Roots

To tell the story of Skydiggers is to tell the story of a thriving musical collaboration that was born in friendship and has abided with trust. Over the course of 15 studio albums and countless miles on the road, Skydiggers have grown from enthusiastic youngsters into husbands, fathers, and mentors. And while band members have changed over the decades, Josh Finlayson and Andy Maize remain its beating heart. With new collaborators bringing their unique musical histories into the circle, the sound of Skydiggers continues to evolve.

Rooted in a deep appreciation for storytelling and melody, their music reflects life’s highs and lows with honesty and heart. Whether on stage or in the studio, Skydiggers create songs that resonate – music made by friends, for friends.

Jim Cuddy has written many of the songs that have become indelible in the soundtrack of Canadian lives. As a solo artist and as one half of the creative core of Blue Rodeo, he has helped define the sound of Canadian music for more than four decades. Since Blue Rodeo’s formation in 1984, their music has resonated across generations, earning both critical acclaim and a devoted national audience.

Over the course of his career, Jim has received nearly every honour Canada can bestow upon a musician, including 15 JUNO Awards. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and, alongside his bandmates, has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. Whether on stage, in the studio, or through his solo work, his songs continue to reflect a deep sense of place, connection, and craft.

ALLISON BROWN loves to sing a great song.  She brings her distinctly tuneful, powerful voice to her endless collection of hand-picked roots music repertoire alongside crafted original songs.  Her vocal elasticity stretches three octaves; she delivers melody with conviction and has a knack for creating perfect harmony spontaneously with other singers.   She provides the framework for her songs with steady, delicate guitar in her signature rhythmic finger-style.  Allison brings her truest personality to the stage in a refreshing conversation with the audience.

International Women's Day 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.

The Steel City Rovers perform dynamic and expressive music that is a unique composite of traditional Celtic music and North American styles including bluegrass, folk and roots. Their original works touch on issues of love, loss, celebration and heritage and they also breathe life into newly-discovered instrumental melodies from as far back as centuries ago. Their sophisticated arrangements are inviting for the most casual listener but are rewarding for those who are well versed in the nuances of musical complexity. The Rovers stand out for their powerful, emotive vocals and engaging entertainment. They perform on meticulously crafted replicas of historical instruments that rarely appear on today’s musical landscape. This highly active touring band headlines large festival stages, gives intimate concert performances, educates in a variety of workshop and master-class settings and performs internationally with symphonies. They create, collaborate and work hard to further the love and awareness of music.

Adrian Sutherland is a roots-rocker-with-heart from Attawapiskat in Ontario’s Far North. His melding of roots, rock, folk, and blues creates a signature sound and style all his own, drawing inspiration from his life, the land, and his Cree language and culture. Twice JUNO nominated, Adrian first book (The Work Of Our Hands) is being released by Penguin Random House Canada. One of the only professional recording artists who lives in a remote fly-in First Nation, Adrian carries first-hand perspective on many important issues. During this time of reconciliation, he is hopeful for Canadians to walk together in love and respect.

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!

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.

Maggie’s Wake is a refreshing and exciting band from Southwestern Ontario, Canada. We are passionate about creating new music that expands on our influences and our sound is a blend of traditional folk and contemporary styles, including jazz, Americana and classic country. Our band members are passionate about bringing the rich history of folk music to life in a contemporary way and we strive to create a unique sound that reflects our heritage while also being wholly original. Our goal is to bring joy and inspiration to our audiences through our music.

The band features the stellar duo of award winning songwriter and multi instrumentalist Tara Dunphy (The Rizdales, Luther Wright and the Wrongs) on lead vocals, harmonizing tin whistle, flute and fiddle and award winning and internationally recognized Lindsay Schindler (Rant Maggie Rant, Trent Severn) as lead instrumentalist on fiddle/violin and harmony vocals. Their powerhouse band includes Andrew Kosty on upright and electric bass, Ken Palmer on acoustic and electric guitar, and frequent guests Dean Harrison on piano and accordion and Stephan Szczesniak on percussion.

In June 2023, Maggie’s Wake was awarded the Forest City London Music Award for best Folk group and shortly afterwards were invited to Folk Alliance International in Kansas City, MO to perform as an Official Showcase Artist. They have been playing sold out theatres and concert halls for the past 18 months, building much anticipation for their debut album, the self titled “Maggie’s Wake”, which was released on March 17, 2024 worldwide to critical acclaim.

Free, fun, and full of emotion, Dizzy & Fay is a songwriting duo featuring pianist Mark Lalama and vocalist Amanda Walther. Their melodies are fresh yet familiar, drawing listeners into their whimsical world with every original composition. With a one-of-a-kind take on the classic jazz sound, Dizzy & Fay deliver 100% original music that is as heartfelt as it is captivating.

Based in Southern Ontario, the duo has released two full-length albums, earning extensive airplay on jazz radio stations across the United States and Canada. Their latest album, Hooked, received glowing praise from Wholenote Magazine, describing the pair as “highly musical tunesmiths and storytellers,” while their 2021 song “I Knew It Was Love” was an official selection at the London Music Video Awards.

Dizzy & Fay’s unique blend of artistry stems from their rich musical backgrounds. Mark Lalama, a songwriter, pianist, and producer from Fenwick, has performed across North America and collaborated with some of Canada’s most renowned jazz artists, including Jackie Richardson, Marc Jordan, Guido Basso, and Molly Johnson.

Amanda Walther, a Juno-nominated singer-songwriter from Toronto, is celebrated for her emotive compositions, including the soundtrack for the LGBTQ+ film Walk With Me, which earned her multiple international awards for Best Composer and Best Soundtrack.

Together, Dizzy & Fay bring fresh energy to every performance, creating music that is timeless, engaging, and brimming with emotion.

A modern indie folk trio from Newfoundland, The Once have collected a trio of Canadian Folk Music Awards, numerous ECMA awards, and was named Artist of the Year by the Newfoundland & Labrador Arts Council. They have earned not one, but two JUNO nominations for Roots Album of the Year and continue to take their music around the world.

With the release of 2024’s Out Here, The Once have delivered a thoughtful and playful assembly of songs mingling their musical roots from Newfoundland along with folk, bluegrass, country, Americana, and modern indie rock. Members Geraldine Hollett, Andrew Dale, and Phil Churchill have created a sound representative of their home province of Newfoundland while pushing the boundaries on the great Canadian songbook with their soothing vocal harmony and acoustically rich core.

Lyrically, The Once’s newest collection of songs encompass an arresting sense of loss with the belief that the good can be found in all people, and a desire to bring it out here for everyone to enjoy. A ray of hope in a confusing time. A port in a storm. A provocation with a grin.

This material is soaked with the poetic charm and sunny sadness of the trio’s collective disposition. Written across Newfoundland and recorded in the band’s GingerBeard House studio the band took their time creating this record. “Sometimes music takes a while to flow”, Geraldine Hollett explains. “If you don’t panic and instead surround yourself with people who love you that you can trust, magic can happen.”