Growing up with a father who sang the blues and a mother who loved classic soul and country, it seemed as if JC Campbell was predestined for a life making music. With three albums now under his belt, Campbell has hit his stride with Lately, which brings together all of his influences, while offering powerful messages of hope in dark times.
As an Indigenous artist, Campbell has a unique perspective on the world, expressed through a soulful voice that would have been right at home in Memphis or Muscle Shoals in the 1960s. Lately is Campbell’s second collaboration with producer Marc Merilainen (aka Nadjiwan), whose old school recording approach and love of vintage gear is the foundation of the record’s warm sound.Campbell describes his musical journey as a slow evolution. He began writing songs as a teenager on a guitar with a bowed nick given to him by his mother, which eventually led him to work with Winnipeg producer/guitarist Murray Pulver (Crash Test Dummies, Doc Walker). Songs they recorded together soon made lasting impressions on the National Indigenous Music countdown and were added to regular rotation on Sirius XM.
Now with Lately, JC Campbell is poised to transcend any specific labels that may have previously been attached to his music, and follow the path of contemporaries such as William Prince and Julian Taylor into the wider world of Americana and roots rock.
I feel my writing evolves as I go along, and that really helps me stay hopeful because I know the best I have to offer is just out of reach but still attainable. Lately was written during the pandemic when there was so much frustration and fear going on. I tend to write in order to make sense of those feelings, and creating that song helped me come to terms with the reality that we just need to wait it out. I hope that’s the message listeners get as well.
