Kathleen Edwards returns for Market Hall concert; Peterborough again early on touring schedule If Kathleen Edwards seriously longs to be "cool and cred like Fogerty," she may well be on her way. Reviews for her latest CD ('Asking For Flowers' was released March 4) have been exceedingly favourable. It's a deeper presentation than 'Back To Me,' released three years ago. In the weeks before its 2005 release, she chose Peterborough's Gordon Best Theatre to kick off a year-long tour that took her across Canada, throughout the U.S. and a few stops in Europe. This time around, Peterborough falls in just behind Wakefield, Que., the traditional stomping ground for the Canadian singer-songwriter who spent her formative years in the Ottawa area. She takes to the stage at Market Hall Wednesday night, and says there's a good reason for making Peterborough an early stop on her tour. EXAMINER: Three years between releases seems like a long time. Does it for you? EDWARDS: Yeah, it feels like a long time ago, standing on stage at Gordon Best, for sure. But it's also been everything in its own time. I couldn't put one out any sooner. I didn't have the songs and I wasn't really ready. It's been beneficial for both my creative life and personal life. EXAMINER: At what point did you decide it's time for another CD? EDWARDS: After I got off the road in early 2006, I didn't pick up the guitar for months. I needed to do other things... Outside in the garden... To do things I hadn't had a chance to do. It all really ended up helping. I was more ready to focus. It's challenging and scary when you're not in the swing of things for a while, but it helped me start over fresh. I took a part-time job at a winery, doing manual labour, bottling, labouring.... It was really fun. I was working at the winery between recording sessions. I'd go down for a week (to California), come back and work for a week, then go back down for a week. It was good pacing. It kept me thinking about time management a bit better. EXAMINER: You've spent some time in the U.S. touring and making this CD. But there are a lot of references to Canada, what with Alicia Ross, Marty McSorley and Oh Canada. How important is your Canadian identity when you tour here, or outside the country? EDWARDS: It's been absolutely to my benefit to be known as a Canadian singer-songwriter. I grew up living overseas. My father was in the foreign service, but so much of my identity growing up as a kid was that I was Canadian. I spend the majority of my time touring in the U.S. and Europe and I think it gives me a mystique. There's something romantic about it. EXAMINER: Tell me about the Alicia Ross song (named for the the young Toronto woman who was taken and killed by a next-door neighbour three years ago). How it came about, and what sort of reaction you've had to it? EDWARDS: I guess it's not surprising I've had a ton of reaction from it. It was not an easy song to write. I hope people don't think I'm trying to make small talk of someone or something that happened to them. I'm not trying to boost my career or make it newsworthy that I've written a story about it. I couldn't help but see my own mother in that story. I was really taken aback by how this woman's mother remained so vigilant. I hope if people are moved by it, they are moved because it's not just about one person but something that happens each year. It happens so much more and more. I just hope it kicks some people. EXAMINER: What kind of show can the audience expect to hear in Peterborough? EDWARDS: Peterborough is one of those places where I feel really comfortable. It's unnerving to go out and play something live for the first time. We're happy to come there. It's a place where we can feel comfortable to work things out as a band. Singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge, nominated this year for a Juno Award in the Roots and Traditional Album of the Year category, will open the show for Edwards. He was received well, opening for Jim Cuddy at Showplace last year. Bill Hodgins The Peterborough Examiner				Album reviews Feature articles Interviews Show reviews