Rosalyn Dennett is a fiddler, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who has established herself on the international roots scene through her role as one of the founding members of the highly acclaimed quartet Oh My Darling. With four nominated albums, headlining four international tours, and sold out shows across the country, she has also travelled extensively through Ireland, Appalachia and Louisiana to pursue her love of traditional music. Some of her projects include Ken Whiteley & the Beulah Band, Pigeonhawk Stringband & Old Pony (Old Time Appalachian/Bluegrass), Bon Fer (Cajun/Zydeco), and many more. Rosalyn has had the pleasure of performing with Donovan Woods, Fred Penner, David Francey, The Fugitives, Zachary Lucky, Kaia Kater, the Crooked Brothers, Gabriel De Santis, Hannah Shira Naiman, Shawna Caspi, Sarah Jane Scouten any many more great artists and has recorded on over 20 albums as a freelance musician.
As a teacher, Rosalyn has given workshops in fiddle playing at the Maverick Festival (UK), European World of Bluegrass Festival (NL), Winnipeg Folk Festival (MB), Home Routes (YK), Summerfolk (ON), MusiCamp (ON), and Nimblefingers Camp & Festival (BC). She has taught in fiddle programs for the Frontier Fiddlers, Manitoba Conservatory of Music & Arts Outreach Program, University of Manitoba Prep Studies, Sistema Toronto, and holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Manitoba. She has spoken as a panelist and presenter at Folk Alliance International, Folk Music Ontario, Music Ontario Communities Connect, Tune Up Toronto, Indie Week, Jazz FM, POP Montreal, MB Music January Music Meeting, Music PEI Sync Summit, Nova Scotia Music Week, East Coast Music Week, and more.
Rosalyn is the Executive Director of Folk Music Ontario, Canada's largest conference for the Folk, Roots, and Traditional music industry. She serves on the executive board of Folk Alliance International, and has formerly served on the boards of Folk Music Ontario, and AFM Local 1000. She has previously held positions at the Canadian Federation of Musicians, Music Canada, MusicOntario, Canadian Independent Music Association, Canadian Live Music (formerly Music Canada Live), and is the Co-Founder of STUMP MEDIA and Smiths Falls Music.
Selected Recordings:
Sam Baardman Marsh Radio 2022
Gillian Nicola Dried Flowers 2019
Rob McLaren Rob McLaren II 2019
Shawna Caspi Forest Fire 2017
Fred Penner Hear The Music 2017 *Canadian Folk Music Award Winner 2017, JUNO Award Winner 2018
Hannah Shira Naiman Know The Mountain 2016 *Canadian Folk Music Award Winner 2017
Donovan Woods CBC First Play Live 2016
Zachary Lucky Everywhere A Man Can Be 2016 *Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee 2017
Kaia Kater Nine Pin 2016 *Canadian Folk Music Award Winner 2016
Whitebrow Mono Vodou 2015
Ken Whiteley & the Beulah Band Beulah Land 2014
Hannah Shira Naiman Tether My Heart 2014
Evans & Dennett Hellbound for Alabama 2013
The Living Daylight Stringband Make it Shine till the Sun Takes Over 2013
Oh My Darling Venez Danser 2013 *Western Canadian Music Award Nominee
Oh My Darling Sweet Nostalgia 2012 *Western Canadian Music Award Nominee
Crooked Brothers Lawrence Where's Your Knife? 2011
Dennett & deGroot The Holler 2011
The Dust Poets World At Large 2010
Oh My Darling In The Lonesome Hours 2010 *Western Canadian Music Award Nominee
Oh My Darling Oh My Darling EP 2009 *Western Canadian Music Award Nominee
Maiko Watson Sweet Vibration 2009
The Paperbacks Lit From Within 2009
Old Pony plays your favourite Old Time American hits at our favourite Old Time Toronto pizzeria. Featuring Rob McLaren on Banjo/Guitar, Ben Whiteley on Upright Bass, and Rosalyn Dennett on the Fiddle. No cover. Music from 9:30-12:30! Food served til 4AM
Folk fights back is a musician led organization that seeks to raise money and awareness for critical issues during the Trump presidency. Our second event, Folk Fights Back for Immigrants and Refugees will raise money for local organizations that are doing litigation or other support work for refugees and immigrants. These shows also seek to raise awareness about these critical issues, and will feature representation and information from the non-profits being supported. All proceeds of Folk Fights Back Toronto will go to the Romero House, whose work with recent immigrants and refugees in the city of Toronto could use your help!
Doors at 6, Show at 6:30 sharp! www.benplotnick.com/folk-fights-back
LINE-UP
The Foggy Hogtown Boys The Slocan Ramblers Jaron Freeman-Fox Sarah Jane Scouten Quique Escamilla - Music Kristine Schmitt Abigail Lapell w/Rosalyn Dennett NUA Ivan Rosenberg & Chris Coole
with hosts the SPECIAL INTEREST group
$15 tickets in advance or at the door or watch online at concertwindow.com
Old Pony is reuniting for one night of your favourite old time hits!
Toronto's best New Year's Day Hangover Cure.
Bon Fer bringing you the bon temps at the Local Pub. Come for the early set by Lotus Wight!
St. Barnabas Anglican Church, 175 Hampton Ave, Toronto, Ontario
If you can walk, you can contra dance! No experience required. We always offer a free Basics Class from 7:00 - 7:30 pm, and each dance is taught before it is danced. We change partners between each dance, and you will find that experienced dancers seek out new ones to help them along.
HOGTOWN HOEDOWN Friday, November 18 8 pm - 11 pm
Hey dancers, the November Hogtown Hoedown is almost here! Dance your Trumped-up blues away at Friday’s dance!
Bring all your friends, let’s make November’s dance a doozy!
Caller: Peg Evans Band: Pigeonhawk Stringband,
No experience necessary, No need to bring a partner. Beginner instruction at 8, followed by the dance at 8:15, each dance is taught before it starts.
Cash Bar!!! $15 Admission $10 students and underemployed $7 kids
Bon Fer, Toronto's newest Cajun Band, featuring Rosalyn Dennett & Emilyn Stam on Fiddles, John Williams on Accordion, Jesse Corrigan on Guitar, Max Heinneman on Bass, and special guests on the t'fer!
Toronto banjo player Hannah Shira Naiman and Montreal duo Sin & Swoon share the stage at Le Cagibi in Montreal to celebrate the release of Hannah's sophomore album "Know The Mountain"
Perfoming with Kaia Kater & Hannah Shira Naiman
9-12, PWYC, Rosalyn & Sarah Hamilton on fiddles.
Zachary Lucky 'Everywhere A Man Can Be' album release show
October 7th, 2016 at The Dakota Tavern in Toronto, ON Show at 7:00 PM $10.00 at the door or in advance w/ Dan Edmonds opening
Zachary Lucky - Everywhere A Man Can Be (Wroxton Recordings / Fontana North)
Zachary Lucky’s Everywhere A Man Can Be is a rare album that transcends the boundaries of folk and country, simply by seeking the truth. Already hailed as a master storyteller by outlets ranging from No Depression to Exclaim!, Lucky’s new nine-song collection is his most powerful statement to date, with his sonic palette given a wide range of new colours through contributions from some notable Canadian indie rock names, led by producer and pedal steel virtuoso Aaron Goldstein. In many ways, Everywhere A Man Can Be comes as a reaction to the Saskatoon native’s acclaimed previous release, The Ballad Of Losing You, which delved deeply into personal themes. The new album’s material instead finds Lucky looking outward, drawing from people and places he encountered while touring the world over the past several years. That’s best displayed on tracks such as the slow-burning opener “Lost My Way (Now And Then),” as well as “Sell All You Have” and the title track, with their echoes of vintage Gordon Lightfoot. But for all that Lucky shares in common with the great singer/songwriters, both past and current, his style is all his own, and he’s truly captured it for the first time on this record. “It feels very Canadian to me,” is Lucky’s personal take on Everywhere A Man Can Be. “We went into making it without any mindset of how it should be. We just wanted to get some people involved who really knew how to play their instruments and see what we could do together. I’ve never made a record in this way before, and I firmly believe it’s the purest thing I’ve ever done.”
Tickets: $15 adv/20 door www.hannahshiranaiman.com
Opening: TEILHARD FROST (Of Sheesham, Lotus & Sons)
Have a peak: https://bandzoogle.com/albums/210505/2090553986/384793.html
With her new record Know the Mountain, due October 6, Naiman charms the listener with an even more bold, layered, and mature set of tunes.
The record crosses from sweet waltzes about fishes and birds to dark murder ballads and haunting instrumental reels. Naiman intensely studied fiddle -- a new instrument to her -- near the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia between records, and shares the result of her latest inspiration in two original fiddle tunes.
Also contributing to Know The Mountain is guitar and banjo from Arnie Naiman, percussion from Gary Craig (Bruce Cockburn, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) and bass from Brian Kobayakawa (Creaking Tree String Quartet). Emily Adam (Blackest Crow) joins with harmony vocals. Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith, Rheostatics) produced the album.
Naiman will release Know the Mountain in October at the Tranzac in Toronto, touring Ontario and Quebec through the fall, and the US midwest and northeast in spring 2017.
The annual event to close down the season at the Ward's Island Cafe. Great people, food & drinks, PWYC.
Royal Canadian Legion Br. 266 , 3591 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario
Workshop at 7PM, Concert at 8PM, Jam at 9PM. Bring your fiddles! Accompanied by Frank Evans.
Playing guitar with one of Toronto's premiere old time bands. Featuring Tony Allen on fiddle, Frank Evans on Banjo, and Neal Evans on Bass.
Performing with Ken Whiteley and the Beulah Band (feat Allison deGroot, Rosalyn Dennett, Gordie Mowat)