Music from the Glen

Music from the Glen is a weekly program of traditional music from the British Isles and beyond. The program has been running for over 45 years, and focuses on folk music of a traditional bent from the British Isles and elsewhere that these traditions have spread.

We feature traditional music in all forms: new releases of traditional songs and tunes, new compositions in traditional style, classic traditional material from the folk revival onward, and even the occasional archival recording.

We frequently play the music of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and sometimes venture to Australia, Brittany and Scandinavia. We often feature musicians from the rich Canadian traditional music scene — including players from Cape Breton, the Ottawa Valley, Newfoundland, and Quebec — as well as the music of the American North-East.

Memories fade quickly, and we haven't yet been able to track down an exact date for the first broadcast. If the show was not part of the original CKCU lineup in November 1975, then it likely started within the first year of broadcast. We believe the program was originally hosted by Stephanie David. By December 1979 (first issue of TransFM) hosting duties had passed to Graham Ashby, who eventually co-hosted with Rebecca Barclay. Then Rob McCarthy hosted the show until his departure on a trip around the world in mid-1982, at which point Riva Flexer took over the program until 1985. Vince Veness then organized a collective of hosts including John Henderson, Pippa Hall, Ivan Empky and Shelley Posen. Gord Peeling and Stewart Patch were also a part of the collective and eventually took over the show, splitting the hosting duties. Colin Henein replaced Stewart in the fall of 2005, and Ed Kingscote joined as a third host in 2017. Gord, Colin and Ed now alternate weeks, bringing you the best in traditional music from the British Isles, and beyond!