DEEP ROOTS MUSIC goes online with COVID Concerts
Wolfville, NS – May 23, 2020
For immediate release:
The Deep Roots Board of Directors, working closely with the Festival Committee and community stakeholders, have reluctantly decided to cancel the 17th annual Deep Roots Music Festival, scheduled for September 2020.
The Deep Roots Music Cooperative was incorporated in 2003 by a group dedicated to developing and promoting the music scene in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Because of COVID-19, it is more challenging this year to enact the Deep Roots mission: To create meaningful connections between cultures, community groups, artists and audiences by offering music-related events, programs, and an annual festival.
Board chair, Peter Mowat said many people will miss the connections they make at the festival. “We know that this will be sad (but probably not unexpected) news for our Deep Roots community. We are pivoting quickly this year to create physically-distant connections, but we sincerely hope that we will be back presenting the music you love, in September 2021, live and in person in our festival venues.”
For now, the Deep Roots COVID Concerts, will be presented on the internet bi-weekly from May 30 to September 19 (the Saturday before the Deep Roots Music Festival was to take place).
Every show will include two ongoing segments:
- The first segment, called “Here I Am” invites folks to email a video clip to say your name, where you are, and a quick hello – whether you’re in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia or not. (Send to with Subject: Here I am)
- For the second segment, “The Sing-Along”, email a video clip of you (and your COVID-19 companions) singing a selected song for each concert. The first one is “You Are My Sunshine” with Zakary Miller. (Go to the Deep Roots YouTube channel or Facebook page to listen to it. Then, send your version to with Subject: Sunshine, before May 27, and see yourself and others in the first show.)
The first show, on May 30, will feature performances by two powerful Valley artists, Zakary Miller and Heather Kelday. “People need music. And performers need gigs. We are hoping that the first show will feel like spring tonic to the Deep Roots audience,” says Dave Carmichael, Program Director, who is putting together these online shows. “Please email your suggestions to . Feel free to send any pictures as well (there must be lots of funny haircuts out there!) and we’ll include them in the show. We will continue to make concert announcements as we progress, get feedback, adapt and learn as we go.”
The Deep Roots Music Cooperative is committed to creating opportunities for Annapolis Valley artists and beyond – and to paying them! The concerts will also offer a PayPal link so that audience members may contribute too.
You can catch the shows on the Deep Roots Music Videos YouTube channel and through the various social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
Please subscribe here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1BIPZRR571DqozUjKDn8Pw
If you already have tickets for the 2020 festival, they will be refunded through TicketPro or the money can be donated to Deep Roots. Or hang onto them and they will be honoured at our next festival.