MORRISBURG – Harmony Concerts is set to welcome Juno and three time Canadian Folk Music Awards winner Lynn Miles to Stone Crop Acres.
The show is sold out, but Miles recently took the time for an interview with The Leader.
Miles recently released her 15th album – We’ll Look for Stars.
“Releasing my 15th album feels good,” said Miles. “Just being able to make a life as an artist is an accomplishment I’m proud of.”
Miles had the opportunity last year to sing her songs with the NAC orchestra. “That was definitely a career highlight,” she said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in their own way.
For Miles, she said that early on in this pandemic she was fine with not being able to perform to live audiences. “Because, for me, performing means travel, and I was tired.”
However, “after a couple of months I actually started missing the audiences and even the long drives. I miss getting on a plane and flying somewhere new and singing my songs.”
After five months of not being in front of a live audience, Miles said that getting on stage in front of an audience means more now.
“I’ve always been grateful that I’m able to play my music for audiences. I’ve never taken it for granted. But, of course it means more now because it’s more difficult to find a place to perform, and because we need each other.”
“Art supports people in times of trouble-lets us feel our feelings in a safe and beautiful way.”
So, what does it mean to Miles and other artists to have venues like Harmony Concerts at Stone Crop Acres Winery who have been willing to put in all the extra time and effort to make live concerts possible?
“It means everything,” said Miles. “I know many of us are scrambling to play as many shows as possible before it gets too cold outside. And, the fact that Stone Crop Acres and Harmony Concerts have done everything right, at their own expense, in time and money, to give us a venue that is safe, is a sign of their love of the arts and their love for the community.”
Although Miles launched her most recent album during this ongoing pandemic, it has been quite successful.
Her CD has spent three months at the top of the Euro-Americana chart, hitting number one on the charts in August.
Had this been a normal year, she would probably be touring Europe right now. But, because that can’t happen, she is here, much to the good fortune of local audiences.
The album’s title track We’ll Look for Stars has touching lyrics well suited to the current times, but she tells The Leader that the song was written before the pandemic.
Although the song was written before the pandemic, Miles says: “I think there will always be trouble of some kind, whether personal trouble or world-wide trouble, and how we treat each other in personal relationships or community relationships or world relationships should always be the same.”
“The song is about trying to be there for the other person when they are going through something tough.”
Lynn Miles will be performing at Stone Crop Acres September 26th.
Although the show is sold out, Jan Fox of Harmony Concert suggests those still interested in tickets get their names on the wait-list by emailing info@harmonyconcerts.ca.
“Because of COVID restrictions, we cannot exceed capacity,” said Fox, “So, get on the wait-list – first come, first contacted basis.”