Fred Eaglesmith at The Glee

Canadian alt. country singer­songwriter brings his Travelling Steam Show to Glee

The heart of rock and roll is alive and well with Fred Eaglesmith’s 20th album, Tambourine. Fusing together all of Fred’s past influences, the result is pure rock ‘n ‘roll reminiscent of 1966.

Eaglesmith is a veteran of the music industry and at the same time is about as far away from actually participating in today’s music industry as one could be. Tambourine was recorded live off the floor using an eight-track analogue console capturing the entire band playing together in the same room.

“When I put the songs together for Tambourine, I was thinking about the days when there were five push buttons on an automobile radio,” Eaglesmith explains. “Everyone was listening to AM stations and, at any given time, one of those five buttons was playing a song worth listening to. The album is a walk through the garden of rock ‘n’ roll. The music’s roots are firmly dug in the mid­to­late 60s. The primary essence is 1966 – the year that gave us Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde and Question Mark & the Mysterians.”

Eaglesmith, a songwriter’s songwriter, has a depth that is informed by miles of experience as a true road dog. Fred is not only the star of show but also the bus driver and chief mechanic while on tour.

Touring is not something he does some of the time or only in support of a new record. Touring is his life and The Fred Eaglesmith Travelling Steam Show is one of the last full time travelling shows today.

Their itinerary added up to more than 270 days on the road. The Los Angeles Times, in a live review, noted: “Eaglesmith snarled out lyrics that underscore his overriding attitude that music and musicians ought to be cherished in the here­and­now and valued for the quality of their art, not the size of their bank accounts or TV ratings.”

Eaglesmith’s songwriting has also earned him multiple International awards and his songs have been covered by some of the biggest names in Nashville including Toby Keith, Alan Jackson and Miranda Lambert.

His music has been featured in films and television scores including those of True Blood and Grimm.