Recently, I interviewed the fantabulous Ruth Minnikin via email. (You can listen to her while you read this through her CBC Radio 3 artist page).

Ladysound: I see that you’ve done a fair bit of touring this year. Does anything stand out from the last six months?

Ruth Minnikin: Last month I was touring throughout England with my brother Gabe. We played a couple festivals and Truck Festival, just outside Oxford was a real treat!!!

For one, it’s organized by the Bennetts, a super-duper family that I’ve known since back in the Guthries days (99–02). They are very generous, lovely, and talented folks!

For two, Supergrass was headlining the main stage and I am a massive Supergrass fan!

For three, we met and hung out with Gary Louris and Mark Olson, the two songwriters from the  Jayhawks. At the end of the night there was a great jam session where everyone joined in. I even took the harmony as Gary Louris sang their hit ‘Blue’!! Very inspiring night!!! Oh how I can’t wait until next year’s festival!!!

Ladysound: Aside from next year’s Truck Festival, what are your plans for the near future? Are you doing any more touring before your new album comes out this fall, or are you sticking pretty close to home for a bit?

Ruth Minnikin: I’ve just been playing shows around the Maritimes, Pugwash NS, Five Islands NS, Petite Reveire NS, Hampton NB, Sackville NB, Charlottetown PE…

I did get a showcase at CMJ in New York in October (20–24), so I’ll be playing some shows through Ontario and Quebec on the way home to my release!!

On November 7th, I have a showcase with Nova Scotia Music Week in Yarmouth NS. I’ve never played down there before, so that should be good fun too!

For December, I always do charity work taking photos of kids and Santa (my degree is in media arts) at the shopping centre in Halifax. We usually raise around $10 000.00 for various causes.

In the new year, I’ll start doing the conference scene again, Folk Alliance in Memphis, ECMAs in Sydney Cape Breton, SXSW in Austin TX, and CMW in T.O.

In May, I’ll head back to the UK to play a couple festivals and then onto summer fun!!!