Fly with your Shadow Jeff Robson

This episode is a cautionary tale about how an artist can work hard, have talent and something to say, then just when their career is starting to take off, through no fault of their own, the rug can get pulled out from underneath and they’re back at the beginning, if not questioning whether music is even the right direction.
Mike June has a wealth of music industry experience behind the scenes and on stage. He's toured extensively with Texas songwriting legend Jon Dee Graham and his accomplished and amazing wife Jess Klein.
As he was about to release a masterpiece of an album, Poor Man's Bible, a number of broken promises and missed opportunities, through no fault of his own, set him back and had him questioning whether music was even the right path for him.
But his keen eye, quick wit, insights and informed and experienced opinions kept finding their way into songs that just had to be written, performed, and recorded. He's preparing to make a comeback with an upcoming album, Modern American Folk Music, which will finally come out on August 30.
more info: https://flywithyourshadow.com/mike-june-episode-30/
http://www.mikejune.com/
https://mikejune.bandcamp.com
https://mikejune.substack.com/

Colleen Brown (colleenbrownmusic.com) is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter on a mission - looking for beauty in the darker corners of human existence. With versatile songwriting and a vulnerable authenticity, she weaves elements of folk, roots, Americana, and pop into a sublime, striking blend. She collaborates with Scenic Route to Alaska in rock/pop supergroup Major Love, sometimes tours as a part of Great Lake Swimmers, and is currently on tour with Abigail Lapell.
Catch Colleen in Winnipeg as part of Abigail Lapell's band on April 21! TICKETS
Music credits & info: flywithyourshadow.com

I first got to know Jory Nash over 20 years ago. His albums, songs, and shows, have always been impressive. He’s toured extensively throughout North America, being featured at festivals and concert halls all over Canada and the U.S. In 2009, his album New Blue Day topped the prestigious Penguin Eggs Magazine poll of music critics, artists, and presenters.
He was also the co-founder and for nearly 20 years, the director of a multi-artist tribute to Gordon Lightfoot, called The Way We Feel, which was not only approved by Lightfoot himself, but featured regular appearances by him as well over the years.
With acclaimed albums, regular touring, truly engaging and entertaining shows, and a high-profile tribute show with his name attached to it, somehow, still, Jory was unable to make a living doing what he does best, so a few years ago, he decided to step off the stage and put his music career in the past.
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit Toronto, where I saw a show called Homeward Bound, an Intimate Evening of Simon & Garfukel’s Greatest Hits, and it featured none other than Jory Nash. I knew that Jory was a big fan of Paul Simon, one of his most obvious influences, so it didn’t surprise me to see him on the bill, and it was very obvious that he was back where he belonged, on stage, singing songs and telling stories, even if they weren’t his own. Shortly after, Jory announced that he was planning on giving music another shot by recording a new album and booking some shows again.
I couldn’t wait to catch up with Jory and find out all about his return to music and find out more about the factors that led to him stepping away in the first place.
You can help Jory make a new album by supporting the ongoing crowdfunding campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-jory-nash-make-his-10th-studio-recording
Music Credits:"Ain't Coming Home" is from the album The Many Hats of Jory Nash, available at jorynash.com"Dark Matter" is from the album Wilderness Years, available at jorynash.com"Nine Miles Long" is from the album The Many Hats of Jory Nash, available at jorynash.com"Sister Station" is from the album Wilderness Years, available at jorynash.com
 
More information: https://flywithyourshadow.com/jory-nash-episode-28/

Fly with your Shadow is back after an unexpectedly long absence with a bit of a broader focus to allow for some new guests and different types of conversations!
Channelling pain into beauty, Ken Yates’ fourth album is a breathtaking triumph of the human spirit. The cool-hued Cerulean captures the artist’s intimate reckoning as he grieved his dying mother, giving listeners a vivid window into the rollercoaster of intense thoughts and emotions that accompany such a personal, yet universal experience. The result is a transcendent record that surges with tightly held energy and intimate moments. The listener hears the artist growing in real time, moving towards a space of acceptance and peace as he himself moved to the country, began therapy, and wrote the songs he needed to hear.
Cerulean may be born from grief, but it is not musically grieving: its surefooted and softly radiant arrangements shine with the quiet hope of a soul put through the wringer. “This is the first time that I’ve made a record where I feel like the songs were going to be written whether I wanted to release an album or not,” Yates explains. “I was writing because I needed to. I never would have described songwriting as a cathartic process in the past; it was just something I liked to do.” (from the bio by Mitch Mosk)
Music Credits:
“The Big One” is from the album Cerulean, which is available on Bandcamp.
“Honest Light” is from the album Cerulean, which is available on Bandcamp.

Melanie Brulée is a bilingual singer/songwriter originally from Cornwall, Ontario. She spent much of her 20s living in Australia, where she first picked up a guitar and developed an interest in singing and songwriting.
She came back to Canada and quickly established herself on stages and at festivals across Canada and in the United States. She’s got two full-length albums out, a French-language album called Débridée, which came out in 2015, and an English language album, Fires, Floods, and Things We Leave Behind, which came out in 2018.
As you’ll hear in our interview, after some intense touring and hard work promoting that album, Melanie found herself burned out and questioning the direction she was headed in.
A step away from music allowed her to focus on other areas of interest, including mental illness and mental health, which took on new importance for her after she learned, long after the fact, that her estranged father had taken his own life. This led her to learn more about mental illness and deal with mental health issues of her own.
In conjunction with Mental Illness Awareness Week 2020, Melanie organized a series of conversations about mental health on Instagram Live and released a powerful song and video called “The Mess,” which is a take on an all-too-familiar inner struggle: a showdown between Anxiety and Depression, each fighting for power over its host, leaving THE MESS in the wake.
This year, she released another powerful song and video relating to the topic, this time in French, called “Crier.”
More information, videos, and music credits: https://wp.me/pdcjXL-83

Today’s show features a story of trauma that is really difficult to hear. This might be the most intensely emotional episode of this show so far, and it’s one that many listeners might find difficult and disturbing. It is a story about a young boy who was sexually abused by a Catholic priest and the devastating effects that it had on the boy and his family. If these topics might be difficult for you, or you have a strong attachment to the Catholic church, this might not be the episode for you.
This story came to light in a powerful new song and video by Madison Violet (madisonviolet.com) Brenley MacEachern's brother Stevie. On September 22, 2021, Brenley posted on social media:
Fifteen years ago today, my brother Stevie was strangled to death in a stairwell, between the 12th and 14th floor of an apartment building on Alexander Street in Toronto. Of course, that was just a small part of the string of bad luck following Stevie around; unlucky 13 on the last day of his life just summed it all up, I suppose. …
It’s been so hard and anxiety-inducing to decide to share Stevie’s story. This video has only been out in the world for a day so far. Already the support and the stories messaged to us have strengthened my conviction that telling the truth and ending the stigmas around abuse, can help set us free.
The effect that the abuse had on Stevie led to his life unravelling and spiralling out of control, and leading to his murder. Although Stevie is the one who suffered through the abuse, his loving family members suffered a different kind of trauma, watching a beloved family member struggle so visibly. Rightly, Brenly is emotional telling this story. She also carries and conveys a lot of anger towards the perpetrator and an organization that seems rife with such stories.
Again, this episode, especially the second half, may not be for everyone. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, there are many mental health professionals that may be able to help. There are links to many great organizations on the Mental Health Resources page of flywithyourshadow.com.
music credits and more info: https://wp.me/pdcjXL-7R