If you were glancing through the Saturday Star either in print or online you may noticed the very nice article Ben Rayner did on me in the Entertainment section. It’s a very honest piece that talked about my career so far, the struggle within our own country building beyond a small cult following and getting attention in overseas markets. It pushed our past Saturday’s Toronto show and talks about the upcoming European and UK tour which begins this Thursday in Solingen, Germany.

Read the article here: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2018/03/30/retro-rocker-jerry-leger-ready-for-takeoff.html

Check out our tour dates: http://www.jerryleger.com/tour/

Hey gang,
Well, we fly out next week to begin our 21 date European and UK tour. The album Nonsense and Heartache has been getting kind reviews and airplay on BBC and more. We have a trio of shows before we leave beginning tonight (the 29th) at our Thursday night haunt in the east end of Toronto, Castro’s Lounge 8:30-10:30. Tomorrow night (Good Friday) it’s Irene’s Pub in Ottawa, 9:30. Saturday, the 31st is our last Toronto show for a while, happening at Burdock in the west end, 8:30. Burdock and Irene’s will also have our friends from Ottawa, Hundred Pacer. There’s still some tickets left for the Burdock show: http://burdockto.com/shows/?show=1054. We hope to see you at one of these sendoff shows! Check out the TOUR page for a complete list of our EU/UK dates and more!

It was really nice to have a full page feature in the March issue of Rolling Stone Germany. For the April issue I contributed a cover of “Homeward Bound” by Simon & Garfunkel included on a tribute covermount CD in the magazine. Thanks to Maik Bruggemeyer at RS for asking me to take part. Also thanks to Ken Yoshioka for playing harmonica and to Michael Timmins for engineering and mixing.

Hey folks, if you have a few minutes, check out the new live off of the floor video for “He’s The Lonely One Now.” It was filmed by Laura Proctor (LPPhotographs) at the Fox Theatre in Toronto. The studio version can be found on the current album Nonsense and Heartache. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/_U_L_DcSUpc

It’s been really nice seeing the kind words for Nonsense and Heartache overseas before and since it’s release there March 2nd. Today, Kai Wichelmann at the German edition of Classic Rock Magazine gave the album 9 out of 10 and called it a “folk-rock masterpiece.” Full review here: https://classicrock.net/review-jerry-leger-nonsense-heartache/

Other recent articles and reviews from Europe and the UK, ahead of our big April tour there.  The reviews below are very kind and written by folks who really sat with the album and got into what it’s all about.                                Norway: http://www.musikkbloggen.no/2018/03/jerry-leger-nonsense-and-heartache/

http://www.popklikk.no/musikk/tom-s-fire-ess-musikk-som-overvelder/

UK: https://rockingmagpie.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/jerry-leger-nonsense-heartache/

Nonsense and Heartache is currently featured at #15 in the German edition of this month’s Rolling Stone! Also, thanks to Ron Sexsmith for the nice and thoughtful plug on his Twitter account! (See below)

‘Nonsense and Heartache’ is officially released across Europe and the UK today on Latent Recordings/Proper Music Distribution!
Produced by Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies.
Purchase/Stream: http://smarturl.it/JerryLegerEU
EU/UK April tour dates: http://www.jerryleger.com/tour/

It was a such a cool thing to see a full page feature in the March issue of Rolling Stone – German edition. Great chatting with Maik Bruggemeyer. Below is the English translation, it’s a great introduction if you haven’t heard of me or don’t know a lot about me. This is great to have ahead of our European and UK tour happening in April, which includes 5 dates in Germany.

YOUNGER THAN YESTERDAY – March Issue of Rolling Stone (Germany)
Jerry Leger has found a key to a time long past in his coat pocket. At least that is what he claims in his song “It Don’t Make The Wrong Go Away.” And if one becomes more familiar with the work of the 32 year old Canadian from Toronto, one would be inclined to believe him. He seems indeed to be able to slide through a magical door into the Golden Era of Song – how else would he have come up with all of this almost classic sounding material, that he presents on his records with loose intensity.

The key to this lost world was passed on in his family from generation to generation; “I never rebelled against my parents, rather I plundered their record collection – and the record collection of my grandparents”, says Jerry Leger. “My grandfather was a huge Hank Williams fan. I love those old records and those people, some that are long dead. Especially all those old country and blues singers. And if I hear an Everly Brothers song, it feels like coming home.”
Many artists that he loves – Bob Dylan and Tom Waits for example – also studied the past before making their own art, says Jerry. It is in this tradition that he sees himself. By no means is he a retro musician, just meticulously trying to copy a sound from a certain era – instead he soaked up all these old records, until they became second nature to him and carried them into his contemporary songs. Leger has been making records since he was 19 years old. Always live in the studio, always with his band The Situation, that other than a change of the bass player 11 years ago, has remained the same. “I love recording songs, but I am not so interested in the actual process”, says he. “I don’t know what to do with all those buttons in the studio. I like it spontaneous and even if a few bad notes are played and remain in the song.”

His first six albums were released on his own label Golden Rocket Records (named after a Hank Snow song and financed out of his own pocket). To do that, he worked part time in a hardware store, where his brother was the manager. Today he is a full time musician and has to find a way to make ends meet. “I knew that it wouldn’t be easy to support myself as a musician, when you are waiting for success to come”, says Jerry, “but that is ok, I am a man for the long-haul and I have made peace with that long time ago. Anyways, life throws you curves and puts stones in your pathway. I like to meet that with my creativity and spend more time taking care of the art than focusing on the business side.”

Fortunately in 2013, he ran into songwriter and guitarist Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies who offered him a contract with the band’s label Latent Recordings. He was given a small budget for the recording of “Early Riser” (2014), that was produced by Timmins who also had the idea to make a double album as a follow-up, to show both sides of Leger’s songwriting skills: the raw, blues inspired rock and the countrified folk. “Michael believed that it makes for a good introduction to people that don’t already know me”, says Leger, “and especially in this world where people are focused on single tracks, it is a cool untimely statement.” This was the origin for 2017’s “Nonsense and Heartache”, that will be released in Europe now as well, an album with many potential favourite songs, so romantic and bold, so full of energy and nostalgia, just like its creator.
Maik Brueggemeyer
Rolling Stone

“Younger Than Yesterday.” Happy to have a full page in ROLLING STONE on stands in Germany today! Great chatting with Maik Bruggemeyer ahead of the ‘Nonsense and Heartache’ re-release across Europe & UK March 2nd, followed by a tour all April including 4 dates in Germany. We’ll post an English translation soon.

Pre-order the new album in EU/UK: http://smarturl.it/JerryLegerEU
EU/UK Tour Dates: http://www.jerryleger.com/tour/
Photo: LPPhotographs at Hasty Tasty Diner in Orillia, ON.
‘Nonsense and Heartache’ produced by Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies, out on Latent Recordings / Proper Records March 2nd (available now in Canada on Latent / Warner Music Canada)

“…with an upcoming tour in April Jerry Leger may be about to break in the UK. I advise you to see him: on this evidence, he will not be playing small venues for too long.” Keith Hargreaves at AmericanaUK reviews ‘Nonsense and Heartache’ out Mar 2nd across the UK & Europe on Latent Recordings / Proper Records

Read the full review here: http://americana-uk.com/jerry-leger-nonsense-and-heartaches-latent-recordings-2018

European and UK Tour Dates: http://www.jerryleger.com/tour/

Thanks to Jeremy Searle at AmericanaUK for sharing the video for “Things Are Changing ‘Round Here” from Nonsense and Heartache which sees a re-release in the UK and Europe March 2nd through Latent Recordings/Proper Music. Take a look: http://americana-uk.com/video-jerry-leger-things-are-changing-round-here

The video was created and filmed by Toronto artist Shannon Gerard, made up of thousands of drawings cut out and glued to a blank wall. It was brought to life using stop motion, creating  a truly unique experience.

Check out the dates so far for our first EU/UK tour in April! http://www.jerryleger.com/tour/

Thanks to Roddy Hart at BBC Radio Scotland for spinning “For Hire” from Nonsense and Heartache which sees a UK/Europe release March 2nd! Nice to be in good company as well. Listen to the full show here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09qq6mb

Check out the full list of EU/UK April tour dates and more: http://www.jerryleger.com/tour/

Hey folks,

Happy to announce that we’ve been added to the lineup of Down By The River Festival in Venlo, Netherlands happening at Grenswerk Sunday April 8th! Other performers include Blitzen Trapper, The Deep Dark Woods, Kacy & Clayton, Andrew Combs and more! Thanks to Jair Hoogland at Sedate Bookings for including us. Check out the link for more info: https://www.grenswerk.nl/agenda/down-by-the-river-4/

Take a look at our TOUR page for a full list of European & UK dates!