Press release –
“We somehow managed to get fishing and an apology to my wife in one song,” shares beloved singer-songwriter Leeroy Stagger about his brand new single, “Swimming Back To You.” Today, the award-winning alternative folk artist is excited to share not one but two new singles, alongside the announcement that he has signed with Cordova Bay Records.
In addition to “Swimming Back To You,” Stagger releases the deeply personal “Lost In The Flood,” a song inspired by a massive rain event in 2021 that caused devastating damage to his family home. Stagger will perform both new songs live on an upcoming run of BC dates.
Stagger teamed up with incomparable Canadian artist Joel Plaskett to co-produce both singles. “I think ‘Swimming Back To You’ started as ‘Running Back To You, ‘ but Joel pushed it into the nautical theme, and I ran with it,” Stagger explains. “I love the line about looking to the stars for answers, but realizing they are not stars but satellites. There are days when nothing in this world feels real anymore.”
The songs were recorded on a Tascam 8-track 1/4” tape machine, lending the recordings a raw, analog vibe. “It’s old school and about as real as it gets,” says Stagger. “The song is also an apology to my wife, who I’ve been with for over 20 years. I’m forever searching the stars and combing through the rivers for the answers to it all. I’ll let you know if I find em’, and again, I’m sorry. I’m sure it was all my fault.”
“Lost In The Flood” is literal in both title and origin. “In the winter of 2021, the west coast of North America was hit by a massive rain event,” Stagger recalls. “The beautiful little creek behind our home became a raging river. It rose about eight feet overnight and destroyed the bottom half of our home, including my new studio. Seeing everything you’ve worked toward for 20 years strewn across your yard while insurance adjusters comb through it is surreal, to say the least.”
Despite the devastation, Stagger reflects on the experience as transformative. “Our community really stepped in to help, and this sad story turned into one of the best things that could’ve happened to us. The art of letting go and the will of perseverance.”
When it came time to record “Lost In The Flood,” the performance was captured in a single take. “I remember this was a first take,” Stagger says. “Joel wanted to try another, but Tyler Lieb’s guitar part was so flawless that I fought for it, and I’m glad I did. Recording on the 8-track tape machine leaves very little room to punch in or make changes. What you’re hearing is live takes: people playing songs together in a room.”
He adds, “The medium of this machine isn’t grandiose; it’s small. You have to lean in and really listen. It’s not as hi-fi or clear as most modern recordings, and that’s by design. I needed something very real and raw, not clinical, not perfect, but deeply human. Rare in these times we find ourselves in.”
What’s The Story About Leeroy Stagger?
Victoria-born songwriter Leeroy Stagger grew up on Vancouver Island, immersed in rural rhythms and the sublime power of nature, before moving to southern Alberta to write songs while surrounded by the relentless prairies, eventually circling back to his hometown. His first bands were immersed in punk ethics, embedding the strong sense of justice and urgency which continues to fuel his journey as a solo artist. Within a few years of commencing his songwriting pilgrimage, one of Stagger’s songs was used twice on Grey’s Anatomy before he turned 25. It is no surprise, then, that his songs have won awards, honouring his innate affinity for melody, rhythm and integrity.
During this journey, Stagger embraced sobriety and, guided by ingrained principles of open-heartedness and candour—explored in his 2019 memoir Strange Path and across more than a dozen albums—he continues to write songs that capture moments and memories while captivating listeners. That journey of melody and insight continues in 2026 with a new collection of songs.
Listening to Stagger’s music, one is privy to intimate flashes; he doesn’t dilute the gritty, dark moments endured in the ebon gloom of the soul. Yet his music lifts, fueled by brutal candour and an unquenchable desire to capture the luminosity lurking on the other side of the shadowed horizon. The songs rove with the acumen of ancient peoples exploring variegated landscapes, goosed along by flashes of old-school punk iconography, kinked chords reminiscent of the harmonies and optimism of the 1960s, and raw rockin’ rhythms that shake your butt while they shake up your mind.
Mostly though, the music sounds born to soar over those vast, airy prairies where Stagger’s songwriting journey accelerated: open-stringed, open-minded, open-hearted melodies heading toward a wide-open future, bathed in glorious, long light.
He has also built a home studio, producing songwriting gems by artists such as Mariel Buckley, Tim Easton and Pony Gold, and celebrates fellow songwriters weekly on CKUA’s Dirty Windshields Radio Hour.
CATCH LEEROY STAGGER LIVE
February 25 – Duncan, BC – Duncan Showroom
February 26 – Port Alberni, BC – Char’s Landing
February 27 – Nanaimo, BC – The Vault
February 28 – Courtenay, BC – Regier Theatre
March 1 – Gabriola Island, BC – Birdsong
March 4 – Pender Island, BC – Pender Island House Concert
March 5 – Salt Spring Island, BC – All Saints
March 6 – Saturna Island, BC – The Hall
March 7 – Bowen Island, BC – Bowen Island Pub (full band)
Visit https://leeroystagger.com.
