Toronto, ON
Americana
RIYL: Emmylou Harris + Gram Parsons, Susan Tedeschi + Derek Trucks

Six Shooter Records’ Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet tie the musical knot with the debut of their new band, Whitehorse, marrying their talent and chemistry on stage as a smoldering duo. Gutsy and resolute in their pursuits of sound and substance, Luke and Melissa’s fusion of the personal and professional brings to mind the road-tested romance of Johnny and June.

Individually, Luke and Melissa have been recognized with awards and nominations from the Juno Awards, the Canadian Folk Music Awards, the Hamilton Music Awards, the Independent Music Awards and Polaris. Together, Luke and Melissa create music that cascades forth, rushing like currents fluid and electric. More than the sum of considerable talents, Whitehorse showcases the rarity of true give and take in partnership, uniting falcon with songbird to dramatic effort.

McClelland is known for bringing bloody-knuckled tales of blackouts, knockouts, bayonets and bad apples to life. She recently shared the stage with Sarah McLachlan during the Sarah & Friends tour, which traveled across North American all winter and featured Melissa’s songs “Passenger 24” and “Brake” (a duet with Sarah), among others. Victoria Day, Melissa’s Six Shooter Records debut, hit the Top 5 Most Added on the Americana Radio Chart in the US, and cemented her status as an “uncommonly talented” (Globe and Mail) voice in Canada.

Doucet’s fifth release on Six Shooter Records, Steel City Trawler, was rewarded with a second Juno nomination for Adult Alternative Album (the award was again taken by Neil Young). The album, described as “a late-’70s ride to the grocery store in a big, gas-guzzling Lincoln Town Car,” has attracted four-star reviews and earned a spot on the Globe and Mail’s Best of 2010 list. Luke is known for The White Falcon, his band and signature unmistakable guitar.