2024 Wrap up & big news!
I can't believe 2024 is wrapping up. Wow what a year...
I'm reflecting back on everything that has been happening this year and it's a lot. Personally, professionally, culturally, politically. It's hard to even take in.
I'm going to stick to my own personal and professional world in this note, otherwise it will be epic and unreadable. LOL!
To start with, thanks to everyone who reached out with kind words for the hard year we had with my mother. Judy is back to her old self in a lot of ways, though dementia is certainly on a steady path. She had a lot of falls, injuries and set backs but since moving into Community Care she has had a lot of time to recover.
So thank you for your support, I needed it, and I felt your love.
Being there for my mom has been a beautiful honour and gift, although it has meant that music was sort of pushed to the side. Especially creating new art. But that is changing right now!
As I mentioned before, I'm working on some videos of songs to put out there, but I'm also working on a side project with Lucy Farrell. It's been a very fun project to work on so far and we will be releasing it sometime in the spring - ahead of our month long UK tour in May. Watch for dates as we release them!
Here's a sneak peak photo of us:
I'm still working on my solo project, but that is taking a back seat for now. Still. I wish I could share with you some of the early recordings we made with the band live off the floor. They are pretty exciting.
The biggest news is that I have finished the first draft of my book! Some of you know I've been working on this biography of my father, Gene MacLellan, for a few years now, and in collaboration with Bob Mersereau who has been working on the same book for over ten years. My dad was a tricky fellow, no one really knew him through his whole life, not even his sister, so it's been a challenge on the research end, and tying up all the pieces. Writing on the last days of his life has been incredibly hard. I can say now that we know his life story very well, there are so many ups and downs. His story is sweet, sad, unbelievable. I can't wait to share it with the world.
But anyone who's written a book before knows there are many steps between first draft and published book.
There is still lots to do.
Next year is looking full of tours and shows. I am looking forward to heading West for January / February. Then over to Ontario in March / April, and the UK in May.
These days promoting shows is harder than ever. Algorithms, lack of independent radio stations and newspapers... lots of reasons that I don't need to go into. BUT! There is one tried and true way of getting people out to shows - and that is word of mouth.
So if you see a date below that you think a friend might want to go to, please share.
And please buy tickets early.
Here is a list of all dates that have been announced so far:
BC and Alberta:
Jan 24 Fri
Old Church Theatre @ 7:30 p.m.
Courtenay, BC, Canada
Jan 25 Sat
Mary Winspear Centre @ 7:30 p.m.
Sidney, BC, Canada
Jan 27 Mon
The Rogue Folk Club @ 8:00 p.m.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Jan 29 Wed
The Dream Cafe @ 8:00 p.m.
Penticton, BC, Canada
Jan 30 Thu
Song Sparrow Hall @ 7:30 p.m.
Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
Feb 1 Sat
Saturday Night Special Folk Club @ 8:00 p.m.
South Calgary, AB, Canada
Feb 4 Tue
artsPlace Canmore @ 7:30 p.m.
Canmore, AB, Canada
Feb 5 Wed
The Velvet Olive Lounge @ 7:30 p.m.
Red Deer, AB, Canada
Feb 6 Thu
Empress Theatre @ 7:30 p.m.
Fort Macleod, AB, Canada
Feb 7 Fri
Southwood United Church @ 7:30 p.m.
Calgary, AB, Canada
Feb 8 Sat
Parkview Community League @ 8:00 p.m.
Edmonton, AB, Canada
ONTARIO with Jimmy Rankin and J.P. Cormier:
Mar 18 Tue
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Mar 19 Wed
North Bay, ON, Canada
Mar 20 Thu
Oakville, ON, Canada
Mar 21 Fri
Brantford, ON, Canada
Mar 22 Sat
Highgate, ON, Canada
SOLO shows in Ontario:
Apr 3 Thu
Catherine MacLellan @ The Red Bird, OTTAWA @ 8:00 p.m.
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Apr 5 Sat
Catherine MacLellan @ Emmanuel United Church, Waterloo ON @ 7:30 p.m.
Waterloo, ON, Canada
Apr 6 Sun
Catherine MacLellan @ Victoria Jubilee Hall - Walkerton ON @ 2:00 p.m.
Walkerton, ON, Canada
Thank you once again for your continued support. I've been at this for over 20 years and it has been an incredible journey. I couldn't do it without the amazing grassroots community of song lovers that you all are.
I hope you have a beautiful end to your year... and I hope to share many more creative endeavours with you in 2025.
xoxo
Catherine
