Jim Cuddy heads lineup festival
Deep Roots’ Jim Murphy says festival’s ‘future is very bright’ as eventl turns 15
Another year and another lineup has been announced for Wolfville’s Deep Roots Music Festival as it celebrates fifteen years of live music.
Jim Cuddy is among this year’s headlining acts and will open the festival Sept. 27 at Acadia’s University Hall theatre, and Jim Murphy, the festival’s publicity director, said he cannot wait to see the show.
“Having Jim Cuddy open the festival in this venue — well we’re certain that we’ll sell that out. That will be extremely exciting,” he said.
Cuddy, a 15-time Juno awardwinning Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, will join performers like 2017 Juno award winner William Prince, The Bombadils, Dennis Ellsworth, Leahy, Ryan Cook and Tomato/Tomato at the festival, which will run through Sept. 29.
Another artist Murphy said he eagerly awaits is Valdy, who Mur- phy saw perform as an Acadia student in the 1970s.
“We’re getting back to the deep- est of our roots with having Valdy back. He’s just as good as he’s always been,” he said, adding that these big-name draws combined with previously undiscovered artists make the festival special.
“Every year there’s somebody no one has heard of. People see them and think, ‘wow, they are fabulous,’ and that’s definitely a highlight every year.”
The festival has added Windsor’s Mermaid Theatre to its list of venues, and will continue holding performances at University Hall and The Festival Theatre in Wolfville. Dances will also be held this year at the Wolfville Farmers’ Market.
Free shows at smaller venues are also planned, though the lineup for these events have not yet been announced.
With 15 years nearly under its belt, Murphy said the festival’s organizing crew is feeling the love from festival goers who continue to support live music.
“Some years were more lean than others, and we’ve now hit a rhythm where the appreciation of live music sustains us. The future is very bright,” he said.
Tickets and passes are now available. For more information on these and the schedule, visit the festival’s website.