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Maria Dunn
2022 Juno-winning Canadian folk/roots songwriter Maria Dunn releases her 8th independent recording Hardscrabble Hope with a celebration concert.
Musicians performing with Maria for this concert include Hardscrabble Hope producer Shannon Johnson (violin, harmonies) and Jeremiah McDade (saxophone, whistles, guitar, harmonies), both members of Juno Award-winning band The McDades. The ensemble performs Maria’s thought-provoking, hope-mongering songs in rich and varied arrangements with compelling vocals and superb musicianship.
With Hardscrabble Hope, Maria reflects on the past five years and the experiences, both harsh and humorous, of the COVID pandemic (Essential, Accordiona), sustaining friendships (Another Year), the crisis of people in our community experiencing homelessness (Pekiwewin, Pill for a Broken Heart, Leave it All on the Ice), connection and mental health (Reach Out), humility and readiness to change (Walking the Miles, Mister Potter), resilience and gratitude (West Cork Hills), and the ongoing struggle to protect the eastern slopes of Alberta’s stunning Rocky Mountains (Coal is a Thirsty Business).
As with Maria’s 2022 Juno-winning Joyful Banner Blazing, producer Shannon Johnson, Solon McDade and Jeremiah McDade were involved in arranging many of the songs. Other studio musicians include Jeff Bradshaw (steel guitar), Joel Gray (trumpet), Peter Filice (trombone), Dawn Cross (harmony vocals), Dana Wylie (harmony vocals), and Daniel Stadnicki (percussion).
Musical style and instrumentation are in keeping with Maria’s previous albums, including: old-time (fiddle, steel guitar), Celtic (fiddle, whistle, accordion), jazz inflections (trumpet, saxophone) and an a cappella narrative ballad in the folk tradition.
Alberta-based (Amiskwacîwâskahikan/Edmonton) and Scotland-born, Maria tours internationally. A 27-year veteran of the Canadian folk scene, her many accolades, in addition to the 2022 Juno Award (Traditional Roots Album), include nominations for: 2022 Western Canadian Music Awards (Roots), 2017 & 2001 Juno, 2017 Western Canadian Music Awards, 2013 & 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards. In 2016, Maria won the top Edmonton Music Prize for her album Gathering.