Jon Brooks

Jon Brooks

I do not wear hats; I cannot grow a beard; I haven’t worn plaid in years; I am sincere and never cool; and no looping pedal or ukelele sits safely within 50 feet of my show.

  • 5 time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee (2007/2009/2012/2015); 4 x for Songwriter of the Year.
  • I’m not interested in ‘happy songs.’ I’m interested in getting into the soul of things.
  • I write songs to calm those who’ve looked into and seen what is in their hearts; I also write songs to terrify those who have not.
In 1997, age 28, and nearing the end of a year of travel throughout Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and particularly, throughout war ruined Bosnia-Herzegovina – it was during this time Jon Brooks discovered what kind of song he wanted to write. In 2005 he began writing and performing that song. In 2010 Jon became the fourth Canadian since 1975 to win the prestigious Kerrville (TX) New Folk Award. Founder of The Kerrville Folk Festival, the late Rod Kennedy, said of Jon: “(Brooks) speaks and sings words that need to be spoken and sung and he does it beautifully, perfectly, and with absolute finesse.” He has now been nominated four times for ‘English Songwriter of the Year’ by The Canadian Folk Music Awards (2007, 2009, 2012, and 2015). Jon’s fifth album, The Smiling and Beautiful Countryside, was released November 1, 2014 by Borealis Records and was nominated for two 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards: ‘Contemporary Album of the Year’ and ‘English Songwriter of the Year.’



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