.thedonpearsestudios.com . In that interview, I noted that I had been intrigued with his musical beginnings in Northern British Columbia. In adding to that I asked whether he had been self taught or did he have a music teacher.
He mentioned that he was totally self taught, except for some piano lessons. He elaborated, saying he basically cheated through his lessons as he was more comfortable learning by ear without wanting to learn the technical side of music. He’d bring his assignments home and have his father play it on the piano. He said he’d watch the keys he played and learned it that way. He always failed the technical exams but passed the performance side of the courses with flying colours.
Moving on, we started talking about how he moved into the world of music. His first band was formed in Fort St. John, B.C.. The band’s name was Black Gold, named after the oil & gas industry that is a major industry in the area. This happened when he was in grade 8. They played songs like The Cars tune “Just What I Needed”. The first song he learned to play on guitar was by Prism, “Take Me To The Captain”.
I then asked a question about something I’d noticed about the band’s name, TheMightyOne. Why no spaces? After a bit of a laugh, he answered with, the name was recently changed to The Mighty One because it was basically unsearchable on Google without the spaces. Good point Tim.
My next question is one I always ask. Who is your favourite musician? This is one I ask for myself (and the reader) as who better to ask that question of than another musician. It can lead you into something you’ve never been into before. He answered with his most influential being Van Halen, citing that he first heard them in school, in his classroom on one of those multiple headphone thingies that were in schools in the past. Eddie blew him away. His favourite musician, Dave Grohl, no argument there. He also mentioned Mammoth WVH, a band formed by Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang. I’ll be checking them out shortly. One thing I did not know was that it was named after his father’s first band.
We carried on and I found out that the best thing about what he does is that he is living a life of purpose. He went on to emphasize the importance of creating a legacy. Everybody has a skill and asked what the legacy is I wanted to leave behind. Very profound, I stopped for a minute as my brain digested what he was saying. I tried relating what he was saying to what we have accomplished, and it left me with some things to think on. I’m sure we need a follow-up just on this point alone.
We then got into what’s coming up for him and the band. It looks like he will be quite busy over the next while. He is participating in the Rise Up tour on Vancouver Island later this month. There will also be a spring tour in the USA and Mexico.
He is touring Norway with Viking Queen.This will be filmed by Norwegian TV and will become a documentary.Interesting story, he hooked up with them through a radio station in New Zealand. The power of the digital world and the opportunities for collaboration it presents are incredible. The Mighty One has also recorded a Christmas song in partnership with Viking Queen. The video of “Christmas In The North” is available to view below.
And to finish up, we talked about The Mighty One’s latest release, “Torch Of Rock And Roll”. A great album, one that has become an earbud mainstay for me. The title track is great and is an autobiographical tune of Tim’s life in music. The video for this is also available below.
