Great Lake Swimmers
Encyclopedia
Great Lake Swimmers is a Canadian band built around the melodic folk rock
songs of singer-songwriter
Tony Dekker. Originally from Wainfleet, Ontario
, the band is currently based in Toronto
.
The current touring line-up includes Tony Dekker on lead vocals, acoustic guitar
and harmonica
, Erik Arnesen on banjo
, electric guitar
and harmonium
, Greg Millson on drum
s, Bret Higgins on upright bass and Miranda Mulholland
on violin
and backing vocals. Past members included Julie Fader
, now a solo singer-songwriter, on backing vocals, Sandro Perri
on guitar, and Colin Huebert, now associated with the band Siskiyou
, on drums.
The band's style has been compared to Red House Painters
, Nick Drake
, Iron & Wine
and Neil Young
, as well as Will Oldham
(Bonnie "Prince" Billy) and Sufjan Stevens
. Dekker has said his influences include Gram Parsons
and Hank Williams.
The band released its third full-length album, Ongiara
, on March 27, 2007 in Canada and in May for the rest of the world. Although signing to Nettwerk
early in 2007, Great Lake Swimmers continue to be managed by (weewerk)
. In September 2007, (weewerk) released a limited edition vinyl version of Ongiara. It was available in Australia through native indie label Speak N Spell.
Their fourth album, Lost Channels
, was released on March 31, 2009. It was shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize
, and was nominated for a Juno Award
, in the category of Roots & Traditional Album of the Year – Group, and a Canadian Folk Music Award.
In 2009 Great Lake Swimmers took part in an interactive documentary series called City Sonic
. The series, which featured 20 Toronto artists, had Tony Dekker talk about his daily underground commute along Toronto’s subway system.
In June 2011, the band announced that recording had begun on their fifth studio album, scheduled for release in 2012. A title and release date have not yet been announced.
.
In 2008, Dekker appeared on Jenny Omnichord
's album Charlotte or Otis: Duets for Children, Their Parents and Other People Too, performing a duet vocal on the song "Do You Know Karate".
In 2009 the band released a limited double 7" vinyl splitsingle with the Dutch band Audiotransparent. This release includes a cover of the Elvis Presley
classic "Don't Be Cruel" and the original song "Send Me a Letter". Dekker and Arnesen also appear on the Audiotransparent song "You Are a Movie".
In 2010, the band contributed four tracks to the online music community Swim Drink Fish Music, including live versions of their songs "Your Rocky Spine", "I Could Be Nothing" and "Everything Is Moving So Fast" and a previously unreleased track, "Ballad of a Fisherman's Wife".
The song "Moving Pictures Silent Films" was featured in the August 15, 2011 episode of Warehouse 13
, entitled "Don't Hate the Player."
| 2010 || Great Lake Swimmers || Favourite Folk/Roots Artist/Group ||
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
songs of singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Tony Dekker. Originally from Wainfleet, Ontario
Wainfleet, Ontario
Wainfleet is a rural township in southern Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada.There is a small and growing tourist industry, near and on Lake Erie at the southern area of Wainfleet called Long Beach...
, the band is currently based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
The current touring line-up includes Tony Dekker on lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, Erik Arnesen on banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
, Greg Millson on drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, Bret Higgins on upright bass and Miranda Mulholland
Miranda Mulholland
-Biography:Mulholland is a member of Great Lake Swimmers , Belle Starr and The Rattlesnake Choir as well as the founder and lead singer for the The Roaring Girl Cabaret. She makes select appearances in the violin show Bowfire , and has played fiddle with Jim Cuddy, John Borra and Justin Rutledge,...
on violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and backing vocals. Past members included Julie Fader
Julie Fader
Julie Fader is a Canadian musician, songwriter and visual artist, best known as a keyboard player and backing vocalist for Sarah Harmer, Chad VanGaalen and Great Lake Swimmers...
, now a solo singer-songwriter, on backing vocals, Sandro Perri
Sandro Perri
Sandro Perri is a musician and producer from Toronto, Canada. His music has been called post-rock, electronic, experimental, ambient, folk among others....
on guitar, and Colin Huebert, now associated with the band Siskiyou
Siskiyou (band)
Siskiyou is a Canadian indie folk band, consisting of singer-songwriter Colin Huebert and guitarist Erik Arnesen. Formed to record songs that Huebert wrote after leaving Great Lake Swimmers to work on an organic farm in British Columbia, the band released its self-titled debut album on September 7,...
, on drums.
The band's style has been compared to Red House Painters
Red House Painters
Red House Painters were an alternative rock group formed in 1989 in San Francisco, California by singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek.-History:While in Atlanta, Georgia, Ohio-born Kozelek became friends with Anthony Koutsos, a drummer. He then moved to San Francisco, California, adding guitarist Gorden...
, Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
, Iron & Wine
Iron & Wine
Samuel Beam , better known by his stage and recording name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released four studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a live album...
and Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, as well as Will Oldham
Will Oldham
Will Oldham , better known by the stage name Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music...
(Bonnie "Prince" Billy) and Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
. Dekker has said his influences include Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
and Hank Williams.
The band released its third full-length album, Ongiara
Ongiara
Ongiara is an album by Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers, released on March 27, 2007. The album was released on Nettwerk.The band recorded most of the album in London, Ontario's historic music venue Aeolian Hall with producer Andy Magoffin....
, on March 27, 2007 in Canada and in May for the rest of the world. Although signing to Nettwerk
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
early in 2007, Great Lake Swimmers continue to be managed by (weewerk)
Weewerk
Weewerk, stylized as ', is an independent folk, roots, bluegrass, country record label and artist-management company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 2002 as an art-and-music salon series in the apartment of Teenage USA Recordings partner Phil Klygo and artist-curator Germaine Koh...
. In September 2007, (weewerk) released a limited edition vinyl version of Ongiara. It was available in Australia through native indie label Speak N Spell.
Their fourth album, Lost Channels
Lost Channels
Lost Channels is the fourth studio album by Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers, released on March 31, 2009. It was recorded in the Thousand Islands area near the New York–Ontario border and features several guest appearances by other artists, including Serena Ryder, Bob Egan , Erin Aurich ...
, was released on March 31, 2009. It was shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize
2009 Polaris Music Prize
The 2009 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 21, 2009 in Toronto at the Masonic Temple and broadcast live online for the first time in its short history...
, and was nominated for a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
, in the category of Roots & Traditional Album of the Year – Group, and a Canadian Folk Music Award.
In 2009 Great Lake Swimmers took part in an interactive documentary series called City Sonic
City Sonic
City Sonic is a documentary series about Toronto-based musicians and the places that influenced their music. The first five City Sonic films were previewed at Toronto's 2009 North by North East Music and Film Festival.-Films:...
. The series, which featured 20 Toronto artists, had Tony Dekker talk about his daily underground commute along Toronto’s subway system.
In June 2011, the band announced that recording had begun on their fifth studio album, scheduled for release in 2012. A title and release date have not yet been announced.
Discography
Albums
- Great Lake SwimmersGreat Lake Swimmers (album)Great Lake Swimmers is the eponymous debut album by the Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers.The album was recorded over several months in an abandoned grain silo in Southern Ontario....
(weewerk, 2003) - Bodies and MindsBodies and MindsBodies and Minds is the second album by Canadian folk rock group Great Lake Swimmers, released in 2005.Bodies and Minds was recorded in a lakeside church in rural southern Ontario, continuing the emphasis on atmosphere from the debut album Great Lake Swimmers.The album features gentle, thoughtful...
(weewerk, 2005) - OngiaraOngiaraOngiara is an album by Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers, released on March 27, 2007. The album was released on Nettwerk.The band recorded most of the album in London, Ontario's historic music venue Aeolian Hall with producer Andy Magoffin....
(Nettwerk, 2007) - Lost ChannelsLost ChannelsLost Channels is the fourth studio album by Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers, released on March 31, 2009. It was recorded in the Thousand Islands area near the New York–Ontario border and features several guest appearances by other artists, including Serena Ryder, Bob Egan , Erin Aurich ...
(Nettwerk, 2009)
EPs
- Hands in Dirty GroundHands in Dirty GroundHands in Dirty Ground is a limited edition EP by Canadian folk rock group Great Lake Swimmers, released in 2006. The EP was initially made available only at the band's concerts, but was also later distributed by Zunior as part of the band's "digital box set", consisting of the EP and the band's...
(weewerk, 2006) - Live at the Church of the Redeemer (Nettwerk, 2007)
- The Legion SessionsThe Legion SessionsThe Legion Sessions is a live EP by Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers, released in September 2009.Prior to the release of their 2009 album Lost Channels, the band rented a Royal Canadian Legion hall to record a number of live renditions of songs from the album.Throughout the year,...
(Nettwerk, 2009)
Singles
- "To Leave It Behind" (2005)
- "Bodies and Minds" (2005)
- "Your Rocky Spine" (2007)
- "Backstage with the Modern Dancers" (2007)
- "Pulling on a Line" (2009)
Compilations
- See You on the Moon!See You on the Moon!See You on the Moon!: Songs for Kids of All Ages is a compilation album, released in 2006 on Paper Bag Records. The album features a number of indie rock artists, mostly but not exclusively from Canada, performing songs written in the style of children's songs.Most tracks are original songs written...
(2005): "See You on the Moon!" - The Sound the Hare HeardThe Sound the Hare HeardThe Sound the Hare Heard is a 2006 compilation of mostly acoustic arrangements by a number of singer-songwriters, both well-known and relatively obscure...
(2006): "Where in the World Are You" - Borrowed Tunes II: A Tribute to Neil YoungBorrowed Tunes II: A Tribute to Neil YoungBorrowed Tunes II is a tribute album to Neil Young, released October 16, 2007. The album features a variety of Canadian musicians covering songs written by Neil Young. All proceeds from album sales will benefit two not-for-profit organizations selected by Neil Young: The Bridge School and...
(2007): "Don't Cry No Tears" - Peace on Earth (2007): "Gonna Make it Thru this Year"
- Northern Songs: Canada's Best and BrightestNorthern Songs: Canada's Best and BrightestNorthern Songs: Canada's Best and Brightest is a compilation album of songs performed by some of Canada's "best and brightest" musicians, released in September 2008 under Rhino Records and sold exclusively at Starbucks locations through their Hear Music label.-Track listing:#Feist -...
(2008): "Your Rocky Spine" - (weewerk) is 6! (2008): "Song for the Angels (Miracle Version)", "Gonna Make it Thru this Year". (Dekker also appears as a guest musician on tracks by Audiotransparent, Julie FaderJulie FaderJulie Fader is a Canadian musician, songwriter and visual artist, best known as a keyboard player and backing vocalist for Sarah Harmer, Chad VanGaalen and Great Lake Swimmers...
and United Steel Workers of MontrealUnited Steel Workers of MontrealUnited Steel Workers of Montreal are a six-piece alternative country ensemble based in downtown Montreal. At present, the band consists of Gern F , Felicity Hamer , Sean "Gus" Beauchamp , Matt Watson , Flipper Frumignac and Dylan Perron...
.) - Friends in Bellwoods IIFriends in Bellwoods IIFriends in Bellwoods is a compilation album, released in 2009 by Out of This Spark as a benefit for Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. The album is a sequel to the 2007 compilation Friends in Bellwoods....
(2009): "Send Me a Letter" - Introducing Townes Van Zandt via the Great Unknown (2009): "Our Mother the Mountain"
- A Country Blues Christmas: The 2010 Zunior Holiday Album (2010): "When the Snow Starts to Fall"
- Paint it Black: An Alt-Country Tribute to the Rolling Stones (2011): "Before They Make Me RunBefore They Make Me Run"Before They Make Me Run" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, featured on their 1978 album Some Girls.Written by guitarist Keith Richards, the song is a response to his arrest for heroin possession in Toronto in February 1977...
"
Soundtrack
- This is not like home (Silver Road, 2007)
- Your Rocky Spine (Weeds, 3x06 Grasshopper, 2007)
- Song Sung Blue (original film score, weewerk, 2008)
- There Is a Light (The Light of Family Burnam, 2008)
Other
In 2006, the band released a "digital box set" on Zunior, consisting of their first two albums, the limited edition Hands in Dirty Ground EP, several digital tour photos and the video for their song "To Leave it Behind" on a 512 MB USB flash driveUSB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
.
In 2008, Dekker appeared on Jenny Omnichord
Jenny Omnichord
Jenny Mitchell, better known by the stage name Jenny Omnichord, is a Canadian indie rock musician. She has released three solo albums and an EP as a solo artist, and also records and performs with the bands The Barmitzvah Brothers and The Burning Hell....
's album Charlotte or Otis: Duets for Children, Their Parents and Other People Too, performing a duet vocal on the song "Do You Know Karate".
In 2009 the band released a limited double 7" vinyl splitsingle with the Dutch band Audiotransparent. This release includes a cover of the Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
classic "Don't Be Cruel" and the original song "Send Me a Letter". Dekker and Arnesen also appear on the Audiotransparent song "You Are a Movie".
In 2010, the band contributed four tracks to the online music community Swim Drink Fish Music, including live versions of their songs "Your Rocky Spine", "I Could Be Nothing" and "Everything Is Moving So Fast" and a previously unreleased track, "Ballad of a Fisherman's Wife".
The song "Moving Pictures Silent Films" was featured in the August 15, 2011 episode of Warehouse 13
Warehouse 13
Warehouse 13 is an American fantasy television series that premiered on July 7, 2009 on the Syfy network.Executive-produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins, the dramatic comedy from Universal Media Studios has been described as borrowing much from 1980s television series Friday the 13th: The...
, entitled "Don't Hate the Player."
Canadian Indie Awards
|-| 2010 || Great Lake Swimmers || Favourite Folk/Roots Artist/Group ||