The Wanted and Smith & Stam

The Wanted fuse vintage North American folk, blues and country music with rockabilly, bluegrass and rock and roll in a distinctive roots music mash-up. AltCountryForum (Europe’s leading roots music publication) describes the band's performances as: “…full of contagious, raucous, hip swaying music…Simply irresistible!” Tracks from The Wanted CD have aired on CBC Radio 1 and many other roots music programs throughout North America and around the world, and have tallied close to a half-million Spotify streams. The Wanted reconstruct an eclectic mix of vintage songs and infuse their own songwriting with a spirit that is darkly haunting, incisively witty, or just plain fun. This is full-throated, full-throttle entertainment, filled with edgy licks, infectious rhythms and soaring harmonies, combining traditional instrumentation with unique elements such as washboard, bodhran, and acoustic lap steel guitar. There’s a small orchestra of instruments here that a mere five musicians manage to deploy with great skill—forging a fresh sound by finding common ground in diverse material. This is a musical experience that audiences are sure to enjoy.

Nathan Smith & Emilyn Stam

Traditions swirl and intermingle in the music of Toronto-based multi-instrumentalists Nathan Smith and Emilyn Stam. Drawn together by their shared love of québecois fiddle and piano music, Nathan and Emilyn's combined influences and pursuits include bluegrass, old-time, Scandinavian, and Western European traditional music. Their strong vocals, clever songwriting, and unique instrumental magic are an enchantment and a delight to audiences. Both are prolific tune composers with a flair for combining their creative spark with the timeless vitality of traditional songs and tunes.

Originally from Smithers, BC, Emilyn (piano, accordion, fiddle) was mentored by fiddle innovator Oliver Schroer and has toured and recorded extensively in North America and Europe with Eastern European party-punk-super-band The Lemon Bucket Orkestra, Italian accordionist Filipo Gambetta, clarinettist John Williams, and Dutch balfolk band Té. She co-founded Balfolk Toronto, a new movement of social folk dancing in Toronto which hosts weekly drop-in dance evenings with live music. She regularly crosses over into other art forms, collaborating with improvising clowns, theatre groups, contemporary dancers and poets. Emilyn has taught at various fiddle camps across Canada, teaching both her unique piano accompaniment style and fiddle classes in ensemble playing, fiddle composition, Canadian fiddling, and Oliver Schroer tunes.

A North Bay native, Nathan (fiddle, guitar) grew up playing old-time fiddle tunes alongside classical violin. He now plays, sings, and writes for his bluegrass band The Barrel Boys in addition to appearing with show band Leisa Way and The Wayward Wind, Western Swing outfit The Double Cuts, bluegrass dobro master Ivan Rosenberg, and vocal trio The O’Pears. He has taught bluegrass and old-time fiddle at camps across Canada and plays regularly for balfolk and square dancing