The Sheepdogs' Sam Corbett is striking out on his own with his debut solo album as NUTANA, due April 7.
The self-titled record finds the percussionist singing lead and playing keys alongside the contributions of Blue Rodeo's Jim Bowskill, the Deep Dark Woods' Chris Mason, Clayton Linthicum of Kacy and Clayton, current Sheepdogs bandmate Shamus Currie and former Sheepdogs guitarist Leot Hanson.
Named for the neighbourhood in Saskatoon where Corbett grew up, the 12-track NUTANA was conceived as the musician had stepped away from the band to undergo cancer treatment at the age of 34, all while he and his wife were expecting their first child.
"When I was diagnosed in summer 2018, we had to cancel a couple of shows so I could have surgery," Corbett explained in a release. "I had some follow-up tests, and the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes. I had to back out of a couple of Sheepdogs tours to get the treatment. That was a very hard decision because I've been in the band from the beginning in 2004. I'd never not played a Sheepdogs show."
He continued: "The radiation treatments made me very sick and weak; I couldn't even play the drums. But I could play the piano, and I started writing a bunch of melodies and songs that later became this album. It's what I worked on when the guys were on tour, and I was recovering at home. I wrote the lyrics later when we were on tour in Europe."
Today, Corbett has shared the record's lead single "You Belong," an exploration of imposter syndrome: "I think a lot of successful people wonder, 'Do I deserve this?'" he shared of the song. "For me, there always seems to be so many amazing musicians out there. But the song reinforces the idea that I do belong here, and that I do have something to say."
Listen to the track below.
The self-titled record finds the percussionist singing lead and playing keys alongside the contributions of Blue Rodeo's Jim Bowskill, the Deep Dark Woods' Chris Mason, Clayton Linthicum of Kacy and Clayton, current Sheepdogs bandmate Shamus Currie and former Sheepdogs guitarist Leot Hanson.
Named for the neighbourhood in Saskatoon where Corbett grew up, the 12-track NUTANA was conceived as the musician had stepped away from the band to undergo cancer treatment at the age of 34, all while he and his wife were expecting their first child.
"When I was diagnosed in summer 2018, we had to cancel a couple of shows so I could have surgery," Corbett explained in a release. "I had some follow-up tests, and the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes. I had to back out of a couple of Sheepdogs tours to get the treatment. That was a very hard decision because I've been in the band from the beginning in 2004. I'd never not played a Sheepdogs show."
He continued: "The radiation treatments made me very sick and weak; I couldn't even play the drums. But I could play the piano, and I started writing a bunch of melodies and songs that later became this album. It's what I worked on when the guys were on tour, and I was recovering at home. I wrote the lyrics later when we were on tour in Europe."
Today, Corbett has shared the record's lead single "You Belong," an exploration of imposter syndrome: "I think a lot of successful people wonder, 'Do I deserve this?'" he shared of the song. "For me, there always seems to be so many amazing musicians out there. But the song reinforces the idea that I do belong here, and that I do have something to say."
Listen to the track below.
