MORRISBURG – For over 40 years, Canadian alternative folk-country-rock group, The Cowboy Junkies have captivated audiences with introspective and timeless music that has continued to evolve throughout their long career.
The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 with siblings Michael Timmins (guitar), Margo Timmins (vocals), and Peter Timmins (drums), and Alan Anton (bass). Touring briefly in Ontario before travelling to the United Kingdom in March, the Cowboy Junkies will play to a sold-out house at the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage this Thursday (February 5) in Morrisburg.
The Leader spoke with guitarist Michael Timmins about the group’s 40 years of success, their recent travels, and what the secret is behind their continued evolution and growing in their craft.
“The boring answer, the most boring answer I have is the true one, communication,” said Timmins about how the group has stayed together for over 40 years. “Communication, and that’s not just keeping bands together but any kind of relationship together. When we have issues, we talk about it. When something isn’t working for us, we try to figure out ways of making it work for that person and everybody else. It’s just a matter of constantly evolving, changing, talking, and figuring out what works and what doesn’t.”
Looking at Thursday’s concert in the Upper Canada Playhouse, Timmins said the group is not performing a greatest hits tour.
“We’re always introducing new material into our repertoire,” he explained, adding they are still playing some songs off their most recent album from their 2023 album Such Ferocious Beauty. The group has been working on some new material for a new album, which they may also play.
“And then, you know, lots of old stuff,” Timmins said. “But that’s normal you know. Whether it’s 40 years, or 30 years, or 20 years, you’re always digging into your catalogue.”
Having a wide and evolving career has given the Cowboy Junkies a deep catalogue to draw from, including 16 studio releases and another 13 live or compilation recordings. The group’s breakout release, The Trinity Session, was issued in 1988. Timmins said the group understood there were many different reasons concertgoers are there.
“A lot of people are there for the Trinity Session, or that how they found the band,” he said. “Or maybe they came in during the Lay It Down era. So we try to cover as much of the catalogue as we can.”
Introducing new music is as much about keeping themselves and others interested.
“We don’t want to be nostalgic, that’s very important to us.”
As a group that has been together now for over 40 years, the Cowboy Junkies have stayed relevant through their songwriting, not by following trends.
“I’ve always been interested, certainly lyrically, in songs that deal with things that aren’t necessarily of the moment. How people relate to each other, how people relate to society and how society relates to them. Those don’t really change no matter the swirl that’s going on around us. It’s always the same, that’s sort of what we’ve always focused on.”
As far as the music goes, they like a certain vibe the four of them create. They’ve never chased using “the latest gimmick in the industry.”
“There’s a lo-fi vibe to what we do for sure.”
Timmins said he was looking forward to performing at a more intimate venue such as what the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage offers.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he said of smaller shows. For Timmins, regardless of the size of a concert, the performance is all about connection.
“You want to be able to walk out like, ‘I really enjoyed myself. That was a great night.’ And for us, I think the way that happens is if we, the band, and the audience connect, there is that energy transference between an audience and a band – back and forth – and you get that sort of thing happening, that’s what music’s all about. That’s what you want music to do; that’s what I want music to do when I hear it.”
Touring has been a big part of the Cowboy Junkies’ success and longevity as a group. Timmins said the feeling of being in front of an audience is like no other.
“Whether it be 300 people or 2,000, it’s amazing. You feel like you’re doing your little part in this world. That’s important, that’s what energizes us.”
The February 5 Cowboy Junkies performance marks the halfway point in the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage’s season. While this show is sold out, tickets for upcoming concerts, including roots and blues singer Ndidi O (March 7), jazz-fueled folk singer Kaia Kater (April 11), and roots artist Morgan Toney (May 2) are still available.
St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage performances are sponsored in part by municipal and tourism funding from South Dundas and SDG Counties.
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