By Jim Barber
Liona Boyd doesn’t NEED to put out a new album. The legendary Canadian classical guitar icon, who revolutionized the genre, pulling it kicking and screaming deeper into the mainstream of the public consciousness like no other artist before or since, has ‘been there, done that’ in every aspect of the music business. But she WANTED to put out a new album, and has done so with the release of the ethereal and heartfelt This Thing Called Love, which came out in November.
A creative dynamo, she has used her boundless enthusiasm and sense of adventure to incorporate many different styles and genres into her masterful original compositions and interpretations of classic and contemporary standards. She has been a commercial and critical success based on every metric imaginable, solidifying herself as a true icon of guitar music on a global scale. She is prolific, releasing 32 albums over the past five decades. She is profoundly passionate about sharing her art, both on record and especially in a live performance setting, bringing her artful, dynamic and beautifully entrancing stage presence everywhere from the top international concert halls, to criss-crossing her adopted nation of Canada, performing in small towns, as well as major centres.
Throughout her career, Boyd stripped away the mystique and effete sense of elitism that pervaded the popular notion of what classical music was (and, to a certain degree, still is). She not only made it accessible, but she made it kinda sexy, shattering the button-up collar sense of propriety and stiff formality that has infused the classical music world for generations.
Rather than looking down on popular musicians as lesser-than, the five-time Juno Award winner and Officer of the Order of Canada actively collaborated and performed alongside the likes of Alex Lifeson from Rush, Triumph’s Rik Emmett, Bruce Cockburn, Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton as well as the late great Australian singer and actress, Olivia Newton-John and more, again, intentionally building a bridge between two seeming inseparable worlds and audiences. These partnerships allowed folks to see that classical music could be cool and just as much fun as pop and rock music, while on the other side of the divide, once cognitively rigid classical music aficionados soon came to understand that pop and rock music could be just as virtuosic, intricate and dynamic as classical.
So, Boyd’s resume is as impressive as it is expansive, inclusive and boldly innovative. And even the onset of a challenging physical condition, which impacts on the ability to do what she does best, play guitar, has not dampened any of this aforementioned passion for creating and releasing new material. In fact, the ailment, known as musicians focal dystonia, provided Boyd with the opportunity to ‘pivot’ as the marketing gurus say, away from strictly classically influenced instrumental music into more of a singer/songwriter proposition. Boyd has added singing and composing vocal melodies to her impressive toolbox of artistic abilities, adding luster to an already sparkling repertoire, bringing in even more new fans, while offering long-time admirers a new way of appreciating and understanding her artistic soul.
For Boyd, also a deserving 2025 inductee to Canada’s Walk of Fame, This Thing Called Love is a celebration of love in all its forms, as well as a celebration of life, from the perspective of someone who has experienced so much over her more than 50-year career.
“Yeah, I’m a romantic. That’s why I lived in Europe and I lived in Mexico, which probably made me appreciate the romantic singers. And I still love singers like Julio Iglesias, Frank Sinatra, people that, you know, where love was the main theme. Love has always been the main focus of songs, hasn’t it, really? Like, my first vocal album [released in 2009] was, you know, Liona Boyd Sing Songs of Love. Even ‘Jamaica Farewell’ from the new album is a kind of a love song to the island, in a sense [first made a hit in the 1950s by Harry Belefonte]. And of course ‘The Wedding Song’ is about love. Why do you think I called it that? I could imagine the father and the bride dancing together. It would be a beautiful one for that special moment. It’s the right rhythm, a waltz. Yeah, that’s a beautiful melody,” she said.
“These melodies just come to me naturally. And then ‘Sweet Dreams’ is also a beautiful melody. I’m always attracted to melodies. ‘Tamarinda’ is a playful one, influenced probably by the fact that I lived in Mexico. It’s got a Mexican rhythm.”
Boyd also talked about the importance of music as an outlet, as a way to express herself, as a refuge from the slings and arrows of life, as a soothing balm, and a way to say things in ways that she might not otherwise be able to.
“Well, it’s very hard to define. I mean, I came from an artistic family. Both my parents painted, so I could do paintings or something else. It’s just one manifestation of creativity. But what better way than through music? I spent four years at University of Toronto studying classical music. So I have a really good background in classical, which has influenced me a lot. And, you know, I was just basically a classical guitarist. And I always wanted to change the fingerings or change the arrangement. It’s just my essence to express myself through music, to express my individuality. That’s what being a creative person is all about,” she said.
And very early on in her career, which began in the early 1970s, leading to the release of her first album The Guitar in 1974, Boyd pushed the boundaries of classical music, both in the context of her musical choices, interpretations and novel arrangements, and especially in the way it was presented.
“I think doing all those TV shows, like the Tonight Show three times, you know, dozens of big American shows and Canadian shows. And all over the world, I was on TV. Even the record companies didn’t realize what an impact that had. Especially a pretty young, blonde thing on TV. They hadn’t seen that before. They were older men, like [one of the most influential classical guitarists of all time, and Boyd’s one time teacher Andres] Segovia who you’d see. So that image, I know, helped. But I was as serious as any of the other male counterparts. And people took me seriously when they actually listened. I remember Angel Romero – actually all three of them, the Romeros [three famous classical guitar-playing brothers], calling me up and saying, you have the best ‘Gran Jota de Concierto.’ That’s the piece I played all over the world,” she said, talking a little about her many concerts before global heads of state, including, most famously, for Cuban communist icon, Fidel Castro, and how all the appearances and press made her a household name.
“Fidel Castro couldn’t believe I didn’t have Spanish blood in me. And my father was born in Spain. But really, I’m from an English family who moved to Spain. But as an interesting coincidence, my grandmother was born in the same city of Linares where Segovia was born. I went there to visit my relatives, saw a huge statue of Segovia, and put some flowers at it. But he kind of changed the world. But he was a total snob and purist. He didn’t even like his students to use microphones. He had some showdowns with conductors about that over the years, especially in Japan. But yeah, I believe I opened up the ears of many people to classical guitar. People would say, ‘oh, I didn’t even like classical guitar. I didn’t know classical music, but once I discovered you, it led me to classical music.’ And I was always answering fan mail. I spent my time on planes answering fan mail. I was a workaholic, I guess. But I loved what I did. I loved meeting people all over the world, different adventures I had from Bangkok to El Salvador to South America where they love guitar as part of the culture.”
Many artists would consider hanging it up after developing any sort of physical ailment or restriction that impacted on their ability to do what it is they have done for decades. As stated above, Boyd’s internal creative drive, adaptability and innate resilience pushed her to instead focus on new ways to make music. Her singing voice has now become as prominent within the music she is recording as is her guitar playing, arranging and composing. It’s also meant moving into areas of creative expression which had kind of been on the back burner, especially visual art and writing.
“Well, it’s not really about my health. It’s a condition. One of my fingers was disobeying my brain, basically. It happens when you over-practice. I was a guitarist who played a lot, and I quit touring for a while. I quit recording. I did more simple albums. I could still do certain techniques. I did an album called Seven Journeys [also in 2009], which is a very spiritual, atmospheric album. But there’s nothing affecting the health of my body. It’s a condition that happens. They didn’t know much about it. It’s to do with the coordination of the brain and the fingers. But with me, it was just one finger, but it threw off some of my techniques, like tremolo. So I decided that I’ll simplify my technique and do something pretty courageous, I guess, for someone in their 50s at the time, which was to sing, and also become more of a songwriter,” she explained.
“So I took a couple of singing lessons. I was always writing songs since I was about seven years old. I wrote poetry, winning little competitions for songs and for poetry. I got published in school yearbooks, things like that. So I had a talent for writing. In fact, I’m finishing off a new book [she’s written two autobiographies, as well as an acclaimed children’s book The Cat Who Played Guitar, published in 2022]. On my last album, Once Upon a Time [2023] the last song is an epic poem called ‘The Search.’ I don’t know who influenced the poetry, but I remember my mother, before she died, she said that it was a fantastic poem. And I said that I wanted to put it to music.
“But I have always loved the music and compositions of the great songwriters. I was basically a kid growing up in the 1960s, so I was influenced by a lot of folk singers. Leonard Cohen influenced me. But I’m not like Joni Mitchell, who needs a lot of different tunings. I love melodies and I’m classically trained. So the most important thing to me is a good melody. And I think there’s some great ones on this new album. The one, ‘I Love You Mon Amour,’ that was always a favorite when [longtime sideman] Andrew Dolson and I went tour. And there was actually, I think there was a live video of us just sitting, playing it together. Not a fancy music video, but just a live video of both of us that we did for a project. There’s also one song on this album that I wrote about a dog called ‘My Dog.’ Not that I have a dog now, but I’ve always loved dogs and cats. And I wanted to also show my love for Canada and Canadian music, so my producer Peter Bond and I did a remix and re-edited a bit of the ‘Gordon Lightfoot song.’ It was originally called just ‘Lightfoot’ and was released on the No Remedy for Love album [2017] with our mutual friend Ronnie Hawkins as the special guest. I wanted to update it since Gordon’s passing and release it as a tribute to him as my friend but also because he’s one of Canada’s greatest songwriters.”
For well over a decade, Boyd has collaborated closely both in live settings and in the studio with accomplished musician, the aforementioned Andrew Dolson.
“He’s from Kitchener, Waterloo. And we did a Christmas special together for PBS and CBC. And we toured all over Canada and a few times in the U.S. He’s just a lot of fun to tour with. I’m not touring right now, but it was wonderful to tour with him all those years. He’s a really good classical guitarist. He doesn’t want to do that as a career, but he was a fabulous musician with a beautiful voice, great personality, looked great on the stage, all of which was very helpful in so many ways,” she said, adding that she has always enjoyed collaboration, which is why This Thing Called Love also features a number of guest appearances from previous and current musical partners.
“Yeah, I know a variety of people. You hear Mark Masri [a noted Canadian crossover pop/classical artist in his own right, including being a member of The Tenors] on the first piece, the cover we did of ‘Bye Bye Love.’ He’s been the guy I toured with for many years, and a Croatian man, Srdjan Gjivoje, has accompanying me as well. He sings and plays on ‘Jamaica Farewell.’ Andrew’s on a lot of the songs, but you really get to hear how good he is on the last song, which is the title track ‘This Thing Called Love.’ He’s doing the arpeggios and Peter Bond, who is the producer I’ve worked with for 20 years, he likes working with Andrew, too. We love him. Andrew’s like my brother.”
As previously mentioned, This Thing Called Love, the album, features two songs that celebrate the charms, beauty and resilience of Canada. Like the aforementioned ‘Gordon Lightfoot,’ ‘My Canada’ is a re-recorded version of a song which originally appeared on her 2014 album The Return … To Canada With Love. This one features a veritable who’s who of iconic Canadian artists – and even some hockey players – as guest performers.
“I think we have to be proud of being Canadian and living in Canada, especially in this very crazy political situation. The original version was ‘Canada, My Canada,’ but this version is just ‘My Canada.’ It still the same lyrics, but we have a beautiful new video for that with all kinds of scenery across Canada. It’s a very patriotic song, of course. It featured so many different well-known artists, from Jann Arden to Col. Chris Hadfield [as well as Serena Ryder, Dan Hill, Randy Bachman, players from the 1972 Summit Series Hockey team and Etobicoke School of the Arts Choir]. The reason I did it was that I realized there wasn’t a Canadian patriotic song. I’m a joint nationality – I’m American too, because when I married an American who died at 100, when I married him, he insisted I become American. So I was living in California, and I thought, okay, I’ll become American. I soon realized the U.S. has all kinds of wonderful patriotic songs. They really do, and they’re beautiful songs. So I wanted a patriotic song, and I think it should have been used more. I loved singing it with choirs. I sang with all kinds of children’s choirs. I mean, ‘My Canada’ should be in schools, but I didn’t know how to do it. But maybe when I’m dead, I’ll do something with it. I’m a bit sad that it wasn’t used more. Many, many people have told me how wonderful it is, so that’s very fulfilling,” she explained making note of one key individual who actually chose not to participate in the original recording.
“I asked Gordon [Lightfoot]. He didn’t do it because he said if I sing on somebody’s song, I’ll have to sing on all my friends’ songs. But then I thought, well, Chris Hadfield sounds a bit like Gordon, so I asked him. Everyone else said yes, every one of them. And they did it pro bono. That was so wonderful that all these great singers, different styles, all came together. I added Amanda Martinez to the new version, because she’s a great friend of mine. She has a Latin following and she wanted to be part of it, so we added that. And the scenery was great. We got different souls from different places.”
The lovingly moving tribute to Boyd’s longtime friend and fellow Canadian music legend, Gordon Lightfoot has even more resonance now since the first recording was issued almost nine years ago, because of his death in the spring of 2023.
“He gave me the rights to use any of his lines. You understand, the lyrics are all his lines. Gordon was quite unique. I toured with him for two years, but I was a fan of his since I was a teenager. I knew him almost 50 years, I guess. We were never romantic. He had plenty of women for that. But I have been a romantic and I’ve had so many interesting, you know, I’ve had many interesting relationships of my life. And sometimes that inspires you to write. This has inspired me to write certain songs,” Boyd said.
“I did about 100 shows, I guess, with Gordon. So he’s an important part of my story. Ronnie Hawkins, I didn’t know that well, but I met him a couple of times and I spent a delightful afternoon at his house recording him live for the song back. And Gordon was thrilled when he heard Ronnie. Ronnie had a legendary ranch where Yoko Ono and John Lennon had hung out, and that’s where we went to record him [Hawkins died almost exactly a year before Lightfoot, in May 2022]. And of course, Bob Dylan was a huge fan of Gordon Lightfoot. Gordon was quite unique. He took the time for research, you know, for songs like ‘The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.’ I remember we played in Traverse City [where there’s a memorial to those lost in the nautical disaster] and the whole town came out. A lot of them were families of the lost sailors, and it was such an emotional show. He’s contributed so much. And that’s why I feel kind of sad that he doesn’t have a big museum here in Toronto. I think there’s something in his hometown of Orillia – a museum with all his guitars. But there should be something more. For that matter I don’t have any place to leave all my stuff. I’m in the National Guitar Museum that tours around in the U.S. and they have my video going. In fact, it’s the first thing you see when you walk into the exhibit, which I haven’t actually gone to because it’s touring all over the U.S. I’ve got one of my guitars and my gown.”
With a legacy that is as varied and dynamic as it is historic and artistically significant, not just to Canada, but to the world of music, let’s hope someone or some organization steps forward to ensure that the physical, tangible relics and artefacts of Boyd’s life and career are not only lovingly preserved but also shared with the world.
One thing is certain, the music that she has crafted, created, recorded and performed for more than 50 years in going to live on, not only through her studio and live recordings, but through the artists she has inspired over the decades, those who have immersed themselves solely in the classical music genre, and those who have chose to expand that repertoire and audience in the same manner as Boyd herself did so boldly and successfully all those years ago.
For more information, visit https://lionaboyd.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and author based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for more than 30 years. Besides his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and marketing specialist and is an avid volunteer in his community. Contact him at bigjim1428@hotmail.com.
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