The nearly forgotten story of Calgary blues legend Ellen McIlwaine

Though he's donned a mask since the beginning of his music career, Orville Peck says it’s not so much a disguise as it is a representation of who he truly is. Last year, around the release of his album “Stampede,” Orville joined Tom Power in our studio to talk about his career, how he found a home in country music, and why he walked away from fame at the peak of his success. If you enjoy this conversation, you might also enjoy Tom’s conversations with comedian-turned-musician Mae Martin or “National Anthem” director Luke Gilford.

Charlotte Le Bon is a French Canadian actor and director who plays Chloe in Season 3 of “The White Lotus.” Back in 2023, around the time she released her feature directorial debut “Falcon Lake,” Charlotte joined guest host Talia Schlanger to tell us how her Quebec roots shaped her career — starting with her very first acting job in France.

The Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (Dune, Interstellar, Gladiator, The Lion King) has created some of the most iconic film scores of all time, but he’s struggled with stage fright for as long as he can remember. Now, he and his orchestra are featured in the new documentary “Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert,” in which they perform live onstage at a massive concert in Dubai. Hans joins Tom Power over Zoom to talk about the film and his incredible career. If you enjoy this conversation and you’re looking for more conversations with composers, check out Tom’s interviews with Rufus Wainwright, John Adams or Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA.

The Montreal punk band Nobro is up for rock album of the year at the Junos Awards later this month. Lead singer and bass player Kathryn McCaughey joins Tom Power to share the story behind Nobro’s song “Where My Girls At” off their Juno-nominated album.

Back in 2020, the Canadian singer-songwriter Leif Vollebekk found himself with a lot of extra time to think about the direction of his life and music. During that time, he allowed himself the space to dream — both literally and figuratively. Those dreams became the foundation of his new album, “Revelation,” which is now nominated for a Juno. Last fall, Leif joined Tom Power to talk about the record and what he learned from reading Carl Jung’s book “Memories, Dreams, Reflections.” 

Director Alfonso Maiorana’s new documentary, “Goddess of Slide,” tells the story of Ellen McIlwaine, a pioneering singer-songwriter and slide guitarist who should have been a household name. Born in Nashville and raised in Japan, Ellen played with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter and Taj Mahal before ultimately settling down in Calgary where she worked as a school bus driver in the last decade of her life. Now, she’s finally receiving her rightful place in music history. Alfonso joins Tom Power to tell us more about her remarkable life and legacy.

Emma Portner is a celebrated Canadian dancer and choreographer who’s known for her distinctive style. She’s choreographed for the likes of Justin Bieber, Maggie Rogers, the Norwegian National Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada. Now, the National Ballet of Canada is nominated for two Olivier Awards (the highest honour in British theatre) for a show that includes Emma’s piece “Islands”. The nominations are for best new dance production and outstanding achievement in dance. Last year, Emma joined Tom Power over Zoom to talk about “Islands,” which defies traditional ballet conventions and does away with tutus.

Sam Crane is the director and star of “Grand Theft Hamlet” — a documentary that follows how he and a friend mounted a full production of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” inside the video game “Grand Theft Auto Online.” Sam joins Tom Power to talk about the project, what the process of making it looked like, and why Shakespeare translates so well to the ultra-violent world of “Grand Theft Auto.”

Sandra Oh (Killing Eve, Grey’s Anatomy) is back in a new film, “Can I Get a Witness?” It’s set in a not-too-distant future when climate change has been solved. But there’s a catch: all humans are required by law to end their life at 50. The Ottawa-born actor joins Tom Power to talk about the movie and why it spoke to her. Plus, she reflects on her journey as an actor, from finding her passion at eight years old to becoming one of Hollywood’s most accomplished stars.

Nico Williams is an award-winning Canadian artist known for creating soft sculptures out of intricate beadwork. In Canada, beading has a long artistic and cultural history among Indigenous people who’ve been using glass beads to decorate moccasins and clothing for generations. But Nico takes that a step further by beading everyday objects like J-cloths, grocery store flyers and lawn chairs. He talks to Tom Power about taking the traditional practice of beading to a new frontier, winning the 2024 Sobey Art Award, and why beading can be meditative.