Folk

Westminster Park is a husband and wife fronted folk group based out of London, Ontario. Colleen & Steve Murphy's sound is known for being sophisticated, combining pop accessibility with experimental arrangements and exploring themes of relationships, loss, hopefulness, politics and, romance.  Live performances showcase their harmonies over Steve's unique classical guitar tunings and phrasing. The couple have been joined by a rotating group of friends and family for each release of their ethereal indie pop and folk style. The group is set to release their 7th full length album "Round Trip" later this year.

TUNES@NOON at The Aeolian is supported with thanks to The Paul Seed Fund through London Community Foundation and is a London UNESCO City of Music project.

Featuring a blend of acoustic instruments, rural soundscapes, and wistful vocals, Great Lake Swimmers are a critically acclaimed indie-folk group led by Tony Dekker. Based in Southern Ontario, the group emerged in the early 2000s with a succession of heavily atmospheric albums recorded in old silos and rural country churches. The music developed in that pastoral warmth, performed and recorded in acoustically resonant and historical locales with a revolving cast of personnel. They are renowned for homespun folk and lush, intimate Americana in their live shows. 

Their newest album, Caught Light, out Oct 10, 2025, is their most immediate and instinctive album to date. Recorded in just five days in Ontario’s Ganaraska Forest with producer Darcy Yates (Bahamas) and engineer Jimmy Bowskill (Blue Rodeo), it draws warmth from early ’70s folk-pop while embracing a new spontaneity and directness in Dekker’s songwriting. 

Great Lake Swimmers have been shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize and nominated twice for Canada’s Juno Awards, with the CBC calling them “a national treasure.” 

“A stunning variety of tones and textures… nothing less than both cerebral and sublime” – American Songwriter, 4/5 

“It floats from country to folk to indie rock and back again… a sharp-toothed but achingly beautiful portrait of the natural world and the human condition.” – New Noise Magazine

“Dekker’s preoccupation with the Canadian state of mind flourishes in his lyrics. Few songwriters are able to convey the country’s harsh beauty as well. …Canadian folk tradition personified in the 21st century” – Exclaim!

Tom Wilson | TEHÅHÀHAKE

Tom Wilson is a Canadian musician, author and visual artist. Wilson’s memoir, Beautiful Scars published by Penguin/Random House has become a national bestseller. The memoir has been adapted into a TVO Original documentary (directed by Shane Belcourt). More recently, Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius completed a successful run of Beautiful Scars, the musical adapted to the stage in collaboration with actor /writer Shaun Smyth. Exposing incredible truths about Wilson’s biological family and Indigenous heritage, Beautiful Scars delves into the singer-songwriter’s lifetime quest to find himself and ultimately uncover his true identity as a Mohawk man.

“Over the course of discovering my true identity, the intention of my writing, my music and my art is to reduce the gap between my indigenous culture and colonialists to make a more patient, loving community. ” – Tom Wilson

Tom Wilson's extensive career and tireless efforts as a musician has bestowed upon him numerous nominations and awards from the Hamilton Music Awards to the Polaris Prize to the Juno Awards, including certified gold and platinum records. His songwriting has seen his works recorded by and with artists such as; Sarah McLachlan, City and Colour, Jason Isbell, Colin James, Lucinda Williams, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mavis Staples, The Rankin Family, as well as his own bands Junkhouse, the Canadian treasure: Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and the Clinton Street collective: Lee Harvey Osmond band awarded a 2020 Juno Award for the album “Mohawk”.

After the success of his exhibit at the Art Gallery of Burlington Beautiful Scars: Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs, Tom’s paintings are now on display in various galleries across Canada, including successful shows at Toronto’s Cultural Goods Gallery and Tom Beckett Fine Art in Hamilton. His powerful installation piece Fading Memories of Home explores the systemic erasure of Indigenous culture in residential schools. Portrayinga colonial classroom, the exhibit includes nine rebuilt residential school desks with photographs of children’s families inside. As you move further in the rows, the images disappear representing the loss of identities, family, culture, and language.

In January 2024, New Brunswick book publishers, Goose Lane Editions released the Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs The Art Of Tom Wilson Tehoháhake.

In 2020, Tom established the Tom Wilson Indigenous Bursary in Honour of Bunny Wilson at McMaster University, supporting year one indigenous students from Ontario secondary schools completing an undergraduate program in any faculty.

Wilson was appointed as a Companion of the Order of Canada in June 2023, with this citation:

For his multifaceted contributions to the arts in Canada, notably as an iconic musician, as well as for his advocacy of Indigenous communities in Canada.

Through his melodies, paintings, and words, Wilson invokes ancestral wisdom while addressing pressing issues of our time. His artistry serves as a bridge between past and present, inviting reflection and dialogue on the complexities of Indigenous identity and resilience.

THOMAS CUNNINGHAM WILSON was born June 9th, 1959 in Hamilton Ontario. He was raised in Hamilton by his adoptive parents, Bunny and George Wilson. In December 2021, Tom was officially added to the KAHNAWÀ:KE KANIEN'KEHÁ:KA REGISTRY as per KANIEN'KEHÁ:KA OF KAHNAWÀ:KE LAW.

Multiple Award-winning singer/songwriter and producer, Sarah MacDougall, is known for her poetic songs and passionate performances. Sarah mixes folk, pop, and rock elements into her infectious, often epic songs. Born in Sweden, now based in Canada, Swedish magazine Nöjesguiden declared her: “one of Sweden’s best singer/songwriters' and Rootstime Belgium described her as 'One of the greatest talents of our era”. Sarah has played festivals such as Iceland Airwaves, Edmonton Folk Festival, Reeperbahn, and has shared the stage with artists such as Bruce Cockburn, Tallest Man on Earth, Buffy St. Marie, Passenger, and more. Her most recent release, ‘All The Hours I Have Left To Tell You Anything’ is a record about strength, identity, death, the breakdown of relationships, birth, and the ghosts we honor and carry throughout. It was written during the death of her grandparents, the birth of her niece, and a break-up. The nine songs are also influenced by the places that made her and changed her: the dark beauty of Scandinavia the vastness of the Canadian North. Sarah is working on new music, with a new single ‘Blanket Skies’, set to be released in October 2025.

TUNES@NOON at the Aeolian is supported with thanks to The Paul Seed Fund through London Community Foundation and is a London UNESCO City of Music project.

In 2003, Tom Dunphy and his wife, Tara, founded The Rizdales to express their appreciation for classic country music. The band quickly established itself as one of Canada’s leading roots music groups, releasing seven critically acclaimed albums, including their latest, 2018’s Lucky Enough. The Rizdales also collaborated regularly with Wanda Jackson, the Queen of Rockabilly, serving as her backing band during her Canadian appearances. Currently, as Tara Dunphy continues to perform with her Celtic-inspired ensemble Maggie’s Wake, Tom Dunphy has embarked on a solo career with his recently released debut album Everything Was New. While this new work maintains elements of his foundational influences, it also demonstrates a willingness to experiment outside of the parameters typically found in The Rizdales’ releases. Everything Was New showcases Tom Dunphy’s evolving artistry and commitment to reaching audiences both within Canada and internationally who appreciate classic country music.

TUNES@NOON at the Aeolian is supported with thanks to The Paul Seed Fund through London Community Foundation and is a London UNESCO City of Music project.

Don Ross has just released a new solo album, WATER. It is his 18th solo album, and his 21st including collaborations. For this new recording, Don decided to launch a Kickstarter fundraising campaign and do the release 100% independently. The album features collaborations with legendary guitarist/songwriter Bruce Cockburn, fretless bass wizard Michael Manring, Washington State-based guitarist/composer Sean Hall, singer/guitarist Brooke Miller, Prince Edward Island-based quintet The Atlantic String Machine, and even one piece with the 70-piece City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

Don Ross was born and raised in Montreal and has lived in various parts of Canada over the course of his life. The son of a Mi’kmaw Indigenous mother and a Scottish immigrant father, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music) degree from Toronto’s York University and started working full-time as a musician in 1988. That year he won the US National Fingerpick Guitar Championship for the first time.

Don has released solo CDs with a multitude of labels, including Duke Street Records, Sony Music/Columbia Records, Narada Records and CandyRat Records.

In addition, Don has released three other albums independently, Live in Your Head (2006), Any Colour (2009) and Don Ross Louder Than Usual (2019). Over the course of that time, Don’s touring base has gone on to include trips to Australia, India, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, and a dozen European countries.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Don went back to university, completing a Master of Arts degree in Orchestration through the University of Chichester (UK) and graduating in early 2021. He immediately started working extensively in the world of scoring orchestral and electronic music for video games, films and television.

In addition to his solo performances and recordings, Don also heads his quartet Don Ross Louder Than Usual, which focuses on his more jazz-leaning repertoire.

In 2021, Don won the prestigious Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts, administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Don currently lives in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Julie Malia (AKA Jule Malischke) is a highly talented guitarist, singer and songwriter who has made a name for herself in recent years with great compositions and impressive festival appearances. Originally from Swabia in southern Germany, she also works as a lecturer at the Carl Maria von Weber Music University in Dresden, Germany.

Julie is one of the most sought-after soloists on the European acoustic scene. Her repertoire covers an impressively broad musical spectrum – from self-penned heartfelt songs, very original song-cover arrangements, and diverse virtuoso styles on the classical guitar through to modern fingerstyle arrangements. There are few musicians who can boast such mastery of all these related but very different genres.

​Julie is known for her vibrant personality, great sense of humour, her wonderful voice and the virtuosity of her guitar playing. She has captivated audiences across Europe in her appearances at many of the most important festivals.

Julie recently released her new CD, Seagull, featuring her original songs and her stunning guitar playing. The recording was nominated for the prestigious German Record Critics’ Prize (Preis der deutchen Schallplattenkritik) in July 2024.

For four decades, Cape Breton-based family group the Barra MacNeils have been thrilling audiences of all ages, near and far, with their sparkling repertoire, vocals, instrumental prowess and vibrant showmanship.

The MacNeil siblings are widely regarded as one of the greatest live concert acts in the Celtic world. Hailing from Sydney Mines, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the family group is deeply rooted in Celtic music, culture, dance, language and history. Their numerous critically acclaimed recordings have included their own original songs as well as tried and true standards, both instrumental and vocal.

Their live concert experience brings so much more to the stage than most live acts ever can. Multiple lead vocalists, beautiful sibling harmonies, top drawer instrumental prowess on a wide variety of acoustic, stringed, percussion and wind instruments blended with dancing, storytelling, Gaelic songs and a journey through an ancient culture; it is family entertainment at its highest level.

Steeped in Cape Breton tradition with strong Celtic roots and musical artistry, this diverse and talented family group continues to wow audiences around the world with their captivating vocals, harmonies and extraordinary musicianship.

Lennie Gallant, an acclaimed East Coast songwriter with sixteen albums and numerous awards, returns with Shelter From the Storms, his first English album in seven years. The album reflects on the turbulent times we live in while celebrating the human ability to navigate through hardship with community, love and laughter.

Gallant’s iconic song Peter’s Dream was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and one of his albums even traveled aboard the International Space Station, orbiting Earth 248 times—which Gallant jokes finally gave him “high rotation worldwide!” He has shared the stage with symphony orchestras and numerous artists, including Jimmy Buffett, who featured him as a guest vocalist and co-writer on his final album.

Lennie also performs with his partner, Patricia Richard, as the Francophone duo Sirène et Matelot. A celebrated humanitarian and storyteller, Gallant was appointed to the Order of Canada, where he was honored for songs described as “true slices of life delivered with a poet’s flair and a rugged emotional sensibility.”

Quote the Raven, consisting of Jordan Coaker and Kirsten Rodden-Clarke, have been performing together for over a decade. The pair got their start in the small bars and pubs around St. John's and in the past few years have rapidly grown to a household name around Canada and are steadily growing their clout on an international level. The dynamic duo have a harmonious blend that's incomparable; it's like the blending of two voices into one, while their Americana meets east coast songwriting and stage dynamic are irresistibly charming. With over one million streams across all streaming platforms, it's clear that Quote the Raven has been catching the attention of listeners, and that's apparent from their touring history as well. With one Cross-Canada tour, five Eastern Canadian tours, and two Western Canadian tours under their belts with more to come, the duo has performed at major festivals around the country. Festivals like the Vancouver Island, Vancouver Mission, Canmore, Bear Creek, and Lunenberg Folk Festivals, where they've performed to tens of thousands of attendees. The 2019, 2021, and 2022 MusicNL Group of the Year has had official showcases in the US, including Americanafest, NERFA, and the 2023 Folk Alliance, and has introduced their music to both Trinidad and Tobago, and Germany, with the hopes of continuing that global reach. Their sophomore album, titled Can't Hold the Light, an album that delves into the lives of working musicians, won the 2022 ECMA for Contemporary Roots album of the year and has been nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards. It's clear to see that Quote the Raven is on an upward trajectory with no slowing down in sight.

All Ages Event

7:00pm: Doors

7:30pm: Alex Dolphin

8:30pm: Sam Drysdale

9:30pm: John Fellner

John Fellner, a singer-songwriter from London, Ontario, blends indie folk and R&B to create a sound that’s both nostalgic and contemporary. His music captures the human experience with vulnerability and authenticity, weaving delicate acoustic elements with rhythmic complexity from his production background. Starting his career as a JUNO-nominated producer for top Canadian artists, John found deeper personal resonance when he began writing for himself.

His music, influenced by folk legends and R&B grooves, is emotionally honest, intimate, and expansive. In 2023, he won both the Aeolian Hall songwriting contest and Slaight Music's It's Your Shot Contest. With over 80 million streams as a producer and a growing solo presence, John continues to evolve as an artist, combining his production expertise with soulful expression. His 2025 focus is on sharing his personal journey through music, bridging past and present, heartbreak and healing.