James Keelaghan is Roving in the UK

The Balladeer of Memory and Meaning: James Keelaghan’s Quiet Revolution Through Song…

The celebrated Canadian folk singer-songwriter, whose voice seems as rooted in the landscape of history as it is in the hills of Ontario, is heading to the UK for fourteen nights of music. Born in Calgary in 1959 and now based in Perth, Ontario the gigs take in Fife, Grimsby, Cramlington and Sheffield among many others.

Keelaghan has spent decades weaving the past into melody — and in doing so, he’s become one of the genre’s most respected torchbearers. With his lilting baritone and rhythmic guitar work, Keelaghan creates songs that aren’t just heard — they’re felt. His music pulses with a kind of moral gravity, an undercurrent of justice and remembrance. He’s not afraid to explore the darker corners of the Canadian psyche, or to shine a light on injustice, both forgotten and ongoing.

His philosophy is evident in songs like “Kiri’s Piano,” a haunting portrayal of the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II, and “October 70,” a deeply personal look at the FLQ crisis, a dark chapter in Quebec’s separatist history. These aren’t just songs — they’re archives, steeped in empathy and the weight of consequence.

Keelaghan also turns his lyrical lens to the global stage. In “Fires of Calais,” he captures the tension and desperation of the Dunkirk evacuation during WWII, while “Cold Missouri Waters,” perhaps one of his most iconic works, recounts the harrowing Mann Gulch fire of 1949 — not from a distant narrator’s view, but from within the mind of a dying smokejumper.

It’s that cinematic quality that sets Keelaghan apart. His work reads like history rendered in sepia, sung with both reverence and rebellion. It’s no surprise that he often draws comparisons to narrative giants like Stan Rogers or Gordon Lightfoot — but his voice, both literal and metaphorical, is distinctly his own.

Despite the heavy themes, Keelaghan’s music never wallows. Instead, it uplifts through its craftsmanship, the melodies carrying listeners like a steady river through turbulent stories. “I’m not trying to depress anyone,” he laughs. “I just want them to feel something — and maybe think a little harder about how we got here.”

Whether he’s performing in a packed theatre or a cozy folk club, James Keelaghan brings history alive. And in a world that often rushes to forget, his songs serve as powerful reminders that the past is never truly past.

Upcoming Tour Dates

Visit www.keelaghan.com for updates and ticket details.