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David McPherson

@davidmcphersonca.bsky.social

Author. 101 FASCINATING CANADIAN MUSIC FACTS; MASSEY HALL; THE LEGENDARY HORSESHOE TAVERN: A COMPLETE HISTORY. Journalist. Cyclist. Voracious reader. Sober. Music is the Elixir of Life.

1,252 Followers  |  2,722 Following  |  95 Posts  |  Joined: 16.10.2023  |  1.8271

Latest posts by davidmcphersonca.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Accordion master Flaco Jimenez has died at 86 Over a career that spanned 70 years, Jimenez' playing came to define the Tex-Mex music and carried the tradition-drenched conjuto sound all over the world and across genres.

Over a career that spanned 70 years, Jimenez' playing came to define the Tex-Mex music and carried the tradition-drenched conjuto sound all over the world and across genres.

01.08.2025 15:04 β€” πŸ‘ 249    πŸ” 58    πŸ’¬ 12    πŸ“Œ 22
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Remembering Ozzy Osbourne, The Hard Rock Hero Whose Music & Wild Personality Influenced The World | GRAMMY.com The Black Sabbath frontman, Godfather of Metal and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award honoree passed away on July 22 at age 76.

My tribute/in memoriam on Ozzy Osbourne for The Grammys.

www.grammy.com/news/ozzy-os...

24.07.2025 15:52 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I wrote a fun essay about superman and pop-punk for this week's NPR Music newsletter. It will be sent out this weekend, sign up if you wanna read it thanks!https://www.npr.org/newsletter/music

18.07.2025 17:19 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
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@guygavrielkay.bsky.social Started to get lost in your latest yesterday. πŸ‘πŸ‘

11.07.2025 12:45 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Music Writing Southern gifts for good reading, listening and living. Curated by the editors of Oxford American magazine. All purchases support The Oxford American Literary Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Our hearts are heavy for our friends and neighbors in Texas impacted by the devastating flooding. From now until Saturday, July 12, we will donate $5 from every Music Issue sold to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.

08.07.2025 14:07 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks to my alma mater for including my new @dundurnpress.bsky.social ⛳️ book in this esteemed list of summer reads.

30.06.2025 17:34 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Happy Juneteenth!

19.06.2025 12:33 β€” πŸ‘ 665    πŸ” 126    πŸ’¬ 18    πŸ“Œ 3

I saw it with my wife on opening night in my hometown and loved it. A beautiful story well-told that we all can use more of these days. Heartfelt thanks from a longtime constant reader & writer.

17.06.2025 02:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Remembering Brian Wilson: A Pop Music Trailblazer, Sonic Genius & Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree | GRAMMY.com The Beach Boys co-founder, arranger and co-writer of the group’s chart-topping hits "I Get Around," "Help Me, Rhonda," and "Good Vibrations" passed away on June 11 at age 82.

I wrote a few words for GRAMMY.com about Brian Wilson & the wide-ranging influence of this musical genius & visionary. #brianwilsonRIP

www.grammy.com/news/brian-w...

12.06.2025 23:18 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Ode to a Hardcore Troubadour With renaissance man Steve Earle joining the Grand Ole Opry, revisit a feature I wrote about the award-winning songwriter a decade ago

With Steve Earle getting invited late last week to join the Grand Ole Opry, revisit this 2015 feature I wrote about the hardcore troubadour and Grammy -winning songwriter.

open.substack.com/pub/davidmcp...

30.04.2025 13:38 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Another important part of a good query is answering the β€˜why now’ question.

29.04.2025 01:55 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ’― I can’t wait to see Neil with this new band this summer in Toronto.

29.04.2025 01:50 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Going Coastal with Neil Young New feature film a candid and intimate affair

β€œGoing Coastal” with Neil … my latest rumination on the feature film directed by Neil’s wife Daryl Hannah.

open.substack.com/pub/davidmcp...

19.04.2025 16:01 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Great stuff Michael! Look forward to a game again this year. I’ll have to get you a copy of my new golf book.

15.04.2025 02:57 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks Tim. You definitely need to return and see a show at the revitalized and rejuvenated Massey.

02.04.2025 02:15 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks for the plug.

30.03.2025 16:32 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Back in 1970, πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ singer Anne Murray took Gene MacLellan’s song β€œSnowbird” all the way to No. 1 on the U.S. charts. The cross-over hit was later covered by more than 100 other artists. Learn more about this song that lingers on in my latest Substack & subscribe here: open.substack.com/pub/davidmcp...

27.03.2025 13:49 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Calling all golfers! β›³ While you wait for the green to be less snow-filled, why not test your knowledge of the beautiful game with #golf trivia, fun facts, and little-known history.

Indigo: https://buff.ly/3Q4lY4q
Amazon: https://buff.ly/3EANB2q
Local Bookstore: https://buff.ly/3CMlJb3

18.02.2025 15:15 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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An Ode to a Lost Venue The Dakota Tavern joins a too long list of Toronto bars where the music has died

RIP to another live music venueβ€”The Dakota Tavern. I discovered this Toronto spot thanks to Luke Doucet. It’s where I discovered many new artists & spent many a late night Some nights I was too far gone in my drinking days & other nights was far too sober.

open.substack.com/pub/davidmcp...

22.03.2025 16:46 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.

Eight out of my nine books have been used without consent, acknowledgement or payment to generate AI content. 20+ years work. Almost a million words. Stolen.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...

21.03.2025 12:11 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
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Okay friends this is a fun challenge.
Canada's right are rallying around Elon Musk to say much they love him.
They are freaked out that my petition is about to be become most signed petition in Canadian history.
Send a message to Elon, please sign my petition.
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...

13.03.2025 17:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1407    πŸ” 512    πŸ’¬ 211    πŸ“Œ 88
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Revisiting a pair of conversations with a Sonic Genius and Fighter for the Spirit These past chats with Daniel Lanois offer wise words on art and beauty

Felt today was a good day to revisit a pair of deep and interesting conversations I had in the past with the sonic genius β€” πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Daniel Lanois.

open.substack.com/pub/davidmcp...

13.03.2025 17:49 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Seven years! That was an enjoyable conversation and my first of several deep dives on music with Mike β€” an engaging interviewer and podcast I highly recommend.

02.03.2025 15:52 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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As winter’s embrace feels never-ending in parts of North America, start dreaming of springβ€”and tee off your golf seasonβ€”with my new book, out in πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ today. #bookbirthday #golf #newbook #booksky

18.02.2025 13:54 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ™Œ you are a book-writing machine Annie! ✍️ on!

11.02.2025 22:15 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Musgrave said it reminded her of Tom Robbins and to check out his novels. #tomrobbins #books #literature

10.02.2025 00:20 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

During my fresman year at Western University Musgrave was the writer-in-residence and I shared with her some of my prose. One of the pieces, which had won a writing prize for all of Waterloo Region the year before, was told from the perpective of a long forgotten baseball glove.

10.02.2025 00:20 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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RIP to one of my favorite authors: Tom Robbins. I discovered his weird, wonderful & unpredictable novels β€” like β€œSkinny Legs and All,” β€œEven Cowgirls Get the Blues” and β€œAnother Roadside Attraction” β€” thanks to Canadian poet Susan Musgrave.

10.02.2025 00:20 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

One of the most beautiful books I’ve read. There is so much to unpack. So much symbolism. #classics #literature #books

08.02.2025 15:49 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Firmin is looking for salvation. Looking for answers to life’s mysteries. Lowry leaves the reader wondering throughout what characters are real, if any, and by the end you discover nearly all the various voices are machinations of the main character’s descent into madness and isolation.

08.02.2025 15:49 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

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