For JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter Logan Staats (Low-gun Stats), every album represents a chapter in an ongoing journey of healing and self-discovery. While his 2023 release, A Light in The Attic, was born from heartbreak, his new album Peacemaker, out today on Ishkōdé Records, finds the acclaimed Mohawk artist experiencing a shift in his life, in his music, and his spirit. The album sees Staats entering a more grounded and purposeful phase of his life.
The album comes out during a run of Ontario tour dates, including last night’s celebratory Toronto show at Hugh’s Room, and tonight’s stop in Hamilton at Mills Hardware. This weekend, he’ll also celebrate in Ottawa and Kingston. All the details can be found below and here.
Featuring 10 new recordings, Peacemaker showcases Staats at his most reflective, honest, and confident. “Every record that I make is an important chapter in my healing journey, and walking the red road is a long road and a hard road,” shares Staats. “This record is the soundtrack, my roadmap, and my compass as I take a more grounded, balanced, and more centered direction in my life. I traveled to Nashville and Muscle Shoals to write this album, and those legacies have left their imprint on me as an artist. I have evolved. I have grown as a musician, an artist, and as a person.”
“The album title is inspired by the story of the Peacemaker,” Staats continues. “It was one of the first traditional Mohawk stories that was shared with me, and it always resonated deeply. The Peacemaker came with a message of peace, buried the weapons of war under the tree, and united the Six Nations. Now more than ever, it feels like the world needs a message of peace and love. I wanted to embody everything that the Peacemaker stood for and carry that sacred message of peace forward.”
Peacemaker Tracklist
1. Stray Dimes
2. Rainwater and Whiskey
3. Empty Hands
4. Medicine Wheel
5. Healing Song
6. Fireweed and Daisies
7. Sacred Love featuring Allison Russell
8. Warnin’
9. Addicted Ways
10. I’ll Be Here In The Morning
The album includes the new single “Fireweed and Daisies,” a global warming love song, and the first love song Staats has ever written, representing a shift from being broken hearted, to being in love. “This is a song I wrote for my beautiful partner,” shares Logan. “I wanted to capture everything about the beginning of our relationship for her to be proud of.”
The album also includes “Sacred Love,” featuring Grammy and JUNO Award-winning artist Allison Russell, for which he recently shared a powerful new video. “‘Sacred Love’ stands as a symbol of the importance of my family reclaiming our culture,” shares Staats. “My mother went to Indian Day School where she was separated from her culture. This video, filmed on our land, with our family dancing in their regalia, is an act of resistance and reclamation. What they tried to take from us remains. Niawen’kó:wa to my cousin Marly Fairchild-Staats and her partner Talon White-Eye. I am so proud of you for learning, growing, and representing our family in that good way.”
The album also features SiriusXM North Americana spinning “Rainwater and Whiskey,” which explores the duality of contrasting elements that symbolize a deep internal and communal struggle; “Empty Hands,” a poignant reflection on the realities of life as a working musician; and the #1 single “Medicine Wheel.”
While parts of Peacemaker were written in Nashville, the album came to life back home on Six Nations at Jukasa Studios (Three Days Grace, Alexisonfire, City and Colour, Silverstein, Snoop Dogg, July Talk), with producer Darren “Jeter” Magierowski at the helm, working behind a soundboard with roots in London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios.
With Peacemaker, Logan Staats delivers his most personal and purposeful collection of songs to date, offering listeners a soundtrack for healing, resilience, and the enduring pursuit of peace.
Catch Logan Staats Live
Peacemaker Ontario Album Release Tour
September 29 – London, ON – Aeolian Hall
September 30 – Waterloo, ON – Emmanuel United Church
October 1 – Toronto, ON – Hugh’s Room
October 2 – Hamilton, ON – Mills Hardware
October 3 – Ottawa, ON – NAC Fourth Stage
October 4 – Kingston, ON – Broom Factory
October 16 – Maberly, ON – Althorpe Bolingbroke Community Hall^
October 18 – Lyndhurst, ON – Morton Community Hall^
October 23 – Sault Ste. Marie, ON – Algoma Fall Festival
November 7 – Bayfield, ON – Bayfield Town Hall
