The performance brings the Albertan balladeer’s road-tested verse and seventh album, Tangle of Souls, to a live stage.
Between 2007 and 2020, Cook maintained a relentless touring schedule spanning Canada, the US, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and other regions. That travel schedule changed when the pandemic made living in a van less appealing. Over those years, he averaged 150 shows and a dozen summer festivals annually, steadily building a catalog of straight-talking, keenly observant verse.
The Road Stories Behind Tangle of Souls
His latest collection arrives paired with an ambitious physical format. Tangle of Souls comes packaged inside a cloth-bound, 240-page hardcover book containing road stories and ruminations that blend introspection with insurrection. The album spent two weeks at the number one spot on CKUA, Alberta’s province-wide community radio network.
Broadcast traction extended well beyond Canadian borders. Folk Alliance International’s folk radio charts ranked “Say Can You See,” the album’s second single, as the second most-played song of 2020. Critical recognition has followed the songwriter through multiple festival circuits and songwriting competitions.
Critical Acclamation and Festival Pedigree
Cook’s honors include two Canadian Folk Music Award nominations, recognizing him as an Emerging Artist in 2013 and English Songwriter of the Year in 2017. He also secured the Folk and Acoustic category win in the UK Songwriting Contest in both 2013 and 2020, alongside a Folk and Americana category victory in the 2020 Great American Song Contest.
| Award or Honor | Year | Organization / Event |
|---|---|---|
| Emerging Artist Nominee | 2013 | Canadian Folk Music Awards |
| Folk/Acoustic Winner | 2013, 2020 | UK Songwriting Contest |
| English Songwriter Nominee | 2017 | Canadian Folk Music Awards |
| Kerrville New Folk Finalist | 2018, 2021 | Kerrville New Folk |
| Most Wanted Artist | 2019 | Falcon Ridge Folk Festival |
| Folk/Americana Winner | 2020 | Great American Song Contest |
Beyond competitions, his catalog holds a prominent place at Canadian gatherings. Serving as the closing tune for the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival and the Wild Mountain Music Festival in Hinton, his song “Pass It Along” also functioned as the 2019 National Strum theme.
Global Booking and Musical Philosophy
After signing with Fleming Artists in 2021, Cook returned to the road. He maintains the conviction that songs can change your life, and your life can change the world. British roots publication RnR Magazine offered a succinct assessment of his performance style:
“He sings his heart and soul, and in doing so lets light flood into your own… Truly one of Woody Guthrie’s children.”
