Heritage River is an extremely accessible album. Straightforward, in a folkie, old-time country style, the recording flows naturally through Reid’s pleasant baritone vocals, some fine playing and tasteful background vocals from The Black River Boys... it would not be surprising to see other artists begin to cover Reid’s material; it has a delightful, old-fashioned sensibility. If you like a countryish folk sound, this recording is a gem. One of the most likable recordings of 1996.
The Heritage River Collection challenges the listener through all senses - the drone of the riverboat’s chug, the smell of the timber from the camps, the taste of grit and sweat from the mines, the feeling of fatigue in tired muscles and the visual span of the vast forests and meadows, lively lumberjacks and the beauty of the lakes and rivers that network all of us.
Glen’s new CD release, Heritage River, pours out his heart. There is the serene oneness with the natural environment that most environmentalists fail to understand. Woven between the lines are melodious tunes that lift you up and place you somewhere magical.
Reid is one of the very few people who have won multiple Porcupine Awards, The first (Stan Rogers Golden Quill Award) one for his brilliant song My Green Valleys in 1992, and the other in 1996 (Mac Beattie Award) for Heritage River , writing songs about Ontario.
Steve Fruitman, host
The Great North Wind
CIUT-FM 89.5 Toronto
What does Canadian music sound like? You can’t define it, can you? Hence, say some, it doesn’t exist. How come, then, there are certain records that jump at you, recordings that remind you of something distant but familiar - songs that make you think of wild bush and roaring rivers, that make you think of Canada? Folk-singer Glen Reid’s new Heritage River CD is one of those recordings. Reid has taken the culture of his region - where the Ottawa Valley lumber traditions merge into the bush of Northern Ontario and has put together a rich cross-section of songs. Highly recommended.
Charlie Angus
Highgrader Magazine
He has written half a hundred songs, knows his way around the strings and has a folksie flavour that makes his songs and stories come alive. He’s Glen Reid. A veteran of 30 plus years in the music business with the likes of Singalong Jubilee, Blind Freddie McKenna and Stompin’ Tom Connors, Reid has broken a lengthy silence with a fascinating release, Heritage River. The finest cuts are a sextet of his own efforts, headed by the title track and Lifeline To The Heartland. At a recent concert in his hometown of Burk’s Falls, Ontario, Reid told stories of growing up along the (Magnetawan) river, stories that had some of the older members of his audience nodding their heads with fond remembrances of their own. Glen Reid, welcome back and hey, written any railroad songs lately?
Peter F. Handley
Roger’s Cable Network
and Freelance Broadcaster/Journalist
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