Returning to artsPlace, Canmore native Mike Tod is a wry and raspy tenor who sings with conviction and candor. He sings well-worn traditionals, researches their roots, and shares them in a fashion that feels authentically of another time, while still firmly planted in the present. He forges old-time songs into historical epics, conjuring visions of western portraits and weathered landscapes.

Over the past decade, the nomadic singer has earned his voice the old-fashioned way. He’s grazed on the origins of old-time music and studied deep into the history behind the songs. He’s worked on ranches and sheep farms, travelled North America, and played on stages from the Calgary Stampede to small town public houses in Cape Breton.