Liona Boyd Celebrates Life, Love and Fifty Years of Crafting Classics with New Album, This Thing Called Love
For Internationally renowned, Canadian classical guitarist, singer and author, Liona Boyd, music is the greatest expression of emotions and experiences. Recognized around the globe as “The First Lady of the Guitar”, she has composed, interpreted, recorded and performed some of the most beautiful and beloved music in the world throughout a storied 50-year career. On Boyd’s latest album, This Thing Called Love, the five-time Juno Award winner and recent inductee to Canada’s Walk of Fame expertly blends folk, pop, and world influences, and her signature classical guitar sound, into her most personal and poignant collection of songs yet.
“These songs cover the full range of emotions I’ve personally experienced in life – the passion of love and joy, balanced by the sadness of yearning and loss,” explains Boyd.
Produced by her longtime collaborator, Peter Boyd, “This Thing Called Love” features a special lineup of guest artists and fresh takes on some of Boyd’s best loved past collaborations. Leading off the album is a warm and delightful duet with Mark Masri (of The Tenors) on the Everly Brothers’ nostalgic classic “Bye Bye Love”. Liona also breathes new life into two fan favourites – a reimagined version of “Summer Dreams”, her enchanting duet with the legendary Olivia Newton-John, and “Gordon Lightfoot”, a heartfelt tribute recorded with Ronnie Hawkins in honour of their dear friend.
Other highlights include the tender, romantic ballad “Sweet Dreams” and “The Wedding Song”, celebrating the realization of wanting to spend the rest of your life with someone.
“My playful fantasy piece, ‘Tamarinda’, was inspired by my time living in Mexico, while songs like ‘Living On Borrowed Time’ and ‘My Life Alone’ are more introspective, reflecting on how brief and fragile our time here truly is”, adds Boyd.
Over fifty years, Boyd has built an admirable, diverse career showcasing her talent and artistry, resulting in over 100 million streams of her thirty plus albums, eight of them gold or platinum. In addition to her five Juno Awards, Boyd has been recognized for her cultural contributions with five Honorary Doctorates, The Order of Ontario and the Diamond Jubilee Medal, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. She is also a five-time winner of the Guitar Player Magazine poll for best classical guitarist and was inducted into their “Gallery of Greats”. In 2019 she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Guitar Museum in the USA.
Millions of fans around the world who have been treated to Boyd’s captivating live performances including world leaders such as the British Royal Family, Spain’s Royal Family, the U.S. President, and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. She has recorded with Sir Andrew Davis and the English Chamber Orchestra, Yo Yo Ma and Georges Zamfir, and journeying outside of the classical tradition, has toured with Gordon Lightfoot and Tracy Chapman as well as recorded with Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Olivia Newton-John, Ronnie Hawkins and Roger Whittaker.
Boyd has many television appearances to her credit including “The Tonight Show” “Today Show”, “Boston Pops” and “Entertainment Tonight”. Her holiday special “A Winter Fantasy” has aired on PBS stations throughout the US for the past six years and will air again this holiday season.
In addition to composing and arranging hundreds of pieces for the guitar, Boyd is also an author of multiple books including her best-selling autobiography, “In My Own Key… My Life in Love and Music”. Her second autobiography, “No Remedy for Love”, was released in 2017 by Dundurn Press. Liona’s first children’s book “The Cat Who Played Guitar” was released in 2022.
Going back to her first love with her new musical release, Liona Boyd has pulled back the curtain on her emotional life and has invited listeners into a diverse, lush and lyrical world of delights.