A Time for New Beginnings
A New Album -
A New Lifestyle – A New Beginning - By Brian
Gladstone
A Time for New Beginnings A New Album -
A New Lifestyle – A New Beginning - By Brian
Gladstone
‘The Flower-Power Folkies of a By-Gone Era Would
be Proud’ – Jim Marino, 93.3 CFMU, Hamilton,
While Gladstone himself has made his own contributions to the world of science and engineering – he became world-renowned in the high-end audio industry by revolutionizing the type of power transformer being used in top-line audio, medical, and power equipment, and is often asked to write technical papers for journals – he seems to have applied a kind of Teslaic magic to the world of songwriting and performing as well.
Since picking up the guitar at the age of 14 after being inspired by the music of Peter Paul and Mary and others in the early 60s roots revolution, Gladstone has continued to develop a unique and captivating finger-style guitar technique that he combines with lyrics, changes, and melodies that some regard as quirky but which have led many to compare him to giants of folk music such as Arlo Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs.
After becoming serious about his music in the late 90s, Gladstone went on to release three highly successful and critically acclaimed albums of originals between 1999 and 2004 (see Discography) and is about to release his fourth disc, A Time For New Beginnings, in Sept. 2005. He and his albums have received awards and other recognitions and laurels from musical organizations and associations across the planet.
As impressive as his musical output is, many persons with talent who’ve also struggled for success are even more awed by how, using only dogged research and unflagging determination bordering on obsession, he was able initially to get airplay for his work at all, not just on local campus, community and internet stations but on every continent of the world. In essence, he did it by inventing a method of creating something from nothing!
If
that were all Brian Gladstone had accomplished it would be remarkable enough.
In addition to his success in producing and promoting his own music, he’s also
opened the door for many other artists from across the world through projects
and events he’s organized since the turn of the century. The Winterfolk
Festival annual three-day showcase he founded in 2003 is now endorsed and
supported by the City Of Toronto, where it’s held and Gladstone lives, as are
his annual Summer In The Square day-long concerts held each June since ’03
at prestigious Mel Lastman Square. He also recently celebrated the first
anniversary of a weekly showcase/open stage he hosts at
But there’s more! In 2004, Brian Gladstone founded the Association of Artists For A Better world non-profit organization to produce compilation cds of tunes by artists across the world whose songs speak of peace, love and understanding. Using the machinery he built up to promote his own work, he’s been able to get international exposure for both 2004’s Peace Songs For A Better World album and the 2005 follow up, Songs For A Better Planet.
Someone should tell Brian Gladstone, who says he once
believed that “I was sent to earth to finish [Tesla’s] work,” that he has
become the human equivalent of a Tesla Coil to the modern music industry! Biography (written by
Brian’s particular way of seeing things through irony and
old time approach reminds me of great artists as John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, and
Mississippi John Hurt. He is their own true son and he continues their great
sounds.
WHERE DOES ONE BEGIN TO DESCRIBE BRIAN GLADSTONE? The man is such an anomaly
on the side of modern music; a self-propelled master of folk, a throwback to
days when music was simpler, yet somehow more touching. The Toronto-based
singer-songwriter is an early Bob Dylan, a guitar wizard on par with Jesse
Cook, and a lyricist who can evoke a plethora of emotions with a single
song. CANEHDIEN.COM
With his countrified, playfully narrative lyrics, the indie performer … recalls
legendary storyteller John Prine. Psychedelic Pholk Psongs is an eclectic 90
minutes of unadorned, twangy country, moody folk and silly ditties.
For those who are open minded, take a toke on Psychedelic Pholk Psongs. This is
one of the more original records I’ve heard in many months. FOLKWAX MAGAZINE
RECENT CAREER HIGHLIGHTS -
PRIME TIME ROTATION on FM 97.4 Country FM in
In December 2001, he was featured in a ONE-HOUR RADIO SPECIAL IN
PSYCHEDELIC PHOLK PSONGS was listed in TOP ALBUMS OF 2001 by Joe
Vincent, Pirate Radio, Ireland, Jan. 2002
PSYCHEDELIC PHOLK PSONGS was listed on Gary Tate’s TOP TEN CANADIAN
ALBUMS as printed in to-nite magazine, Jan. 2002
Brian’s tune CAR SONG gets 50,000 (fifty thousand) PLAYS AWARD from
Colonel Patterson, President of ICMA (International Country Music Association),
Feb. 2002
PSYCHEDELIC PHOLK PSONGS was rated as FIVE STARS by the
International Country Music Association in March 2002.
PSYCHEDELIC PHOLK PSONGS was listed on FIVE major European charts based on
radio plays, including Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, and Germany
COVER STORY on F0LK WAX MAGAZINE, Aug. 2002
PSYCHEDELIC PHOLK PSONGS signs with SILVERWOLF RECORDS Vermont
(label of Josh White Jr., Odetta, Kingston Trio, etc.)
Awarded HONORARY LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP in COUNTRY DJ ASSOCIATION OF
BELGIUM presented in person by president MIA HEYLAN
ARTIST OF THE WEEK by STARDUST RECORDS (world’s largest
independent record label) by COLONEL BUSTER DOSS
Discography1. Back to the Dirt, 1999
2. Psychedelic Pholk Psongs, 2001
3. Alive & Picking, 2003
4. 
A
Time For New Beginnings, 2005
Back Copies of All Albums are available on request.
Write to Info@backtothedirt.com
Brian Gladstone has been Featured in the Following Publications … and more - Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Toronto Globe and Mail, Now Magazine, Eye Magazine, To-Nite Magazine (Cover Story!), Penguin Eggs Magazine, Alt. Culture Guide feature ‘View on Pop Culture’ (California), Folkwax Magazine (Cover Story!), Psychedelic News (Hungary) , Psychedelic Fanzine, Rocking’ the Blues (Hamilton), Country Meeting Point (Europe), Entertainment News (Texas), Allegro Record Reports, Blues on Stage, Music Morsels (USA), Country Interviews (Texas), Country Grapevine (Florida), Nail Online, Stardust Record News, Westernstore.de-Community - NEWS – (Germany), Folk Rag (Australia), Outer Shell Magazine (Florida), International Country Music Association Newsletter (Spain), PSYCHE VAN HET FOLK (Belgium), 701 Arts and Entertainment (Hamilton), INDIEcator (Michigan), Canadian Music. Com, CanEhdian.com, Country Home Magazine (Germany), HHGI Guitar Magazine (California), Guitar-9 Magazine, Rambles, and more.
Ron Nigrini, Brian
Gladstone, Tom Rush, Ian Tamblyn at Winterfolk I, Convocation Hall in Toronto
2002Contact Information:
Email: Brian@backtothedirt.com
Website: www.backtothedirt.com