Todd Stewart records solo album in between new Northern Beauties album

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Calgary musician Todd Stewart is known for being part of roots duo The Northern Beauties and roots rock act Brocade, but he returns to Lethbridge, March 23 to play the Owl Acoustic Lounge with The Dudes’ Danny Vacon in support of his debut Solo Ep“ Everything you Want.”Todd Stewart plays a solo show with Danny Vacon this week. Photo submitted
““These songs are a little more personal and they didn’t quite fit in with the Northern Beauties,” Stewart said, noting he recorded it almost simultaneously with the new Northern Beauties long awaited new Cd, which they plan to release in September.


“It’s been two years sing the Northern Beauties first album. so I hope people will respond to it,” he said.
“The new Northern Beauties album is done, it’s in the can, but then we started writing more songs,” he said, adding while waiting for the release, booking tours and planning PR, he decided to work on his own project including playing a few Southern Alberta dates including at the Twin Butte Store, March 24 in addition to the Lethbridge show and in Calgary at the Ironwood on March 31.


Stewart’s solo CD features a lot of  steel guitar.
“That was a a lot of fun. I felt this style of writing required  some pedal steel guitar. It’s something I always wanted to learn how to play, with all of those long sustaining notes. It’s such a beautiful instrument. but I haven’t had the time to learn how to play it yet ,“ he said, adding he got old friend Matt Kelly to play steel guitar on it. He has known Kelly going all the way back to his days with Brocade.
“There’s still not a lot of pedal steel guitar players in Calgary. Back in 2013 Charlie Hase was the guy to go to ,” he observed, adding there is more interest in steel guitar.

He noted his family inspired most of the lyrics on the new CD.

 

“A lot of it is about being a family man. ‘Kerry Anne’ is my wife’s name, so it’s a song about her. ‘Out of My Mind,’ is about falling in love,” he said, adding there are also more serious moments on the Cd including  a song about his brother in law who passed away.


Danny Vacon will be joining Stewart for the Twin butte and Lethbridge shows.
 
“I love playing with Danny. he’s such a free spirit,” he said adding each of them will be playing their own sets.


“It will just be me and my guitar. just playing my solo songs. It’s so much fun,” he said, adding he is also looking forward to playing with Craig Aikman in Northern Beauties.


“These are just different  projects. There are no restrictions with Craig,” he said adding they sing superb harmonies together and form the core of the Northern Beauties.


“We’re a five piece band so it is difficult to co-ordinate everyone’s schedules. Craig and I play together a lot as a duo. We went to Europe and we started getting more requests to perform as a duo, though we really pushed for the full band,” he said.
“We recorded most of it live with no processed guitar and next to no edits,” he said of the Northern Beauties CD.

 Todd Stewart and Danny Vacon play the Owl Acoustic Lounge, March 23. Admission is by donation.

— By Richard Amery, L.A.Beat Editor
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