JJ Shiplett is a Calgary based singer-songwriter who really staked his claim in the world of Americana music with his debut album the 2017 release Something to Believe In.
Both it and its 2020 follow up, Fingers Crossed, were nominated for Canadian Country Album of the Year at theCCMAs.
JJ just released his new album, the breathtakingly personal, A Way through Time. It finds him looking back at his life and recognizing that, well, it just barrels on, one way or another, and that best way to get through it is to be willing give it all away and live and love recklessly.
In our chat we talk about JJ becoming a dad for the time and how he feels it’s made his songwriting more vital and focussed; we talk about memories he has from his childhood of his father and the music he loved; and, of course, we talk about the latest album, which he recorded with friend, and long-time collaborator, Jeremey Friesan, who was battling stage 4 cancer.
It would prove to be their final collaboration.
A man of his word, JJ gives it all away in this chat, and I can’t thank him enough for it.
You can listen to When We Wake live every Saturday morning from 9:30-11:00 AM Atlantic on 88.7FM on the glorious South Shore of Nova Scotia, or on the world wide web at CoveFM.com.
Wanna get in touch?
Email me at whenwewakeradio@gmail.com
Or find me on Instagram @whenwewakeradio & @theandrewshaver
