BIO

Fines' Solar Powered Too is nominated for 2021 Juno Awards "Best Blues Album"

 

Canadian roots music vet Rick Fines has had a long and storied career as one of the country’s hardest working musicians. He has toured across Canada countless times solo, as a duo or with a full band and has recorded over 14 albums and has been a guest on many others. Steeped in roots music, Rick Fines crafts a unique blend of warm-hearted blues, juke joint folk, and dockside soul that both embraces and defies the genres that influence him. As a veteran of the North American blues and folk circuits, he engages audiences with captivating songs, diverse guitar styling and his signature vocal growl. Rick’s career has seen him working in stellar collaboration and as a successful solo act.  First gaining attention as part of the legendary Jackson Delta, he’s since released eight albums, including one with long-time collaborator, Suzie Vinnick.  

 

On Fines’ newest release, the Juno-nominated Solar Powered Too, the bulk of the songs were recorded in a little gazebo in the North Kawartha woods, with solar power. You can hear the crickets and cicadas if you listen carefully. 

 

“After spending a lot of my time playing on my National Steel, I knew I wanted to make another album for guitar and voice, only this time it would be mostly slide guitar on a steel bodied guitar”, says Fines. “I decided I wanted to return to my little cabin in the Kawartha Highlands and record again with the modest solar powered setup there - two panels and 4 golf cart batteries.”The seclusion of the recording process has paid off immensely – bringing to life the honesty of his lyrics and accessibility of his music. 

 

With 11 originals and co-writes, and one cover of a Jesse Winchester song (That’s What Makes You Strong), Solar Powered Too is a powerful release, ripe with vivid images of sorrow, optimism, and the complexities of life. Featuring appearances from other respected Canadian artists such as Alec Fraser, Gary Craig, Roly Platt, Melissa Payne, Jimmy Bowskill, Rob Phillips, Suzie Vinnick, Stacie Tabb, Sherie Marshall and Samantha Martin, Solar Powered Too is Rick Fines’ most accomplished album to date. “Releasing an album during a pandemic, when all my gigs are cancelled is a little strange“, he says. “But this album was made with the help of my friends and it carries that strength on its journey.”

 

Solar Powered Too Track List 1.  Below The Surface – Rick Fines 4:09 2.  Live Forever – Rick Fines, P.J. Thomas 3:55 3.  Worry Be The Death Of Me – Rick Fines, Grainne Ryan 3:51 4.  Laundry On The Line – Rick Fines 2:59 5.  That’s What Makes You Strong – Jesse Winchester 3:37 6.  Fundamental Nature – Rick Fines, P.J. Thomas 3:10 7.  You Only Want Me When You Need Me – Rick Fines, Matt Anderson 3:33 8.  Dark Days – Rick Fines 4:21 9.  Yellow Moon, Indigo Sky – Rick Fines, Grainne Ryan 2:50 10.  One Lone Loon – Rick Fines 3:04 11.  Never Let Go – Rick Fines 3:35 12.  Scared To Dance – Rick Fines, P.J. Thomas 2:43

 

 Discography

2020 - Solar Powered Too
2015 - Rick Fines - Driving home
2012 - Rick Fines - Muskoka Moon -an original compilation
2006 - Rick Fines - Solar Powered
2006 - Rick Fines and Suzie Vinnick – Nothing Halfway
2003 - The Rick Fines Trio – Riley Wants His Life Back
2001 - Rick Fines and Friends – Live at the Harvest
1998 - Rick Fines - Out of the Living Room
1996 - Rob Watson and Jackson Delta Electric Live
1996 - Rick Fines - Arcadia
1995 - Rick Fines -Bootleg
1992 - Jackson Delta - I Was Just Thinking That
1991 - Jackson Delta - Lookin` Back
1989 - Jackson Delta - Acoustic Blues
1988 - Jackson Delta - Delta Sunrise


         ..as a guest… (sample)

2019 - North Star Calling - Leela Gilday

2011 - Suzie Vinnick - Me 'N Mabel
2009 - Jory Nash – New Blue Day                                   
2009 - Marianne Girard - Pirate Days
2006 - Kim Beggs - Wanderer’s Paean

 

 
https://www.facebook.com/RickFines
 

SHORT BIO (100 words)

Rick Fines is an engaging storyteller and songwriter. He has won MapleBlues Awards for Songwriter of the Year and Acoustic Act Of The Year  (twice),  won first place in the blues category of 2003 International Songwriting Competition, with B.B. King one of the judges, received nominations from both the Juno and the Handy Awards, played for legendary blues piano player Pinetop Perkins. Rick toured from Newfoundland to B.C. to the Arctic last year alone. 
Rick has just released "Solar Powered Too" - A stunning collection of songs; stories sung in Fines' richly textured voice, a voyage through blues and folk guitar styles.

REVIEWS


"the songs have Fines' relaxed warmth, highlighted by his storyteller vocals and guitar ease... I like the mix of solo and accompanied tracks, and as always with Fines, the overall top quality of singing, writing and playing." Bob Mersereau, Top 100, Read the full review at:

https://top100canadianblog.blogspot.com/2020/10/music-review-of-day-rick-fines-solar.html

“Solar Powered Too epitomizes what roots music is all about, raw, down to earth and coming straight from the heart. Rick Fines has captured the pure essence of blues, folk and soul and produced a collection of poetic and enigmatic tunes that weave together passions and emotions and delivered in a listenable and effortless style. The instrumentation is masterfully played with a freshness and vitality that is totally engaging.” Blues and Roots Music Blog

"A disc with verve as deep as it is jubilant."  Paris-move.com

"A well-balanced, unhurried album of folk and blues sounds. Strongly recommended." Fervor Coulee

"The Canadian roots vet makes ...a record for the ages.  Killer stuff throughout.” Midwest Record

“... the classic blues guitar picking and authentic-sounding vocals of Rick Fines were the sweetener. Harking back to the Blues ancients and using their music to inform his own, Fines was the classic unknown who whets the appetite - and an early opportunity to hear more would be welcome.”
Rob Adams –The Herald, Glasgow Scotland

“ A gorgeous picker with a down-home voice and attitude, even Fines’ blues can lift your spirits.” - Norm Provencher, The Ottawa Citizen

"A musician from the "Great White North" won the hearts of the festival audience, taking home a check for $1,000 as winner of the competition.Rick Fines of Peterborough, Ontario, won the top prize with his unique guitar styling, sly tongue-in-cheek humor and a distinctive voice, described by audience members as "a mix of Leon Redbone and Randy Newman." – Angie Long, Greenville Advocate, Alabama
 

photo: James Dean

photo: Wayne Eardley

PROMO SHOTS

photo: E. Basciano