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Multi-instrumental talent Jim Byrnes is a legitimate blues music hero in Canada, but he remains, sadly, unknown and underrated in the United States. Hopefully My Walking Stick will earn Byrnes the stateside respect that he deserves. A follow-up to his award-winning 2006 album House of Refuge (recipient of a "Blues Album of the Year" Juno Award as well as an "Album of the Year" award from the Maple Blues Awards), the new album features Byrnes' trademark mix of blues, roots-rock, and 1960s-era R&B, with a touch of gospel thrown in for good measure. There's a thriving blues music scene north of the Canadian border, and Byrnes is one of the best bluesmen they have to offer.