About

Reid Jamieson and wife / creative partner Carolyn Victoria Mill
photo credit: Diane Smithers

media kit/high rez photos | contact | SYNC | Stage Plot/Rider 2024

LISTEN: Best of Reid Jamieson (for now):  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2N3lamQmYCqb5V8RqD9phs

ABOUT

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REID JAMIESON & CVM – singer songwriter duo – Vancouver BC

“Gorgeous, sun-struck acoustic soul”- Globe & Mail 

“Prepare to be surprised” – Vancouver Province

Vancouver’s Reid Jamieson & CVM are a vocal powerhouse making music that matters and moves us. With an incredible voice, spirited guitar playing, and a magical way with melodies, Reid is that rare songbird whose originals are every bit as compelling as his interpretations. In years past, Reid was a regular on CBC’s Vinyl Café, has recorded with Cowboy Junkies, and performed with Mary Margaret O’Hara, members of Blue Rodeo, Be Good Tanyas and more. A classic introvert/extrovert combo, Reid shines alongside his saucy wife and long-time songwriting partner Carolyn Victoria Mill, where their unique harmonies and swapping of lead vocals make for an eclectic, entertaining, and sometimes heartbreaking variety show. Together they won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and wrote their way in to the Vancouver Folk Festival by winning 1st place in their Pickin’ a Folk Star contest. Their latest all original album ‘Me Daza’ was recorded in Ireland with producer Kieran Kennedy (Maria Doyle Kennedy) which features the posthumous vocals of Fergus O’Farrell (Interference, Once). There is nothing traditional about the record – or this dynamic duo. Tireless promoters of voting, equality, and love, they thrive on creating intimacy, causing tears and laughter in equal measures. 2023 saw them launch an all original folk opera about Pigeons(!) and the causes of housing insecurity, premiering it at the Vancouver Fringe Fest where they took home the prestigious Social Impact Award for their first ever musical theatre piece. Following up on tributes to Leonard Cohen, John Lennon, 50/60s era gold, and what could be mistaken for a simple holiday record, they are currently trying to figure out how to release the first ever tribute to Buffy Sainte-Marie they have been working on for the last two years! You won’t want to miss what they do next…

Fully independent, we own all rights to our music and masters. Please join the mailing list to stay in the loop! Very secure, we send out once a month at most.

“This latest album might be Jamieson’s finest moment. Jamieson’s voice is a crystal clear instrument that can cover an immense range with superb phrasing.” – Vancouver Province 

“Brilliance. This recording really does feel like a special piece of work, and maybe the best thing Reid has done in his career so far.” – Jan Hall, Folk Roots Radio

“I don’t know how I missed it, but somewhere between the release of his debut CD and what could be mistaken for a simple holiday album, Reid Jamieson has become the greatest Canadian pop singer ever” NoDepression

CVM & Reid Jamieosn - Pigeon

**fully independent, we own all rights and masters to our music.
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more press | high rez photos | stage plot

photo credit: Diane Smithers

REID JAMIESON


REID JAMIESON photo credit CVM

About CVM:

Carolyn Victoria Mill is a late blooming lyricist, vocalist and producer who loves working with a theme. She writes and performs with husband Reid Jamieson, touring Canada, the west coast of the US, as well as the UK and Ireland where their last original record was recorded. Together they have won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and wrote their way into the Vancouver Folk Festival. Passionate about voting and equality, as a music industry advocate, she enjoys finding ways to crystalize issues and create solutions to common problems. In a past life she was personal assistant to Molly Johnson O.C. for 15 years, a statistician for ACTRA (actors union), and a manager of technology journalists, amongst many other things. A nerdy girl from way back she loves technology and even writes songs using spreadsheets. CVM has recently competed the Indigenous Canada 12 week course from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies to better understand what she can do to move reconciliation forward. CVM lives with her husband by Stanley Park in Vancouver BC Canada.  https://www.reidjamieson.com

About the band:

Reid Jamieson + Carolyn Victoria Mill (and sometimes special guests Anne Lindsay, Mary Margaret O’Hara, John Sheard etc)  = The Reid Jamieson Band. Our shows are an eclectic mix of our originals and tasty covers. We also have a 50s era show The Presley Sessions Review, plus our new folk opera fundraiser The Pigeon and The Dove. We do some private events and house concerts too. Email for more info.

REID JAMIESON – Long bio / the story so far…

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, now living in Vancouver/Victoria BC, Reid Jamieson has always loved to sing. As a youth he would entertain himself by harmonizing with whatever was handy, including the vacuum cleaner. Much like two of his biggest inspirations – Lennon and McCartney – he lost his mum at a young age (he was 15/she only 35) to ovarian cancer. Reid clung to recording, alone in his room, as an escape from sympathetic attention that proved too much for this late-blooming introvert. To this day, it is when recording and mixing in his home studio that Reid is at his happiest, and where he is likely to make his mark with a growing catalog or compelling originals and killer covers. With influences that range from Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline, to Crowded House, Billy Joel and Lionel Ritchie, to Sarah Harmer, Laura Viers and Neil Young. His first instrument was the drums (he even did a short stint as fellow Canadian crooner Royal Wood’s drummer), and his first musical hero was his dad who would regularly sing him to sleep while playing an old spanish guitar. His father remains his biggest fan and Reid jokes that he might have found success if he had been driven by a more disapproving patriarch instead.

After a few years trying to hide behind his pop-rock band Alvy, Reid decided to strike out on his own. In 2001 Reid’s self produced solo debut Cowlick Bravado was nine tasty tracks of folk pop goodness. Reid recorded and played all the instruments, complete with handwritten lyrics and liner notes.

A classic introvert / extrovert combo, Reid now performs alongside his saucy wife and long-time songwriting partner Carolyn Victoria Mill. Together since 2002, they had their first kiss on stage at the Rivoli in Toronto at an anti-Valentines Day benefit where he invited her to join him despite her never having done such a thing before. CVM quickly became Reid’s manager, best friend and musical partner, providing much needed support and company in a business that eats introverts. Back then CVM booked an all Canadian music series upstairs at the Rivoli called The Maple Lounge where, on a night when she subbed Reid in for Great Lake Swimmer’s Tony Dekker (who scored an opening slow for Ron Sexsmith at Massey Hall) Reid was discovered by Stuart McLean, and was eventually invited to become an official member of the Vinyl Café Orchestra. When they moved west to BC in 2005 (Victoria and then Vancouver) Carolyn was working on the business side of the entertainment industry and was not a singer, or a songwriter – or even a wife. Reid had plans to change all of that. In an effort to make the road less lonely and the stage more lively, and to combat his own crippling introversion, Reid slowly began to take advantage of her lyrical leanings and made use of his own penchant for harmonizing (hard to do by yourself!). This changed everything. Their first true cowrite RAIL (what they call their ‘first born song’) was crafted especially for a train trip Reid recorded with Stuart Mclean and the Vinyl Cafe on VIA Rail’s The Canadian. The song went on to win them the grand prize for folk in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, as well as many other exciting opportunities from film placements to special commissions (these two thrive on a theme!). In addition to the Lennon win, they wrote their way into the Vancouver Folk Music Festival by winning 1st prize in the Pickin’ a Folk Star Contest and have been finalists in multiple radio and song writing contests internationally. These lovebirds continued together in sin fo several years and then finally married in Stanley Park in 2010. In 2014 this creative couple released their first record singing together on disc: ‘Juniper’s Kitchen’ featuring Anne Lindsay (Blue Rodeo) on fiddle, and Paul Rigby (Neko Case) on pedal steel. This alt-country collection of duets is a little Johnny & June meets Fleetwood Mac – and is all about the songs. They present an entertaining duo where harmonies abound, followed by tears and laughter in equal measures.

Back to the back story..

Reid completed his second full solo release The Unavoidable Truth in 2004. Produced by Josh Finlayson (Skydiggers) and featuring Dave Clark on drums – both of whom were members of Gord Downie’s backing band, Reid waas also joined by friends Mia Sheard, Bob Egan (Blue Rodeo, Wilco), Sarah Harmer and more. With something for everybody, this record showcases Reid’s choirboy ways and classic charm and was a very alt country full band sounding affair.

And then they went west in an uncharacteristically spontaneous move, in order to get closer to nature and find new inspiration, inspired by their dear friends Andre and Kelly who owned the Rivoli and Queen Mother Cafe, and made a similar move the year before. Big lovers of camping and the sea, there were few regrets. Though they sorely missed friends and family and the community they had built up on Queen St West in Toronto, sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself and that’s what they did. You can hear the story of that move in the single Find Your Heart A Home.

In 2009 the Courting Juniper EP was an acoustic stripped down prelude to the fully fledged album in the works, and was produced by Byron Kent Wong (David Usher, The Crystal Method). In 2010 Staring Contest came to life. A sweet sounding collection of 11 all original tracks featuring Samantha Parton (Be Good Tanyas), Anne Lindsay (Blue Rodeo) and fellow Vinyl Cafe bandmate John Sheard on piano. This featured the John Lennon Songwriting Contest winner RAIL, and no less than three proposals!

In 2014 – Reid and Carolyn recorded their first album together (and her first ever) with a collection of alt-country duets called Juniper’s Kitchen (Reido+CVM=Juniper). 12 years in the making, this country-soul collection is the first with Reid being joined on record by longtime songwriting partner, manager and wife Carolyn Victoria Mill. A true labour of love, this creative couple wrote and sang every song together, and are joined by a full band that includes Anne Lindsay (Blue Rodeo, James Taylor) on fiddle, John Sheard (Vinyl Cafe) on piano, and Paul Rigby (Neko Case) on pedal steel. A little Johnny & June meets Fleetwood Mac – and all about the songs.

Known for his compelling covers of everything from Neil Young to Madonna, from Mary Margaret O’Hara to A-ha, Reid has released singles and compelling collections tailor made to make people happy. Speaking of covers, in December 2015 Reid won 5k in the LG104.3fm #vanCOVER contest for his solo version of Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ from his winter-themed album Songs For A Winter’s Night (2012, produced by CVM). A welcome holiday from the usual seasonal fare, this alt-Christmas collection of covers and originals continues to warm hearts on an annual basis. The new Christmas ‘classic’ Sentimental Song speaks to the season being a complicated time for many.

The Presley Sessions Revisited is a musical love letter to the greats of the 50s era, including songs made popular by Elvis, Roy Orbison, The Platters and The Flamingos. This collection originated as a musical birthday present for CVM that he recorded all in one day back when they could afford little else The Presley Sessions (discontinued) . They don’t call her the colonel for nothing, so she insisted he release those demos, which went on to become a best seller, and then record the more polished (revisited) version that stands as one of the finer examples of Reid’s vocal range and retro sensibilities. Few can knock Orbison out of the park like he does. 

Next came a luminous tribute to the master of song, Dear Leonard: The Cohen Collection. Featuring seven Leonard Cohen covers plus the title track Dear Leonard, an original ode to the man himself, where they turn the master into the muse in an open letter that would make our late great lady’s man most proud. Cohen’s management even asked to be sent a copy, but sadly Leonard passed before he had a chance to hear it.

In 2019 a new all original album Me Daza, was recorded in the wilds of West Cork, Ireland (the tiny town of Schull) with producer Kieran Kennedy (Maria Doyle Kennedy, Damien Rice, John Prine). The title ‘Me Daza’ is Cork slang for ‘most excellent’, – tho the direct translation is ‘I’m dying’ – but aren’t we all? There is nothing traditional about it. Mature themes range from loving a woman during and after ‘The Change’, to Ireland’s abortion referendum, to coping with mental illness, social media, and overcoming it all – call it a soundtrack for the second act. It was Canadian/Irish legend Mary Margaret O’Hara who introduced artist and producer at a Toronto concert where she had joined Reid’s band for the night. Kieran and his wife – actor Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Commitments, The Tudors, Downton Abbey, Outlander) – also enjoy a musical partnership and have created many beautiful albums together under her name. That night a friendship was struck and plans were set in motion that went on to inspire an epic trip to the Emerald Isle, and perhaps Reid’s most daring record to date.

Husband and wife together 19 years at that time, Reid and Carolyn are creative partners who wrote each song together, with the exception of ‘Don’t Go Down’ written by the late great Fergus O’Farrell (Interference) and Glen Hansard (Swell Season, The Frames). Fergus’ was a much admired Schull local whose vocals appear posthumously as he passed away (duo to complications of Muscular Distrophy) before he was able to properly release the track himself. All of this unbeknownst to Reid and Carolyn when they chose the tune from a selection of potential Irish covers sent by their producer. Fergus’ vocals appear posthumously thanks to studio magic and enthusiastic blessings from his family. You can find out more about this determined artist in the new documentary about his life ‘Breaking Out‘ that recently won Best Irish Feature Documentary at The Galway Film Fleadh.

Since the pandemic they have released JOHN:2020 a timely tribute to John Lennon, Songs of 69 celebrating a very special year for music, and Trouble Sleeping – a collection of lullabies for all ages – as well as various singles. Their Lovestream series included themed livestreams with Cohen, 60s, 80s, Old Country, all originals, holiday hoho and more. All while working day jobs and fretting about the end of independent music as we know it.

Terminally uncool, Reid may never end up on any indie darling lists but he sure knows how to please his growing and appreciative audience, with regular tour stops up and down the west coast of Canada and the US, Ontario, England, Ireland, and even Hawaii. Tireless promoters of voting, equality and love, Reido and CVM thrive on creating intimacy, causing tears and laughter in equal measures. They are currently working on what may be the first ever full tribute to living legend Buffy Sainte-Marie, and then a lo-fi folk opera about Pigeons (!) and the causes of Homelessness. In the summer of 2023 they have begun a residency at the legendary Vancouver gastropub The Irish Heather, with special guests dropping by each week, anything can happen. You won’t want to miss what they do next!

Reid Jamieson and wife / creative partner Carolyn Victoria Mill
photo credit Diane Smithers
Reid Jamieson Band - Winter 2019 - high
Reid Jamieson + Carolyn Mill = Reid Jamieson Band photo by Diane Smithers

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