Lots of new action! For info on all the new releases, go to the "Store" page.

MARCH 2008

NEW RELEASES:
-Old Man Luedecke's "Proof of Love" is NOW AVAILABLE! Check out some samples on his artist page!
-Steve Dawson's "Waiting For the Lights to Come Up" is stirring up a storm of reviews in the media. Check out the reviews page to read more...
-Paul Humphrey's "A Rumour of Angels" is now available on Black Hen Music. Check it out on our store page..

AWARDS:

- Congratulations to Jenny Whiteley for receiving a SOCAN No. 1 award for "Baby, I"!
- Joey Wright has been nominated for a JUNO for Best Instrumental Album. Congratulations Joey!
- Jim Byrnes has been nominated for 3 Maple Blues Awards! Male Vocalist of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year Congrats Jim!!.

OCTOBER 2007

SEPTEMBER 2007

-The Sojourners "Hold On" made its debut September 11th. Concert listings will be announced soon!

- Black Hen Music has been nominated for LABEL OF THE YEAR at the Western Canadian Music Awards!!!
- Other nominations include: John Wort Hannam who was nominated for both OUTSTANDING SOLO ROOTS RECORDING and for SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR.
-Our very own Steve Dawson has been nominated for PRODUCER OF THE YEAR and Jim Byrnes' "House of Refuge" has once again been nominated for OUTSTANDING BLUES RECORDING OF THE YEAR.
- Kudos to The Deep Dark Woods for being invited to showcase at the WCMAs this year!

Black Hen is pleased to announce it's distribution with Koch Entertainment will now include South America, Mexico, and the Carribbean. Now Black Hen artists will have greater exposure to more and more folks south of the equator. Spread the word! :)

AUGUST 2007

-Shuyler Jansen's "Today's Remains" and The Deep Dark Woods "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me " are available as of August 14th!

A fond farewell, but not forever...

To our cherished artist Linda McRae who will be relocating to Nashville, Tennessee this month. Good Luck to Linda, and we look forward to seeing you back in this neck of the woods very soon!

JUNE 2007

- John Wort Hannam has won the prestigious KERVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL AWARD in Kerville Texas! This award has been given to artists such as TOWNES VANZANDT, STEVE EARLE, and many others!!! Congratulations JOHN!

APRIL 2007

NEW RELEASES:
March 27 - “The Light Fantastic” – Cara Luft AND “Carve It To The Heart” – Linda McRae
April 10 - “Two Bit Suit” – John Wort Hannam

AWARDS:
- Congratulations to Jim Byrnes who was honoured last weekend with the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year for “House of Refuge”, produced by our very own Steve Dawson. This is Jim’s second Juno.
- “House of Refuge” also took home Recording of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards in Toronto in January, and Jim Byrnes was named Male Vocalist of the Year at the same shindig, a rocking good collaboration of Canada’s blues community, hosted by Jim.
- Steve Dawson was also nominated for a Juno Award in the Roots/Traditional Album of the Year - Solo category for his recording "We Belong to the Gold Coast".
- Both Steve and Jim performed at Juno Fest in Saskatoon, and Jim performed with fellow blues nominee David Gogo at the Juno Gala Dinner and Awards on the Saturday night.

EXPANDED DISTRIBUTION:
Black Hen Music is pleased to announce a new distribution deal with Rounder Europe, which will see Black Hen releases distributed throughout Europe and the UK. The first two releases will be Jim Byrnes’ Juno winner, “House of Refuge” and a double CD comprising Jenny Whiteley’s two most recent releases, “Dear” and the Juno-winning “Hopetown”.

PROJECTS:
- Look for a debut album from The Sojourners before the summer. The Vancouver gospel vocal trio comprises Marcus Mosely, Will Sanders and Ron Small, who got together to do the background vocals for Jim Byrnes last year, and are now performing and touring with Jim, as well as on their own.

January 2007

- Some brand new artists and releases to tell you about...
- Joey Wright has just released his Black Hen debut "Jalopy". Joey is an in-demand sideman and composer, not to mention guitar and mandolinist extrodinaire. Joey is a member of Sarah Harmer's and Jenny Whiteley's current bands, and has recorded this instrumental album with Jesse Zubot, Joe Phillips, Steve Dawson and Dan Whiteley. Check it out!
- Some upcoming releases include "The Light Fantastic" by Cara Luft and "Carve it to the Heart" by Linda McRae - look for info on both of these releases next month.
- At the recent Canadian Folk Music Awards, Jim Byrnes picked up "Vocalist of the Year" for his work on "House of Refuge" and Steve Dawson was awarded "Producer of the Year" for the same album.
- Jim Byrnes is not only nominated for 4 awards at this months' Maple Blues Awards, he will also be hosting the award show, being held in Toronto.
- Jenny Whiteley is featured in the current issue of "No Depression" magazine. On newsstands now!

July 2006

- Some brand new artists and releases to tell you about...
- Jim Byrnes and his acoustic band have just released a brand new album of blues and gospel music that has been getting rave international reviews, and lots of airplay. This is Jim's 2nd Black Hen release, a followup to his 2004 album, "Fresh Horses". Go Jim!
- Jenny Whiteley's new album "Dear" is finished and will be released soon. This is the eagerly awaited followup to her 2004 Black Hen release "Hopetown" which was a Juno Award-Winner.
- Our newest artist, Coco Love Alcorn, will be releasing her debut Black Hen CD "Sugar" in September. Produced by Steve Dawson, thie album mixes acoustic pop, R&B, soul and many other influences into an exciting modern sound.
- we are starting to release some records in the UK, with the help of our distributor, Proper Distribution. The first ones out are Steve Dawson's "We Belong to the Gold Coast", as well as both of Jim Byrnes' CD's.
- Our catalog is now up for sale on zunior.com - this site allows you to buy digital-only copies of the entire album, artwork included.

November 2005

- Some brand new artists and releases to tell you about...
- Old Man Luedecke's 2nd CD entitled "Hinterland" to be released January, 2006. It was recorded partly in an evening of beer and music in a cabin in Whistler, BC, and partly in Halifax. The Ol' Man is an amazing songwriter and clawhammer banjo player. He is also quite young.
- The debut solo CD by the amazing David Wall, "The Spell I Was Under" is also to be released January, 2006. David was one of the singers in the legendary Bourbon Tabernacle Choir and his new album is produced by Ken Whiteley.

August 2005

- Black Hen Music signs a new distribution deal with KOCH Canada.
- Steve Dawson's CD "We Belong to the Gold Coast" set for release on September 12th on this website and in stores through KOCH Canada.

May 2005

- Congratulations to Jenny Whiteley on her Juno Award for "Hopetown" as the Roots/Traditional Solo Album of the Year! Stay tuned for another album coming later this year...
- Upcoming releases include Steve Dawson's "We Belong to the Gold Coast" and Andrew Downing/David Tronzo "Velodrome"
- "Velodrome" by Downing/Tronzo is now available on-line only! Go to the "Store" page for info.

February 2005

- Jim Byrnes and Jenny Whiteley are nominated for Juno Awards (Jenny for Roots Album of the Year and Jim for Blues Album of the Year). Stay tuned for the awards in April.

January 2005

- Black Hen Music announces a showcase at the Folk Alliance Festival in Montreal (Feb. 26th). Performers include: Jim Byrnes, Jenny Whiteley, Great Uncles of the Revolution, Shuyler Jansen and Bottleneck
- Jim Byrnes is nominated for 2 Maple Blues Awards (Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year)
- Jim Byrnes and Jenny Whiteley are nominated for Canadian Indie Awards for Blues Album and Folk/Roots Album of the Year!! (Stay tuned for the awards in March)

November 2004

- Shuyler Jansen "Hobotron" is released in Canada - in stores now!!
- Jim Byrnes is nominated for the Maple Blues Awards for Vocalist of the Year, and "Fresh Horses" is nominated for Blues Album of the Year!!

September 2004

The Western Canadian Music Awards are coming soon and the Black Hen Nominees are...
Jim Byrnes "Fresh Horses" - Blues Album of the Year
Great Uncles of the Revolution "Blow the House Down" - Instrumental Album of the Year
Steve Dawson - Producer of the Year for Jim Byrnes's "Fresh Horses"
Chris Tarry "Project 33" - Jazz Album of the Year

The Great Uncles of the Revolution won the Juno Award this year (2004) for "Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year" for their album "Blow the House Down"!!!