Steve Marriner Shares New Single “I Don’t Know What to Say” Ahead of Anticipated Album, Hear My Heart
Acclaimed Canadian blues artist Steve Marriner is back with the heartfelt new single “I Don’t Know What To Say,” the second release from his upcoming solo album Hear My Heart, out June 6 via Cordova Bay Records. Following the swaggering success of his first single — a blues-soaked reinvention of Genesis’s “I Can’t Dance” — Marriner now turns inward with an emotional ballad that showcases his vulnerable songwriting and soulful vocals.
Anchored by a tender melody and raw lyricism, “I Don’t Know What To Say” reflects on regret, forgiveness, and the longing for redemption:
The thought of losing you grips like an iron glove
I’m only half a man without your love…
If I paid my debt, tell me, can you live?
If you can’t forget, can you forgive?
The track captures the emotional honesty Marriner is known for — a signature that has made him one of Canada’s most respected blues musicians over the past two decades.
“I always try to write songs that let people know they aren’t alone,” says Marriner. “Everyone struggles to find the right words sometimes, especially when it matters most. ‘I Don’t Know What To Say’ is about that struggle — and about holding onto love, even when you’re not sure how to.”
With over twenty years of relentless touring and recording, Steve Marriner has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s most versatile and hard-working musicians. Nicknamed “The Swiss Army Knife” for his multi-instrumental talents, Marriner is a celebrated harmonica player, baritone guitarist, soulful vocalist, and creative producer.
As a co-founder and frontman of the acclaimed blues-rock band MonkeyJunk, Marriner has won two JUNO Awards for Blues Album of the Year and became part of Canadian blues history when MonkeyJunk became the first Canadian band to win a Blues Music Award in Memphis. His 2021 solo album Hope Dies Last earned a 2022 JUNO nomination, cementing his place as a powerhouse solo artist.
Beyond MonkeyJunk, Marriner has collaborated with legends including Buddy Guy, Colin James, and Blue Rodeo, as well as produced two albums — Yeah! by David Gogo and This Old Life by Big Dave McLean — both nominated for Blues Album of the Year at the 2025 JUNO Awards.
With Hear My Heart, Marriner continues to evolve, bringing new emotional depth and musical grit to his work — and solidifying his status as one of the most compelling voices in modern blues.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
5/21 – Lethbridge, AB – Geomatic Attic
5/22 – Coleman, AB – Rum Runner
5/23 – Calgary, AB – King Eddy
5/24 – Edmonton, AB – CKUA Performance Space
5/25 – Millet, AB – Blues Barn
5/28 – Penticton, BC – Dream Cafe
5/29 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre
5/30 – White Rock, BC – Blue Frog Studio
5/31 – Victoria, BC – Wicket Hall
6/1 – Crofton, BC – Osborne Bay Pub
6/6 – Ottawa, ON – Red Bird Live *SOLD OUT*
6/7 – Ottawa, ON – Red Bird Live
6/15 – Erin, ON – The Busholme (w/ Jimmy Bowskill & Morgan Davis)
SUMMER 2025
7/9 – Mont Tremblant, QC – Festival Du Blues International de Tremblant (w/ Colin James)
7/10 – Mont Tremblant, QC – Festival Du Blues International de Tremblant (SM & LE)
7/11 – Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON – Jackson Triggs Winery (w/ Colin James)
7/12 – Campbellford, ON – Westben Theatre (w/ Colin James)
7/16 – Huntsville, ON – Algonquin Theatre (support for Matt Andersen)
7/19 – Bathurst, NB – Bathurst Hospitality Days (w/ Colin James)
7/20 – Becancour, QC – Au Son Du Moulin (w/ MonkeyJunk)
7/25 – Fort Langley, BC – Cool Blues Show
7/26 – Salmon Arm, BC – Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival
7/27 – Salmon Arm, BC – Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival (w/ Colin James)
7/31 – Bromont, QC – TBA (w/MonkeyJunk)
8/1 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Blues Festival
8/2 – Bow Island, AB – TBA
8/8 – Kitchener, ON – Kitchener Blues Festival
8/10 – Cranbrook, BC – Rock The Kootenays (w/Colin James)
8/16 – Uxbridge, ON – Blues At The Holler
9/1 – Saltspring Island, BC – TBA (w/ Harry Manx)