Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Clela Errington: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1694

Episode Date: May 15, 2025

In this 1694th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with musician Clela Errington about her career in music, singing with her daughter, esteemed jazz vocalist Jocelyn Barth and comparisons to Anne Murray. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, Yes We Are Open, Nick Ainis and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

I'm standing Nova Scotia proud. For Canada. This is Anne Murray. Early in my career, I received a lot of pressure to move to the U.S., but I just couldn't do it. Canada was my safe haven, my light at the end of the tunnel, and it still is. Buy Canadian. Shop as if your country depends upon it.

Keep your money in Canada for Canada. Welcome to episode 1694 of Toronto Miked! Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. Yes We Are Open, an award winning podcast from Minaris, hosted by FOTM Al Gregor, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball. We're going to be, well I'm going to be back at Christie Pitts this Sunday because Ayami Sato is pitching and you can hear more about that in my conversation with Rob Butler recorded

earlier today. RecycleMyElectronics.ca, committing to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past. Building Toronto Skyline, a podcast and book from Nick Aynes, sponsored by Fusion Corp Construction Management Inc. and Ridley Funeral Home, Pillars of the Community Since 1921. Joining me today is Cleela Arrington. Welcome Cleela. Thanks, Mike.

It's pretty nice to be here in your studio. Well thank you very much. I love that intro, hip hopity, T.O. song. That was really sweet. That's a custom made, custom brewed for me by rapper producer Ilvibe. Have you ever crossed paths with Ilvibe? No, but I love the vibe and I love the groove and I couldn't help kind of moving around there. I can see a collaboration with Clela Arrington and Illy.

I can make that happen. You're the first Cleila I've ever met. Well it's a family name. So my grandmother was a Clila and I have cousins with the same name. So when I tried to get the email address Clila Erington at gmail.com I couldn't get it. Oh, which seems ridiculous, but it's such it's a family name. So there are other Clela's out there. Do you know which Clela snatched that Gmail account? Yes, it's my, my first cousin's daughter. Did you ever think like, listen, I am a famous musician, I need that email address. No, I didn't think that at all. But I was lucky to get and grateful to get

cleelarengton.com. That was what I was able to get. Alright. Now I have more questions for you, Cleela, and I have music loaded up and we're going to get to know each other better. And I even have a fun story about how you ended up on Toronto Mic'd here. But I need to crack open my Great Lakes beer. Me too, I'm getting a little thirsty. Okay good so you're cracking open what I'm cracking open which is a Sunnyside Session IPA my my beer of summer. And it's the perfect day for it. And I want to share with the listenership that you're the second guest in under two weeks who has of course accepted the delicious fresh craft beer from Great Lakes, but you

requested a glass that you could drink it from a glass. Brendan Canning from Broken Social Scene, he also asked me if he could drink it from a glass. So tell me the difference to you drinking it from a glass and drinking it from the can. Oh, it's just class. The glass is class. Do you know where you are, Clila? And I know who I am. I think it's just easier to drink to tell you the truth. You can get

more out of each sip with a glass than you can out of a tiny little hole in the top of a can. You know what? I'm doing it wrong. So what you're telling me is because I do crack open when the it depends what time are recording but I typically do crack open a sunny side session IPA while I record and I should be drinking it from a glass. It's delicious by the way.

It's got a kind of citrus thing going on. And it's not you know you're not going to be slurring your speech by the end of this chat. So it's got that it's a lower alcohol. It's lighter, but it's delicious. And yeah, there is some citrusy thing going on in that IPA. And that's why I drink it all summer long. So I'm sending you home with some fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery.

Thank you. That's very, very nice to have some swag. Well, there's more. I'll do it quickly here off the top, which is tell you, I actually very, very nice to have some swag. Well, there's more. I'll do it quickly here off the top, which is tell you, I actually have a lasagna in my freezer upstairs, courtesy of Palma Pasta. Yeah, I kind of heard about that. Who told you about that?

Blair Packham. Glad you mentioned Blair. Okay. So Blair is a regular guest. I saw him last Sunday at Toronto Maple Leafs baseball at Christie Pits. It was good to see him and his son Owen, by the way, the history of Toronto Maple Leafs baseball is in this book. I'm sending you home with this as well, Clila.

Yay. And I just, again, I said this in the intro, but I just, just before you arrived, I finished a chat with Rob Butler, who's a manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team, and he was on the 1993 World Series champion Blue Jays and it was an amazing chat and we talked about Cito Gaston we talked about Ayami Sato who is the first woman to play professional men's baseball in Canada and she's pitching on Sunday and we talked about Snow who is going to throw out the first pitch on Sunday so I do urge everyone to join me

at Christie pits on Sunday for the two o'clock start to see how many shutout innings a Yomi Sato can pitch. It's kind of an exciting happening and it's happening at Christie pits, but Blair was over fairly recently and he actually periodically recommends guests like names I don't know because he's in the know and he dropped your name and said I would love to talk to you. So I told Blair I would love to talk to Khalilah Arrington because I trust Blair's judgment on these things but tell me I need to know straight from you. Blair said you might be too busy to come by. Do you have any memory of Blair inviting you over and then you you saying maybe you were too busy or am I

misremembering? I think, I think what I think because you're really on the spot here because I'm blushing. I think what I said to Blair was does it make any difference? Is there a time pressure on this? Because I had a very busy two week period where I hadn't performed live for almost six months and then in a two week period I had a gig at Hugh's room, a funeral, and my buddy Barbara Lynch's Album debut at at the transact so it just happened that I had these three Kind of hefty gigs in a two-week period so I'd said to that to Blair I said, huh, I'll get back to you after that Two weeks so clearly we're gonna have a great chat I'm so excited you're here

But the way it transpires is Blair sells me on you. Like he does is he pitches you and I'm like, okay, let's do it. And then he gets back and tells me basically you're too busy. But then literally, I want to say like the next day, I want to say I got the text from Blair saying, Clela Arrington too busy for Toronto mic'd. Okay. The next day, I get an email from your PR person suggesting I have Khalilah Arrington in the basement. Do you know this is how it went down? No, I didn't know that. So great, it came from two different sides.

Yes, but then I went to Blair and said, I booked her. So Blair tries to book you on Toronto Mic'd and then he fails, okay? Blair, you failed me. But then literally the next day, you are booked through a different channel I see how the world works. Yes, I I'm surprised and pleased. I didn't realize that I was too busy for Toronto Mike, well, you know what? I'm taking back the lasagna because if you're too busy, you know No, I love lasagna and what funeral I'm sorry to hear you were at a funeral. Well, it was a family funeral

and I had to sing at the funeral. So yeah, and I sang with my sister. So we actually had to rehearse and learn this song. We were asked to sing a cold play song called Till Kingdom Come. And it was very suitable for the event and we did very well but it was just stressful having to pull together something fairly quickly for a

family event such as that. Were you close to the deceased? Well I'm close to his his widow Cheryl. She's my first cousin in fact she is taking me to hear Rhianna Giddens tonight as there is an extra ticket. Where is that event happening? That's at Kerner Hall. Oh, yeah, great. Yeah, like by yesterday. I'm sorry for your loss and I'm sure your performance was beautiful.

Thank you. It was it was a very beautiful day. We were able to be outside afterward. Everyone. It was a very beautiful day. We were able to be outside afterward. Everyone, it was a lovely service. Next time somebody in the Arrington family passes away, please have the service at Ridley Funeral Home. Okay, Clela, that's how we roll. I have a measuring tape for you from Ridley Funeral Home. I see that and I'll need it because I've got to install an AC unit in my patio doors

this weekend. Okay. Well, that keeps, it's perfect measuring tape for that project here. And you are very lucky, very lucky for multiple reasons. But one reason you are very lucky, Clila, is that you are visiting Toronto Mic during the like the three day period when Toronto Tree is in full bloom. We are in peak bloom right now. So we take our photo after this recording, the photo that will follow you until

you're at Ridley Funeral Home, okay? Many, many, many, many decades from now. But this photo, I'm gonna angle it like normally I shoot from up here. I'm gonna angle it low so the bloom can be seen in the background. It is that time I recognized on the way here driving along Lakeshore Boulevard I recognized a Japanese cherry tree in full bloom because we used to have one in our little backyard in East Toronto. Okay so you're taking me back to East Toronto and I'm going to ask you to go back to Brockville first okay so would you mind taking us back to Brockville and sharing when you fell in love with music, Kalila? I think that was sort of a slow process. I got a guitar when I was a little girl

and eventually I learned how to sing songs I heard on the radio, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young. I tackled Joni, but she's much harder to sing and harder to play. She's got all those difficult tunings. So it was mostly the Neil Young, I tackled Joni, but she's much harder to sing and harder to play. She's got all those difficult tunings. So it was mostly the Neil Young. These are like the Mount Rushmore of Canadian singer songwriters here. Yep.

Yep. And then I learned to sing in like harmony singing in a girl's school. I went to Haverhill College in Toronto and learned how to sing harmony singing. We had a great instructor from the UK, Elizabeth Muir. at the University of Vancouver, and I went to the University of Vancouver College in Toronto and learned how to sing harmony singing. We had a great instructor from the UK, Elizabeth Muir. So I got a kind

of an interesting education there too. So you went to school in Toronto? Yep. So help me out because I know you went to McGill. I took note of that because just yesterday, my daughter who goes to McGill, she's living in Montreal right now and she was here for 1.5 days. So we got her yesterday and we had a well we got her for a very disappointing Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game. Okay. Well I heard I mean I tried to follow it at one point and it was six nothing

and then it was six one and all that you know. Yeah. Shout out to Maple Leaf great Nick Robertson who scored the only goal last night. What a pitiful effort in a very important playoff game. But enough about those Leafs. We'll talk about the other Leafs later. But I know you went to McGill and then I know you go out East for a bit. So when do you go from Brockville to Toronto? Oh, when I was 13, I went to high school in Toronto. So I was basically taking the train to Brockville every holiday, in the holidays, sort of high holidays, and I spent all my summers in Brockville. But the Arrington side of the family is Toronto, and my mother's side of the family, the Lewis's,

are all Brockville. So it was always shuttling back and forth. Is it true that you're in your 40s by the time you write a song? That's true. I did not write a song until I was 43. Unfortunately, as my marriage fell apart, there was more of a, I guess, a sense of having something to say or try to say in in song. So yeah, I didn't write anything until I was that age middle-aged that's actually middle-aged yeah mid-40s okay so it was a cathartic you needed a like a artistic outlet yeah this yeah I think it's that

and also you're probably living on your own or with kids or kids. So you have way more time to yourself to or not, depending on if you're supporting a family. But I did have quite a bit of time to do that. That kind of work. Hang out with myself and try and say something. OK, because that's late in the game, right? Oh, yeah. You know, you don't hear about like a lot of me, I have a lot of musicians on and you know, they don't

typically start writing their own music in their 40s. I know, I think, I think there's probably some kind of saying about that. The basic being it's never too late. But no, I mean, I was a singer first, and played guitar so that I could sing songs and I was not a writer. I think I don't read enough. I think people who write songs are definitely readers perhaps, so I'm not as tuned into the word as I am to the music.

And I don't know if I was just I just wasn't inclined that way I Want to so we're gonna go on this little journey together, and I'm thinking I'm gonna play something from the early part of your career Just to get a vibe and then we can talk about what I played and I have a few songs loaded up And I have a new song in this new song is exciting because it's gonna Your daughter's on this jam so we're gonna talk about that but let's start with this. Along the sidewalks of the city You see a man with hunger in his face And all around you, crumbling buildings and graffiti

As you bend down to tie your shoelace sirens scream but you don't listen you have to reach home before night Now the sun beats down and makes the sidewalks glisten Somehow you just don't feel right Hold me baby, give me some faith Let me know you're there, let me touch your face Give me love, give me grace. Tell me good things, tell me that my world is safe. Khalilah, tell us what we're listening to here. Oh, that's a Lucinda Williams song,

Sidewalks of the City. I think that song really resonated because I lived in Brockville and spent my summers in a small town on the river, coming to Toronto or living in Toronto as a younger adult. It is a bit of a shock, I think, just city living in general. So I resonated with the lyrics in that song a lot. You know, let me know my world is safe.

Of course, we could all be thinking that these days. It's not time sensitive that feeling. But that's just when I think I got into that song in particular. A couple of friends of mine, Mike Clifton who plays drums or played drums with Melody Ranch for a while, he and Gord Robertson had a record store called Backbeat Records. I'm trying to remember, I think their first location was right down at Young and Dundas. Anyway, they introduced me to Listen to Williams. So that's how I kind of got into her repertoire. And she's just so good. It's hard to not want to learn her songs.

So when did you record this? This was 2000. And let me think about it now. It came out in 2000, so sort of 1999, 2000. It's on my first record, Lace Curtains it's called, which was an homage to my pals out east because when I went out east and lived with my friend Don Fraser, there were the lace curtains there looking out into the fields in the middle of nowhere. Yeah so it came out of 1999-2000 and Ed Hutchison was the engineer and producer and he had a place in East Toronto as well. Somehow I got in touch with him, I'm not sure who put me in touch with

him, it might have been Tony Quarrington you know somebody in the folk world Rick Fielding was still alive then and he might have put me on to to Ed so yeah it was an over period of about a year just went to his place every couple of weeks recorded a few songs and then he added some overdubs. I played the harp on that song, which was so, so fun for me. That was an overdub. Okay. Okay. So you talked a bit about, you mentioned Don Frazier. Yes. So I want to just go back before we go forward and would you share a little bit more about like, how does your time in the Maritimes, I know you lived in PEI for a while and you're performing in like a duo with Don Fraser,

like tell me how this experience in your life kind of shapes you musically. Oh, it was huge. I mean, I basically went from playing those songs I mentioned to you, Neil Young, Cor Leipfoot, and singing choirs, learning how to sing harmony in choirs, to going to a rural life where I was living with the lead singer in a band and Don and I were the backup singers. And eventually we went out on our own as a duo. So what I heard there was music I'd never heard before, like

50 fiddle players all in a room playing the same thing as they warmed up for the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival. That experience just about knocked me out. They were, it was just incredible to hear. Plus I'd never really listened to Bluegrass. I didn't know anything about Hank Williams, Patsy Klein, hadn't really listened to blues and I got to see people like Dutch Mason, James Cotton in Halifax. And eventually, Don and I signed a contract with somebody out there, Brook Diamonds, and did a little tour of the East Coast. So we visited, um, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia did a little tour. So it was a huge education for me, particularly coming from that, you know,

kind of girl school background and radio really was all I had heard. Such great musicians in the Maritimes. Yeah, it was a huge education. I was so just, it was great. It opened up my mind and my ears in a big way. But enough about Sloan, right? You know. It was probably before Sloan.

It's pre-Sloan. I've been at a Sloan kick lately. I had this idea, I need every member of Sloan to visit and capture like one-on-ones of them so I could put together this Sloan audio documentary that is already in my head. I just have to kind of piece it together. I've already like visualized it.

So I just, in the last couple of months, I picked up the final two members of Sloan because I had, Jay and Chris had been here years ago. And then I finally got Andrew Scott and Patrick Pentland to visit. So when I think maritime is great music, of course, there's so many great musicians out there, but Sloan jumps out because of this kick. Yeah.

I'm on this kick. Okay. So I'm going to actually play another, so we're going to have a lot of music in this app and get to know you better. But I want to go back again with an older jam and we are building up to new stuff and everything. I wanna go back again with an older jam and we are building up to new stuff and everything, but here we go. ["Sitting on the Back Porch"] Sitting on the back porch in the evening glow.

Through the screen door I can hear angels on the radio Dolly, Towns and Emmett Lue that get you deep inside before they float up to the sky up to the sky The sun is sinking down. Clila, what are we listening to here? Oh, Angels on the Radio. This is actually how I met Blair Packham. I went to a song studio, one of the annual songwriting weeks that he puts together each summer. annual songwriting weeks that he puts together each summer and we had to write

a song based on a word that was given to us. In this case it was two words, screen door. So myself and Bruce Williams, who we were paired up with, I was paired up with Bruce, we just sat around and tried to come up with a song. And that's where Angels on the Radio came from, was the idea of hearing something coming through the screen door, you know, in the summer, when you're sitting outside or whatever. And then my mind just tried to travel in time,

like, because the sun's going down and then the moon comes up. It's all kind of literal in a way. You mentioned moon again, and moon comes up again. Full moon dark time. Yeah. And Lucinda Williams name checked in this song. Right? In this one? Yeah. Didn't you name check some artists off the top in this song?

In this song? Angels on the Radio? I could always stop and start it again. You mean full moon dark time? No, like this song right here on the Radio? I could always stop and start it again. You mean Full Moon Dark Time? No, like this song right here. Did I not? Sidewalks of the City by Lucinda. Oh, Sidewalks of the City by Lucinda. You're right, I'm conflating my Clila jams here.

What album is this on? This is on More Love and Happiness. That's 2014. It's the last album I actually recorded. I hadn't recorded in 10 years, so it's the last one, the most recent one, other than the one coming up. Right.

The one we're going to talk about here in a moment here. So in total, you have launched five albums, right? Yes. Well, this one now is your fifth one. This is Walking Each Other Home. Yes. Okay. When exactly, and we're gonna play something from

it because I want to talk about your daughter as well. When exactly can we hear Walk in Each Other Home? Well, it's not actually going to be launched until October in entirety. I will release another single or try to in September. I'm releasing a single that's the only other original song, full moon, dark time, and standing on the platform are two songs. I wrote the rest of the album is a combination of traditional songs and covers. So I just decided to wait until the fall because I didn't really know how I was going to present this album live.

Generally I play either solo or maybe with one other person. But on the record, I have this fabulous band of musicians of Jimmy Bo skill pulled together. We have, you know what, don't even do it. Yeah. When I play a song. Yep. And then we're going to walk through who's on this thing. and you know, Bo skill You got me at Bo skill. That's a big name. Oh, yeah rodeo. Yeah, he's he's wonderful I was introduced to Jimmy through Alec Fraser who produced more love and happiness said album We just from Jeff Healy band from Jeff Healy band. Yeah, he he He engineered and recorded Jimmy when Jimmy was much younger.

And then I made an album with Alex. So at some point, Alec was playing with Jimmy and I sat in and jammed with a couple of songs with them and eventually hired Jimmy for a gig. And then eventually 10 years later asked him to record an album with me. Well, there's no rush here, right? You got stuff going on here. Okay. So I'm actually gonna play one more old one and then we're gonna kind of bring us up to date here and then I'm

gonna ask you about some FOTMs in your orbit but let's listen to one more here. You can talk over your song if you want. Yeah, okay. Yeah. Yeah, this is from Full Moon Darktime as well. But it was recorded with different people in a different studio. Not Alex's studio, but I'll tell you the story about this. Oh no this is I didn't even I didn't even recognize it this is this is the darkest hour

this is back from um in the eddy in the eddy 2000 yeah okay listen I know your catalog better than you do I'm gonna become the official bi biographer of Cleo Arrington. I actually didn't recognize it. It's because Steve Briggs is playing the gorgeous guitar part and he's played on the other song I was thinking that we were actually gonna hear is another Steve Briggs guitar. We can talk about that one and then talk about the one we're actually listening to. Whatever this is this is an old this is a song I from the trio album Donny Dolly Dolly, Emmylou and Linda Ronstadt. This is a standard Ralph Stanley song, Darkest Hours Just Before the Dawn. I think it's a Ralph Stanley

song. I'm gonna ask you about a one another Canadian legend whose name hasn't come up yet but But off the very top, so I actually started this episode like normal and then I realized I had a cold open I wanted to open with. So, the timber of your voice, like when I listen to you, I think about Anne-Murray. Like is Anne-Murray an influence, speaking of the Maritimes, but I'm wondering,

is this, are you aware of this? I guess you are. Well, yes, no, I'm aware of it. It does come up quite often when people hear me. Is this, are you aware of this? I guess you are. Well, yes, no, I'm aware of it. It does come up quite often when people hear me sing. I just happen to be in the same vocal register as she is. But even your speaking voice reminds me of hers. Yeah, no, I agree.

It's not that she's an influence, but I admire her, of course, for all her achievements. Yeah. But it's just a kind of chance that I ended up with a sound that's very similar to hers. Maybe there aren't that many altos out there. Well, you could do Anne-Marie covers and tour as an Anne-Marie cover artist. I guess I could. I bet you that's lucrative. I bet you there's lucrative.

I bet you there's a market for that. Well, I guess never really do music for money. I'm usually spending money to do it, unfortunately. It's more of a love and a passion than it is a career or business, but it would be nice to combine those things, I imagine. So, again, maybe we should state the obvious, but you have a full-time gig, Livelihood, that's not music-related. Well, that's right. It isn't full-time, though.

I've never managed to do full-time day jobs. They've always been part-time. So it's a part-time job, but I've been with it for quite a while. This is my 15th year. It's in the health and wellness field. So yeah I've never pursued pursued music fully as a career but I just can't stop singing and I can't stop making records. This is your art. I grew up listening to records so I can't help it. I just love I love the studio. I love being able to make that sound that's so beautiful in a studio setting.

And if you make enough beautiful sounds, you might end up in Toronto Mike's basement, right? Where you're scoring beer and lasagna. Yep. And the flowers are blooming. You're going to be in a photo. You're so lucky. I can tell you. It's one week a year where Toronto Tree is in full bloom. By the way, for the listenership, the FOTM is listening, there is an arborist who's going to do a wellness check on Toronto Tree and come over and talk about the benefits of urban trees and specifically what's happening with Toronto Tree. So for you real heads out there who need a deep dive into Toronto Tree, that is happening. That's in the calendar.

That sounds really cool. Yeah. Like, yeah. So everything you ever wanted to know about Toronto Tree but were afraid to ask, and I am actually afraid to ask because I believe Toronto Tree is sick. Like even though it's in full bloom right now and looks beautiful, it's got strange behaviours and we're going to find out whether we should be worried we're near end of life for this tree because it's doing some strange stuff.

You're talking about a particular tree? Yeah, specifically. In your front yard? Yes. So on the boulevard in front of this home, there's a specific tree known as, it was named by Dave Thomas. I did not name it Toronto tree. So Dave Thomas named it Toronto tree and that's what we now refer to it as. And every guest

who visits gets a photo in front of Toronto tree, which we're going to do with the angled up so we can see the in bloom. Shout out to Nirvana. But we're going to find out is Toronto tree sick? Is Toronto tree dying? Just so many questions, right? Well, trees are important. They're our lungs, lungs of the Earth. We need them. We need them. Absolutely. Okay. And you need this wireless speaker. I'm giving this to you, Kalila, courtesy of Monaris. Monaris has a great podcast called Yes We Are Open. And another musician, also doing it for love of the game as a side hustle if you will. Al Grego's got a band and Al Grego hosts Yes We Are Open

and he went to Regina. Have you ever been to Regina? No. I know you went out to the East Coast PEI, you've done a lot of stuff in the East Coast, you live in Ontario. How like, have you been out West? Well, I would say only once to sing at my great aunt's birthday party in Victoria. I didn't get a chance to hang out much. I was there for, I think less than a week, maybe five days. So I haven't done enough touring, touring at all. And I just mean than a week, maybe five days. So I haven't done enough touring at all. And I just mean as a tourist, not as a musician, just being out and hanging about.

I would love to do that, but I'd need to retire. Like I'd have to stop working at that job. And right now I just, I'm very happy to get that little paycheck every week. No, I hear you. Those paychecks get that little paycheck every week. No, I hear you. Those paychecks get addictive. They do. You're afraid to lose them and you probably could survive, but you wouldn't be able to

buy, you know, the pair of shoes that you want or whatever. Right. And well, now that you have that wireless speaker and you're going to subscribe and listen to season eight of Yes, We Are Open, you're going to hear about a place called Bushwhacker Brew Pub, which is in Regina, because Al Gregor sat down with Grant Frew. He manages Bushwacker Brew Pub in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Grant recounts Bushwacker's unique

German beer-inspired roots, how it evolved to become a staple in Regina's brewing culture. It's gonna be all there for you when you get home and listen to season eight of Yes We Are Open. Okay. I got it. You got your marching orders and two episodes. I'm going to do the math. Okay. Yeah. Two episodes ago is a coaching session I had with Nick Ienies. He hosts Building Toronto Skyline and he hosts Building Success, a brand new podcast. And it's really

interesting as he coaches me on how to generate more revenue from TMDS. And I highly recommend it. So that's two episodes ago, Clela. I heard it. I listened to it yesterday. So that's actually, I took it from his podcast. I know, I was about to say, this is something you learned from.

Yes, I heard that episode. Okay, that's fascinating. Well, that's how I found out a little bit more about you. But did you listen to a Blair pack? Like I'm wondering, did you cherry pick an episode with somebody you know? No, I just went to your site and scrolled around and picked something. Oh, fascinating. Yeah.

And that, but I was so glad to hear the episode. Is it Nick? Nick Aynes. Nick Aynes. I was glad to hear that because you shared a lot about your own story. So that's like, okay. It isn't because I normally ask the questions around here. I had it flipped on.

Yeah. So I found out that, you know, your business here is about seven years old and you know, you've got four kids and you learn how to do all of this on your own, which I was very impressed with. Yeah, I thought it was a great little episode. Yeah, it was fun to do and I liked it so much. I dropped it. You did what he suggested. I'm going to do something suggested by the great Nick Aini's. One last suggestion to generate more revenue is this won't help you. It'll help me generate more revenue, but it'll help you clean out. Like if you have a drawer or a room full of old cables, old electronics,

old devices, clearly you don't throw that in the garbage because those chemicals end up in our landfill. You go to recycle my electronics dot C a. Yes. I was actually pleased to hear that as well. I love that you did some homework. So you're like, who is this guy? What am I going to do there?

Let me hear what's going on. Toronto mic'd. Yeah. Well, I thought it made sense to find out what you're all about, or at least as much as I can, what you've done before. And you've done a lot. You've done music people, sports people, business people. You're kind of, I also liked the way you were all into the community here I mean

I gather it's your area where you've collected the pasta and the beer and well yeah so funeral home the funeral home is literally this neighborhood New Toronto and the brewery is very close to here it's on Queen Elizabeth Boulevard the pasta people are actually in Mississauga and Oakville right but we do have an event there once a year and of course Toronto Made Beliefs are at Christie Pitts And I want to go to that. This is this Sunday. It's okay So this is I could I just you haven't this is so recent you haven't heard it yet Rob Butler manages the Toronto Made Beliefs baseball team. He used he won a World Series with the Blue Jays in 93 I love this guy. So we talked about the fact that there's a woman named Ayami Sato and she last Sunday, she became the first woman to play professional

baseball against men in the country of Canada. Like that happened last Sunday. I witnessed it. She six up, six down. Wow. She's made. So she's starting this Sunday. So another fun. So yes, I'm going to be. And I'll look for you at Christie Pitts. The game starts at 2 p.m. Sunday. Ayami Sato will start. This time Rob Butler's gonna let her go like four or five innings depending how she's doing instead of the two innings she did last Sunday.

But throwing out the first pitch is Snow, the official ambassador of Toronto Maple Leafs baseball. And I talked to Butler about that because anyone who finds me at Christie Pitts, I'm going to make sure you hang with the snowman. That's how I say it, man. I've been hanging with the snowman. So, so those of us who want to go and check out the game, can we just sit around on the grass? Like you can fill the hill. Yeah, fill the hill. Okay. And it's free and you can drink in the park.

Yeah. Okay. Bring some GLB with you. You can pick it up at the LCBO if you like. Yeah, it's like this. It's free. They sell hot dogs and stuff there, of course. And it's good baseball and it's in hopefully mother nature cooperates.

And last Sunday was amazing. Yeah, that sounds like fun. And I'm very close. I'm at Christie in St. Clair. Oh, last Sunday was amazing. Yeah, that sounds like fun. And I'm very close. I'm at Christie in St. Clair. Oh, you have no excuse. Yeah, yeah. You're getting your I'm going to see you at Christie Pitts on Sunday for some Toronto 3pm.

2pm. 2pm. And you got to get there for two because you got to watch this phenom, this woman from Japan. She's amazing. Yeah. See how long she can have her shirt streak going. Okay, speaking of amazing, I'm going to press play on this, but, uh, I have a question about dandelions. Okay. So I was thinking, Oh, Toronto trees in full bloom. Clela Arrington, what a lucky

woman she gets to have a photo with a Toronto tree in full bloom. And then I was looking at my lawn, particularly the backyard. And I said, Oh, this is the season that I haven't mowed yet in 2025. I like to let it go up in May. And I was looking around and be you, my opinion now, beautiful patches of yellow popping up on that green lawn. The lawn never looks as good as it does in May and June. That's the way it works in this city, but little dandy lions are popping up and I see like a little yellow popping out of the green and I'm thinking to myself

Cleland thinking Isn't that pretty I like how the yellow pops up and then I remember my grandfather Louis Louis Joseph James Gibbons and I remember if he saw a dandelion pop up in his Guilford estate It drove him bonkers. He had to go out and get it like from the roots and then I was thinking It drove him bonkers. He had to go out and get it like from the roots. And then I was thinking People hate some people hate dandelions. I like seeing the dandelions because they're pretty to me What are your thoughts on dandelions and why do they have such a bad reputation? Well, they take over I guess but I like them, too Oh, yeah, I like them. So some people are like, oh my lawn is great. I don't have any dandelions. And I'm thinking, okay, my lawn is great because I have dandelions. Yep. Well, some of us are a little wilder than

others. Okay, I like how you think. Okay. So just before we get to the new song, I have, there's an FOTM that means friend of Toronto Mike, you're now an FOTM. The FOTM I'm referring to right now is a musicologist by the name Mike Daly. Oh yes, I know Mike. Well, let me play a song and then we'll get to the new stuff. So this is the penultimate jam here. It's very Neil Young-esque. Oh, you can hear the Moog Synthesizer. It's just beautiful in your system here. Can you hear it?

It's kind of rumbling on the bottom. It's just beautiful in your system here. Can you hear it? It's kind of rumbling on the bottom. It's beautiful. Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters?

Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters?

Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? Why does it fly over troubled waters? We are the white light Flee-la, this is beautiful. Never more true than it is today. Alright, tell me about White Dove. Well, I went to see Joe Piedelstein who does tarot readings, astrology, I Ching, all of those things.

And one of the cards or one of the readings he said was White Dove Flies Over Troubled Water. And I thought that's a song. So I was messing around in open D tuning with the harmonica. So that's often the first song I ever wrote was harmonica and guitar instrumental. I wasn't. Is that because of Neil Young? No, it's just it's easier than having words. The words are hard I think they are for most songwriters the words are Elton John agrees with you. Yes So it was a harmonica and guitar instrumental until one of my friends heard it and said don't you have any words for that? So I came up with those simple, once again, very simple words,

not a lot to it. Who arranged this song for choir? Mike Daley, our buddy musicologist, PhD in music, double major voice and guitar, Mike Daley. Yeah. He, he's a resident musician at the Church of the Redeemer Toronto, Bloor and Avenue Road, he and his wife Jill Daley. So Mike, I played with Mike when I launched More Love and Happiness. He was in the band because he plays with Alec Fraser and has for years. So he knew White Dove and he recorded a version of it himself and eventually

decided to get the choir at the church to sing it. So they did and it was very nice. And did you perform this song at University of Toronto, Hardhouse? Well they did. The University of Hardhouse choir performed White Dove. Gotcha. Yes. I think it was March. Yeah, March 2025. Yeah. So that was very nice. And Mike was there. He accompanied the choir on guitar and they sang it. It was very, very sweet that he covered it. Yeah.

And a real, none of this nonsense, like people who know a lot about music or love music saying I'm a musicologist, please. That's like saying, I like ER, I'm a medical doctor. Yeah, but he is actually a musician of great skill as well as a musicologist. And it was my daughter, unfortunately we talked over that, but my daughter sings this beautiful in sort of improv at the end of White Dove. We were in the studio at Alec Fraser's and he just swung his finger around in the air and said, go! And she went into this beautiful improv. What is your daughter's name that we heard there?

Jocelyn Barth. Okay, on that note, are you ready for some new stuff? Yep, I'm ready. Here we go. That's Alec playing the stand-up bass. Me on guitar and here comes Chris Bartosz on the electric violin. Full moon, dark time Full moon, dark time For moon and hour time Yeah, so that's Jocelyn Barth singing along with me there. And yeah, we just recorded it basically live off the floor, sort of sitting side by side, and I don't recall it even being much of an effort. We just did it.

Well, first of all, that's kind of cool. Like a mother daughter harmonizing like that. Well, Jocelyn's a jazz singer in her own right. She went to Humber College out here in South Etobicoke, New Toronto, Mimico. I'm never quite sure what the distinctions are. Here's how I can tell you. Once you hit numbered streets, you've left Mimico. Oh, okay. This I did not know. So Dwight is the name of the border street.

Okay. So yeah, she graduated from Humber College Jazz vocal department, but she still sings with her mom, sings the roots music with her mom. Beautiful. Jazz, so didn't probably encounter the great Rick Emmett who was teaching there. Well, I encountered him because of Blair Packham. At Song Studio, Rick Emmett was one of the main features there. So yeah, that was pretty cool. Well fun fact.

2024 home opener for Toronto Maple Leafs baseball at Christie Pitts featured Rick Emmett because Blair picked him up and delivered him to Christie Pitts for me. Like he did me that favor. Sweet. Yeah, he's so, yeah. Yeah, I got to perform with Rick Emmett at Song Studio when they do their sort of gala at the end of the week performance.

He's the part of the, you get to play with the band. Not everybody does, I guess, but I did, which was super cool. You know, I've been watching a lot of playoff hockey and they're leaning on that, uh, triumph song, uh, uh, which was the name. I don't know. Yeah. The big one. I don't know.

Rick Emmett sings it. It's a part hold, hold the line or hold on or something. I don't know. It's terrible. I'll Google it maybe in a moment, but when you're chatting, but, uh, let's talk about the new album. So the new album, which is coming out like in October. We have to wait till the fall. I know. I'm not sure. You know, but what does it mean

anymore? Like, what does it really mean? Right? Like back in the old days, I just don't know anymore whether that matters. Like you have a new song, you can tell us a you exist. This is the kind of music. If you like this, you should dig in to more Cleland Arrington and if you wait till October you can get your hands on walking each other home. Yeah and I'm gonna release another single though in September hopefully that will also tempt people to listen because the songs are all quite different this this song is a Roots Waltz that we're listening to Full Moon Dark Time standing on the platform has a totally different feel. I got to do two blues songs, full on blues songs

with Jimmy Boeskill and band. So we have a blues shuffle by Memphis Mini. We have a blues gospel tune. So they're all different. It's a little bit, I'm trying to think, okay, do you know Eva Cassidy? Do you know that name? No.

Eva Cassidy was a singer who could not be classified because she did everything. She covered, she was a cover artist. She died at the age of 33 in the, I think the late nineties. And she became posthumously famous because BBC radio played her version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and she blew up all over the world. Anyway, Eva Cassidy, somebody compared me to her, meaning you have a voice and you can sing anything really. So the album Walkin' Each Other Home, I talked about it or thought of that title mostly because it was a collaboration with these other musicians.

And the idea being that that's how we do our best work is you need other people. You can't do everything alone. So it was just an attempt to get into that groove of songs that celebrate people helping each other, really. Anyway, yes, I'll try and I'll reach out to you again in September and say, here's the next single. See you in September, as they say now. The song, of course, I got it right, but I was unsure. But the triumph song that's all over these NHL playoffs on Sportsnet, it's called Hold On. If you heard it, you'd know it. I bet I would.

Can Rock Radio Staple, and that's the vocals are by Rick Emmett on that one here. So let's talk about, we were touching on this earlier, we're going to get back to it. Like some of these artists that you mentioned collaboration and how important it is. So other than your daughter, Jocelyn Barth, who else? You mentioned Jimmy Boeskill. So maybe walk through again, like what musicians helped you record live on the floor these beautiful songs on walking each other home. Well, Alec Fraser introduced me to Jimmy Boeskill 10 years ago.

So Jimmy is also as well as being in Blue Rodeo he has his own show with his wife Brittany Brooks and they're called Brooks and Bozgill. Okay not to be confused with Brooks and Dunn. That's it so they released their first album that came out a year and a half ago in February they they launched it in the Cameron house in the back room and I hadn't seen

Jimmy for ten years so I thought well hopefully he remembers who I am. So I just kind of accosted him there between between its shows and said I knew he had a studio called Ganaraska Recording Co. out there north of Coburg and he said yeah I'd love to record you. So we up a date, but it took months because Jimmy tours His piano player the piano player that he works with Steve O'Connor tours with the Jim Cuddy band, right the drummer Ian McHugh McEwen tours with Samantha Samantha Martin. Thank you Martin blues band and Jimmy played bass and so was really just three of them and me.

And we pulled in Alec Fraser for the last recording session because it was acoustic, no drums, and Alec played stand up bass so that Jimmy could play mandolin, guitar, and pedal steel. So it took over a year to get those. There were three separate sessions to get all those guys together because they tour so often. Um, anyway, so it was a big deal for me because I usually play solo, as I said, all those record previous recordings were done in a small studio with me and then overdubs. Right? So this live off the floor is a totally different experience.

Everyone's playing together, but this would be more fun, right? Way more fun. It's like doing a podcast, right? You can go off in a closet and record something and edit it together, stitch it together, or you could do what we're doing where it's live on the floor. Yeah, it was really, really a great experience

and a learning curve for me. At one point I remember I played the guitar on all of them, so I'm basically leading the song. One of them is a Lucinda Williams song where I'm playing arpeggiated chords. Dun-ga-da-dun-ga-da, dun-ga-da-da, six, eight time. So if I miss a beat, I'm sort of in trouble. I didn't miss any beats, but all of a sudden I realized,

hey, I'm not with the drummer. I'm not listening to him. I need to listen to him because normally I listen to myself. So I had some learning to do, but at the same time, we only recorded every song like twice. That was it. And it was from start to finish done. We didn't have to do any Franken editing,

no Frankenstein editing, just straight through. So it was a thrill to play with those guys because they're total pros and they're so good. This is like your Trinity sessions. Oh, my version of that. Yes. The Ganaraska sessions. Right. Oh, and I got a mind blow for you. Maybe it will be my maybe I'm going to reduce it from mind blow to fun fact. Okay. So you mentioned Ian McEwen. So plays with Samantha Martin. Yep. Who's in the calendar. She's here in June.

Oh, cool. So Samantha Martin will be here on June 16th. You can watch it at live.tronomix.com at 11 a.m. Yeah, she's great. And Ian, bless his heart, doesn't just play drums. He also plays bass. It's crazy. I've seen he plays bass in Samantha Martin

and he plays drums with Jimmy. Okay, kind of crazy. What I find crazy, cause I have these conversations with some famous musicians like Gilmore from Triumph or Emmett or whatever and then I just did a deep dive into Chilliwack. I love that. I heard that one too. I heard that one. It was super fun listening to that. Although I can tell you I've never revealed this in public but that was originally pitched to me as an in-person interview in the basement. And they did a little bait and switch on that one.

And I'm not saying I wouldn't do it because they are wrapping up. Yes, it's like the career, but it was pitched to me as Bill Henderson in the basement. And I agreed to Bill Henderson in the basement because he's going to be in Toronto when he goes to Massie Hall. I see. And then it got shifted. You know, they threw it, they actually, they threw at me 80 year old, they threw 80 year old man and timing and schedule. And would I do it remotely?

And I actually said yes, because that's what I'm this guy. But I, and I'm not saying I wouldn't have done it remotely, but they did put the carrot out that fills in the basements. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But it worked out great. Yeah, well, it was a good interview.

I enjoyed it. I didn't even realize I knew those songs. I mean, as soon as I started hearing them, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, God, I, cause I'm, I'm only 50. I say that 50s depending where you are, it's older, young. It's like it's everything that is relative. But I say that because I missed April wines, hay day, and you don't realize how many April wine songs you know, until you dive into the catalog. And then I'm like, Oh, I know these 12 songs.

And the guitar solos. I remember hearing something, something on April wine on the radio. And it was like, I know every frickin note in that guitar solo. And that one with the ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding,

ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding a Maritimer could see, oh my God, like you can have, you can be a, you can have hits coming from the Maritimes.

Right. You know, but back to Anne Marie. Okay. It's all right. Okay. So I just a bit more about your daughter because she's something else. She's a phenom. Well, okay.

Speaking of phenoms, this question gets asked of many a Toronto mic to guest and it's more philosophical than anything, but I'm curious how you will answer it. In your opinion, Clela, is James be famous? Yes. That was easy. Okay. Well, sure. I mean, yeah, I've. I agree with you, but it is interesting how that like what is it brings up more philosophically? What is fame?

What is fame? Well is I know who he is um I've I think i've been I guess i've been part of the music community for maybe 20 years a little more maybe I think jocelyn was only nine when I had my first sort of gig. So that's more like 30 years So 30 years, but I did run into James B at some point. He was working with Tony Quarrington on something. But so yeah, he's famous to me. And that's my definition is if I know who he is, and I think a lot of other people know who he is, then he's famous. The look people, right?

The look people, which I have in my hand here. And this, you know, it all comes back to Ian and Sylvia Tyson, whose son is in the look people. I didn't know that. It's a mind blow for you. Yeah. Clayton. Right. So this is, yeah. And the other, the other fun fact, especially for these, it's funny earlier, we talked about Brooks and Dunn, which made me think about a guy who comes to Toronto Mike events. I like seeing him at these TM Alex events. His name is Brian Dunn. And Brian Dunn is famous in the TMU, the Toronto Mike universe.

They're naming a subway station after us. The Dundas station will be called TMU after Toronto Mike universe. Anyway, Brian Dunn is the world's biggest bare naked ladies fan. And then I always think, oh, bare naked ladies have Kevin Hearn and Kevin Hearn

was in the look people. Was he? Oh my gosh. Well, I didn't know him at that point. I, you know, I didn't come across him until much later. You don't remember the low rider cover that was on much music all this time. Nope, I don't. Okay.

Well, I brought up James B not just because it was fun to talk about James B, but your daughter does a lot of work with James B. She does. Yes, yes. She's on his record label, The Suvius Records. So she has a beautiful record out called Tell Him I Said Hello. And yeah, she's a spectacular vocalist in her own right. And kind of, you know, kids are supposed to super, supersede us, go get better than we are.

And she certainly did that. She managed to get through music school, which I did not. You asked about Miguel earlier. I was there for two years, 76, 77. I was there the year Renée Lavec was elected, Parti Quebecois for the first time. So I had some interesting classes about Quebec studies and I had one really good class with Louis Dudek who was famous around the Leonard Cohen and Irving, Irving, not Irving Berlin, Irving Leighton, that crew. But I didn't last in university, I only lasted two years and then I left for PEI kind of guitar backpack headed out and continued my education in PEI

my musical education and You're still carrying a guitar with you everywhere you go. Yeah, I brought it just in case I don't know. I you just never know if it's important to an important thing to do Although the last time I played live on a radio show was many years ago and it was it was uh Blair Packins show. Was that on CFRB? I think it was. I'm not sure. With a guy named uh Bob? Yes, yes, yes. Who I met at Blair's one of his house parties. Bob, yeah it was Bob. I don't know what Bob's last name is but anyway I did play live on that show and I thought you shouldn't play live on a radio show that's tough because you don't know if Bob's last name is. But anyway, I did play live on that show and I thought you shouldn't play live on a radio show. That's tough.

Because you don't know if you're gonna even sing well or be in tune. I know but Cleo, I have to ask the obvious question is why'd you bring your guitar if you're not gonna play it? True. I'm not gonna make you play it. But I mean I could tell you Ron Hawkins from Lois to the Lois here next week and he's gonna bring a guitar and he's gonna play it. Well, you don't have to play it. I could play it but it's over there. Do you want me to get it out? So I can tell the listenership that you're at Hugh's Room again on October 26th. Yes, that's the launch of this said album, Walkin' Each Other Home. And as we say, every time I say

Hugh's Room, I need to say shout out to FOTM Jane Harbury. Yeah, Jane Harbury's, she's the jam. Shout out to FOTM Jane Harbury. Yeah, Jane Harbury's, she's the jam. Who also loves her Toronto Maple Leafs baseball at Christie Pitts actually. So get your butt there on Sunday to watch some more Ayami Soto. Okay, so we, because I feel good about everything, but if you wanted to just wrap up with something,

but if you don't want to, you don't have to. Well, I can, but I have to leave the chair. That's fine, I can talk about stuff. So okay I'm gonna play by play of this. So Clela Arrington is taking off her headphones ladies and gentlemen. Don't hit your head Clela it's a very low ceiling here okay and she's gone off to get her guitar. This is exciting she's unzipping her guitar. Hello in the live stream by the way to hey ref and Andrew Ward and everybody else is watching at live dot toronto mic.com Dr. Cliff is returning tomorrow to kick out the jams. That'll be good

Okay, so I can also do you want me to open up the other mic like with that? Okay, so I'm gonna open up the other mic You can yeah, you can totally this maybe I don't know, one on you and then one on the guitar or whatever you want. Okay, let's see how this, these are beautiful looking mics. So like, are you gonna sing? Beautiful looking mics, Mike. Thanks.

Yes, I am gonna sing. I got asked twice yesterday whether Toronto Mic was M-I-C or M-I-K-E, and I realized maybe it is confusing. I don't even think it matters. Okay, but it does matter if you're searching for something. Toronto mic. Yeah, I don't know what to say about that.

Did you want one mic closer to your mouth for the vocals? It gets up to you. I don't want to... Oh, that's good. Oh, I didn't realize you just do that. Yeah, they can do lots of things. These are special mics here. Wow.

Okay. And then maybe I be quiet and we listen to Clila Errington. This is a very silly song, but I think it's perfect for a summer day. It comes from Betty Boop. ["BETTY BOOP"] I've got those house cleaning blues. So much to do, I'll never get through. I've got those house cleaning blues.

There's floors to rub and windows to scrub. I'm getting tired of cleaning things But I'm tied to my apron strings I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got them, I got those house cleaning blues So much to do I'll never get through I got those house cleaning blues There's floors to rub and windows to scrub, I'm getting tired of cleaning things But I'm tied to my apron strings I'll never rest till I lose them I got the house clean and blue Blue I got them blues Mm. I got them. Amazing. You're going to be so pleased of how that sounded.

It sounded great. I'm so glad I got this extra mic just hanging around for the guitar. That's a big do in the do a Betty Boo. I loved it. Yeah, this is a silly song from the old cartoons, the 1930s cartoons. It's Betty Boop at Grampy's place. She has a party at Grampy's place. It wakes up the next morning and there's all this crap everywhere that she has to clean up. Look, I know my Betty Boop and I know she appeared in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. So like, she kind of lives forever through that.

So even if kids today never see a Betty Boop cartoon, which is possible, they will most likely at some point watch Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Well thank you so much Mike. Clearly you were great. See, this is a little lesson for you is if you bring a guitar somewhere, they're going to ask you to play. Yeah, it's good. I couldn't have you leave if I'll play and you sounded great.

And I can't wait to get a picture of you and I with the Toronto tree in full bloom. Okay. Thank you for my Toronto mic'd in the basement experience. You're now an FOTM. And if you're around on, watch your head, if you're around on June 26th from 6 to 9 p.m. all FOTMs, hopefully including Blair Packham, I have to confirm, but all FOTMs will be collecting at Great Lakes Brewery in South Etobicoke here for TMLX 19. And if you're listening at home right now and you just enjoyed Clela Arrington, you're invited! And Palma Pasta will feed us and Great Lakes will buy us our first

beer. And I'm getting very excited about this. Clela might be there. Who knows? Maybe she'll bring her daughter. June 26? June 26. Ooh, that's Jocelyn's birthday. Jocelyn? Let's all sing happy birthday to Jocelyn. Never know. All right, but that was great. Thanks for doing this.

And jeez, yeah. Thanks for having me. Love the music. And that brings us to the end of our 1,694th show. Go to torontomike.com for all your Toronto Mike needs. If you were going to send somebody to us, like a social media site or a website to find out like when the new album's out, what the new single sounds like and all that stuff, where would you send them? Clela.

Oh, clelaarrington.com. So all you have to do is figure out how to spell that. Cleela, C-L-E-L-A, Errington, E-R-R-I-N-G-T-O-N, cleelaerrington.com. Much love to all who made this possible. That is Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, don't leave if you've got your lasagna. I do have one of my freezer for you. Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, I'll be there Sunday. Snow throwing out the first pitch. Recyclemyelectronics.ca, Building Toronto Skyline, and Ridley Funeral Home, proud sponsors of Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball by the way. That's a fun fact about Brad Jones. See you all tomorrow when Dr. Cliff returns to kick out the Jams he's got some heavy hitters I've got them queued up that is on the live stream at 2 p.m. the live stream is

live.torontomike.com see you all then. So So Music you