Ron Sexsmith

December 20

Ron Sexsmith's Top 5 Records of 2000:
Neko Case - Furnace Room Lullaby;
Kurt Swinghammer - Vostok 6;
Joe Marc's Brother - Around the Year with...;
Sarah Harmer - You Were Here;
Radiohead - Kid A

December 19 - Message from Ron:

Greetings everybody. I would just like to take this time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday. I'm looking forward to getting back out on the road next year with the new record and seeing y'all again. Take care of yourselves till then.
Love and Best Wishes, Ron

December 5

Things are slowing down just a bit as the year tumbles to an end. Ron has two last dates that are confirmed. Saturday December 9th, Cincinnati OH, US The Taft Theater with Sixpence None the Richer and Over The Rhine and Saturday December 16th, Halifax NS The Marquee Club. Thanks to everyone who has been out to support Ron this year!

October 31

There have been a few changes in the November dates. The itinerary for Ron Sexsmith's November tour is as follows:

3,4,5 The Knitting Factory, New York NY;
7 The Zone, Montreal PQ;
9 Blacksheep Inn, Wakefield PQ;
13 Federation Hall, U of Waterloo, Waterloo ON;
14 Trashateria, Guelph ON;
16 Hudson's, Hamilton ON;
18 Embassy, London ON;
21 West End Cultural Centre, Winnipeg MB;
22 Place Louis Riel Theatre, Saskatoon SK;
23 Sidetrack Cafe, Edmonton AB;
24 Afternoon: Blue Banana, U of Calgary, Calgary AB;
24 Evening: Calgary Center for Performing Arts, Calgary AB;
25 Richard's on Richards, Vancouver BC;
27 The Lucky Bar, Victoria BC;
28 The Knitting Factory, Los Angeles CA;

All dates are subject tochange, please check with the venue before you plan a road trip! These dates will take Ron to the end of his tour for the year (although he mayhave a few dates here and there, keep an eye on this site).

October 16

New snaps from the US tour have just been added to the Photos page under USA 2000. Special thanks to Jenine DeShazer for the pictures from The Mint in Los Angeles.

October 10

Ron will play the famous Knitting Factory in New York and the brand new Knitting Factory in Los Angeles! The three night stint in New York City is November 3, 4, and 5 and the Los Angeles appearance is one night only, November 28. More information will be forthcoming but it is recommended that you purchase your tickets in advance for these shows.

October 6

Ron Sexsmith's US Tour is over. You can read Stephen Frick's review of the last night of the tour at The Mint in Los Angeles for Thirsty at rock.thirsty.com. There will be Canadian dates announced soon and there are some dates for Ron at the Knitting Factory in New York and Los Angeles that are still being fine tuned. Thanks to all the fans who sent reviews to this site during the tour, more will be posted in the coming week.

September 29

On Tuesday, October 3rd at 12:30 PM Pacific Time (3:30 Eastern), Ron will make a live appearance/performance on Channel 103.1 in their Studio C. You can locate this at WorldClassRock.com which is an internet only music channel. Tune In!

September 28

Ron will have a live radio webcast tonight, September 28 at 8 PM Pacific Time (11 PM Eastern) on KPFA in Berkeley CA. You can find it at www.kpfa.com. There will be an interview and a performance segment plus Ron has been asked for a list of his 10 favorite cds - that's always pretty telling! Hope you can tune in.

September 26

Here is a review from the Seattle show in the form of a fan letter:

"Dear Ron, I was lucky enough to be standing right in front of you at your Seattle Crocodile Cafe performance. It was lovely, and at one point I did cry. It was "Several Miles" that both moved me and surprised me the most: To hear it without any studio production, layers in the guitar melody seemed to emerge which I'd never heard before. It was rich and purposeful, like an ambrosial tide that kept persisting at the shore - at my heart, I suppose. Because the lyrics have such special meaning for me... yeah, it stole a few tears from me. From my audience vantage point, the quiet admiration of everyone there was amazing - I'd not seen an audience so engaged. So I know we'll all be looking forward to your next visit to Seattle. I hope it is soon. Thanks for one of the best live shows I've ever seen."

September 22

Steve Bachman sent in a great review from the show at the 400 Bar in Minneapolis, the whole of which can be found on the Bulletin Board. Here is an excerpt: Ron came on at about 10:00 after a 50 minute set by Peter Stuart. He apologized for having a little bit of a "Joe Cocker thing" going on with his voice, a certain raspiness that he admitted "might not be a bad thing." His guitar playing as always was very distinctive and it made more of an impression on me than it has when I've seen him before. About about an hour after he took the stage, Ron played "Seem To Recall" and the left the stage. When he returned for the faux encore, he claimed that he'd only left to get a beer. First he played "Pretty Little Cemetery" and then a cover of Anne Murray's "Snowbird." He called it the Canadian National Anthem. He closed the set with "Secret Heart." At 11:23 and after at least a couple of minutes of enthusiastic applause, Ron reappeared and appeared to be genuinely moved by the response. He then closed the show with perhaps his most beautiful performance of the night with "Riverbed." Thanks for the report Steve. To read the Puff The Magic Dragon story, check out the full review!

September 15

Pictures of Ron's show in Boston and the in-store in Indianapolis have just been added to the Photos page. Take a look!

September 13

On Thursday, September 14, Luna Music in Indianapolis IN, will present an in-store appearance by Ron Sexsmith. It will start at 6 PM, with Peter Stuart playing a few songs, followed by Ron. Those of you in the area, stop in, say hello and hear some great music! For more details, call the store at 317-875-5862.

September 11

Ron Sexsmith will be interviewed on WXPN in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 12th at 4:00PM Eastern Time. WXPN is webcast live at wxpn.org - if you're unsure of the time difference from where you are, www.timeanddate.com can help you with that.

September 1

There are a couple of changes on the US Tour Dates from what was previously announced. The schedule listed below is now correct. The changes are as follows: Ron plays the 7th House in Detroit on September 17th and the 400 Bar in Minneapolis on the 18th. Also, the Coach House gig in San Juan Capistrano is not happening on the 28th. The response to Ron's return to America has been overwhelming - we just want to make sure everyone knows exactly when you can catch him!

August 22

Full length videos have just been added to the Music page, including the exclusive premiere of "Right About Now"! The other videos you can watch are "Strawberry Blonde", "Nothing Good", "Secret Heart" and "Words We Never Use". Take a look - definitely worth the wait!

August 4 - Message from Ron:

Well, the tour has come and gone and I think its been one my favorites so far. Just have the Witnness Festival tomorrow, and then it's home to sort things out for the fall. Hope to see you all soon with a new album under my belt.
Love, Ron

August 4

There is a new review posted on the Bulletin Board from Janet Stevens in Bristol. Here is a small portion of it: "I was really excited to find out quite by chance that Ron was on in Bristol this month. I went to see him for the first time last year on the recommendation of a young singer I know... (she) rates Ron as one of the best live acts and songwriters she's ever seen and I agree with her. He "connects" with his audience and his songs are simply beautiful. Ron came on stage looking like a tousled haired school boy and soon had the audience under his spell. He covered songs from all three albums and some new ones. Highlights for me were 'Strawberry Blonde', 'In a Flash', 'Galbraith Street' and the sublime 'Speaking With The Angel'. At the end of the night...we all wanted more. Come back soon Ron and thanks for coming to the wild and woolly west of England - not many class acts do!" Thank you Janet.

August 3

The reviews just keep pouring in! Peter Fitzpatrick sent a great account of the show in Dublin, posted in full on the Bulletin Board. Here is an excerpt: "Highlights for me were Ron's two new songs, 'God Bless This Cheap Hotel' and 'Fallen For You'. Despite running perilously close to the venue curfew our rock & roll hero(!) came back for a second encore to perform Galbraith Street. Go on Ron! You rock and roll rebel." There is much more from Peter, including a Shaft reference in his full review, check it out!

In what is the sweetest review ever, Anne Griffiths of Edinburgh writes: "We have been visited by an angel tonight! Mr. Sexsmith gave an absolutely heavenly performance for us, it couldn't have been better. What a dear, dear, sweet captivating man!" Many fans feel the same way but no one has ever before hung a halo on Ron! Thanks Anne.

August 1

Steven McCormick writes: "My first time at King Tut's Wah-Wah Hut, Glasgow, and my first Ron Sexsmith gig. After playing his three albums to death, and attempting bad versions on my own acoustically, I've been desperate to see Ron live. After a two hour or so drive, I was not disappointed. From the introductory 'Words We Never Use', through the rest of the set, Ron was on top form. Self-deprecating humour (his 'Medieval haircut' and 'fat Elvis period'), a guitar style that sadly doesn't shine through half as well on record, and a voice that could soothe Titan's rage. Anyway, Ron rocked. Say no more." Great reporting Steven, thanks!

July 28

Here is the first word from Scotland, an excerpt of a note sent to Ron by Stuart McLean: "Just thought I'd write to say how much myself and my friends enjoyed the gig at The Attic in Edinburgh. Your gig was like watching an emotionally charged Hollywood blockbuster, one which makes you weep, laugh and brings back memories etc. Which is no mean feat coming from a solitary guy singing and playing the guitar. I have just been introduced to your material and must say that your material is absolutely fantastic, why has it taken me so long? You have a rare talent and are one in million. Hope to see you back in Scotland again soon, hope you enjoyed your time here." Thanks for sharing, Stuart!

July 27

Another fan from Dublin writes in, this excerpt from John Kilcar's, the whole of which can be found on the Bulletin Board: "It was a very enjoyable evening, with an excellent performance from Ron. I've a lot of admiration for a guy who can stand up on stage with just an acoustic guitar and deliver a performance that sounds as good as the record. He said he wanted to be fair to all his records, so to that end he'd try and play an even number of songs from each. There were a couple from the new Steve Earle produced record - One called 'Fallen', the other title I didn't catch. Ron was in very good form, and seems to like playing Ireland, I suppose due to the response he gets. At one moment a lady approached him on stage with some Tequila, salt and lemon which Ron downed to everybody's delight!!" Sounds like everyone had a good time - thanks John!

July 26

News on the tour from Colm in Ireland: "Reporting in on Ron's HQ show here in Dublin this weekend gone. It was a brilliant evening out! Ron was in excellent form, the best we've heard from him yet! Seeing him out there alone on stage, he can really hold an audience. This was his best show ever for me as he finally played my favorite song! He did a fantastic version of a dylan song too. He played some songs from the new album (can't remember the names - sorry) and from the sound of them we're in for another round of great songs! And to think he apologized for coming back so soon! As they say, all good things must come to an end." Thanks Colm!

July 20

Brian Lillis of Cork sent in a glowing review of Ron's show. Here is an excerpt: "The gig in Cork was great. He has a good following over here and the crowd were receptive straight off. He played two new songs off the forthcoming album and they were just pure Ron Sexsmith. I think he was genuinely surprised with the response and it just made him sing better. He was made to comeback for two encores, he would have played more only for the fact that the club owners told him he had to stop. Everybody loved it, please come again." Thanks Brian!

July 12 - Message from Ron:

Hi all, I've been busy getting ready for the upcoming tour. Looking forward to life on the road again.., its been awhile. Also, the new album is done, we're just waiting now to see what the label thinks, etc. etc... With any luck we'll get it out early nextyear.
All the best, Love Ron

July 11 - News flash!

Another date has been added to the upcoming tour of Ireland and the UK. On August 2, Ron will play the Fleece & Firkin in Bristol England. As with the other dates, Ana Egge will open the show.

June 23

A new set of studio pictures has been added to the Photo page. Take a look!

June 15

There is a change in the order of the Ireland dates:

IRELAND
July 18-Limerick, Dolans Warehouse;
July 19- Cork, The Annexe; July 20- Galway,Roisin Dubh;
July 21- Galway, Roisin Dubh;
July 22- Kilkenny, WatergateTheatre;
July 23- Dublin, HQ

The remainder of the dates stay the same:

SCOTLAND
July 26- Edinburgh, The Attic;
July 27- Aberdeen, The Lemontree;
July 28- Glasgow, King Tuts

ENGLAND
July 29- Sheffield, Memorial Hall;
July 30- Cardiff Wales, ClwbFor Bach;
August 1- Birmingham, Ronnie Scotts

OTHER
August 5- CountyMeath Ireland, The Witness Festival;
August 12- Hamilton ON Canada,Festival of Friends

June 13

In March, Ron Sexsmith went to Dublin to tape John Kelly's Mystery Train radio show. Ron's show will be broadcast on Wednesday June 21st on RTE 1 at 8PM (Dublin local time) and will be simultaneously webcast. Be aware of the performance time: 8PM in Dublin is 3PM in New York (Eastern Daylight Time). If you are unsure of the time difference where you are,a helpful site is The World Clock. Ron's performance on Mystery Train is not to be missed!

May 30

When Ron Sexsmith was in Nashville, he taped a radio show called "WPLN's The Songwriter Sessions" along with Steve Earle and Tim O'Brien. It will air on 90.3 WPLN Nashville, Saturday, June 3rd, 7-8PM CDT. Great news: it will also be webcast and will be archived there for one week. Tune in!

May 24

Here is an update on the War Child Canada Benefit that Ron Sexsmith is participating in on Thursday June 1st: Ron will be performing with a band, not as a solo act. The venue is The Opera House; also on the bill are Andrea Koziol and Kurt Swinghammer. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Check out the website at www.warchild.ca for more information on the organization and concert series.

May 16

On Friday, June 9, Ron Sexsmith will be in New York... As part of the Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, The Knitting Factory is producing Steve Nieve's opera "Welcome To The Voice". It will be on June 9 at Town Hall in New York. Elvis Costello and The Brodsky Quartet are featured, as well as Ron and other artists. Tickets are $40 and the show starts at 8PM. Try jazfest.com for more information.

May 11

The Official Fan Site run by Cheryl Eckler (as announced in February on this News page) has a new domain name - www.rsexsmith.com is now up and running. If you check it out now, there is still time to submit questions for a fan interview of Ron Sexsmith. You ask, he answers. And be sure to change those bookmarks!

May 8

On Saturday, Ron Sexsmith attended Nashville Riverstages - an outdoor event featuring some great bands. He started the day by enjoying a set by fellow Interscope label mate Matthew Ryan. Then friend (and sometimes support act) Josh Rouse took the stage and played a rocking set. The tone took a turn when The Blind Boys of Alabama testified - their version of "If I Had A Hammer" had the crowd singing and clapping along. Next came Ron-fan and email pen pal David Mead (on RCA), who played a set that had us all mesmerized. The ending set by Randy Newman was a great finale... only to be topped by his invitation for Ron and Don Kerr to come backstage and say hello. Needless to say, it was a wonderful end to a fabulous day.

May 3

The scene is Nashville Tennessee, a dark studio. Three musicians, two producers, three days, so far: six killer tracks! Everyone is very happy with the progress so far and if you'd like to see for yourself, check out the brand new Photos page on this site. Every few days, more photos will be added so come back often.

April 26 - Message from Ron:

Hello everyone, In a few days I'll be heading down to Nashville to record my 4th album for Interscope records. I still can't believe I've lasted this long! Anyway, I'm looking forward to working with Steve Earle and hopefully we'll make a record that'll be a fine addition to the previous 3.
All the best till I see you again. Love, Ron Sexsmith

April 25

Ron Sexsmith has been named "Founding Canadian Patron" for War Child Canada. He will headline a show in Toronto on Thursday, June 1st, launching their summer series of concerts. The venue is The Opera House which has a capacity of 850. Also on the bill are Andrea Koziol and Kurt Swinghammer. Tickets go on sale May 5th through Ticketmaster. Check out the website at www.warchild.ca for more information on the organization and concert series.

April 10

Well, the current Ron Sexsmith tour has ended and Ron is home, making preparations for his next record. There is however, one last fan review from the tour that must be posted: "Here is my review from Göteborg/gothenburg 8th april at Trädgårn. Travelled 300km last time (Stockholm/Sweden 2nd night) Was it worth? YES!! Travelled 300km this time (Gothenburg/Sweden) Was it worth it? YES and YES! It really shines through how great his songs are and how extremely good he is in making the audience feel great when he is standing alone on stage. Will I be on the next show? YES!" Many thanks to Peter C. and all the fans who shared their Ron Sexsmith experiences!

April 5

Ron Sexsmith played Uppsala Sweden on Monday, April 3rd. The next day, a great review was posted in the local newspaper. The translation is a bit dodgy, here are some highlights: "Ron Sexsmith left his band at home and tours Sweden with a guitar as his companion. But, of course, he creates magic anyway... There is no question that he is as good as it gets anyway. He sometimes sings more sensitive and naked than ever before and in between songs he talks with the well known Sexsmith irony like 'enough talking, I have too many hits to play.'" The writer goes on to say that Ron played favorites like "Idiot Boy", "Right About Now" and "Secret Heart", plus two new ones, a Ray Davies cover and a duet with Ana Egge before finishing up with "In A Flash". By the way, we're pretty sure Ron didn't literally sing naked. But then again, we weren't there...

March 31

A fan from Denmark gives this report: "Ron's March 29 show at Vox in Aarhus was well-attended (which seemed to surprise Ron), and was greatly appreciated by those present; "rapt attention" might describe his reception..." Thanks, Paul!

March 23 - Message from Ron:

Hello all, Just completed a small tour of the UK concluding with 2 shows at London's Jazz Cafe. Along the way, I recorded a song for an upcoming Ray Davies tribute album and I also sang on a track which I wrote with Glenn Tilbrook (from Squeeze) for his solo album in the works. Anyway, having a blast, hope to see you all somewhere along the way.
Love, RonSexsmith

March 22

Here is an excerpt of a review from a great fan of Ron's in London: "I must say that Ron gave a heart-stirring, cockle-warming, ear-soothing performance enough to make grown men and women tremble in their boots." Thanks for writing, Jon.

March 20

Here is an excerpt of a fan review of the Ron Sexsmith show in Marseille, France: "There was a real harmony between the guitar and his voice. His voice was definitely brilliant, moreoever it was better than in his albums!!!! With only one guitar and your voice you can't cheat with the public... IT WAS GREAT!!!!!" Thanks to Catherine for the review.

March 9

Just in case you're wondering how the Ron Sexsmith French Tour Dates are going, read this fan review: "I saw you live in Orleans, it was amazing, terrific... hope you will tour again in France but more time than this show, 30 minutes is too short, Ron!" Thanks to Stephane for the report.

February 24

The first three dates of the French tour (Amiens, Nancy and Besancon) have been cancelled by Stephan Eicher, whom Ron was to support. Unfortunately, someone in Stephan's organization is ill. The tour will start on Wednesday, March 1, in Orleans France.

February 21

There are some changes for the venues in Sweden. These changes will be posted on the Tour Dates page very soon but for now, they are as follows:
April 3 Katalin, Uppsala Sweden;
April 4 KB, Malmo Sweden;
April 5-Folkets Hus Studion, Umea Sweden;
April 6-Herrgar'n, LinkopingSweden;
April 7-Konserthuskallar'n, Vaxjo Sweden;
April 8-Tradgar'n, Gothenburg Sweden

February 9

More of Ron: now you can get even more Ron news and info on www.passport.ca/~sexsmith - This has just been named the official FAN SITE in appreciation to Cheryl Eckler for all the hard work and labor of love. Check it out!

February 4

The Ron Sexsmith UK tour date for Saturday, March 18th has changed.It was to be the Komedia in Brighton but is now Fibbers in York.

February 2

Congratulations to Ron on his nominee for a Juno Award! He is nominated in the Traditional Roots, solo category, a category in which he has previously won.

January 31

Big news for US fans: Ron Sexsmith will play his only scheduled US date in Nashville TN at the Belcourt Theatre on February 19, 2000. This will be a solo show. Tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster. Contact sodarockmusic@mindspring.com for more information on the show and hotel group rate discounts.

January 18

New tour dates have been confirmed for France and England. Check the Tour Dates for details. Dates for late March through early April will be announced soon.