Massey Hall presents

Juno Award-winner Justin Rutledge returns to Toronto this fall with his eighth studio album, Passages (Available now) and a new band by his side.

One of the key new band members is Rob Baker from the Tragically Hip. Rutledge and Baker forged a friendship through the creation of Rutledge’s 2014 album, Daredevil, a recording that paid tribute to the legendary Canadian band.

With Passages, Rutledge manages to retain his Americana roots while venturing into exploratory sonic fields. “Country and roots music will always be my first love,” says Rutledge, “but lately I’ve been listening to a lot of ambient instrumental music like Four Tet and Nils Frahm and I wanted to invite that influence into the way the songs on Passages are encircled.” Rutledge’s subtly well-wrought songs are enveloped in ambient and lilting textures that provide fresh landscapes for Rutledge’s material.