Northern City Limits

An award-winning Canadian acoustic group, Northern City Limits’ music has aired on programs across Canada, the United States and Europe and features strong vocals and musicianship -- from traditional to progressive bluegrass.

For a sample, listen to King of Spades or One Glorious Day.

Here’s what others have to say:

Northern City Limits "No two ways about it, listening to this group is a journey to where music is tonic for the soul."

Bluegrass Canada Magazine

"Definitely a group to watch -- they have a great future ahead of them."

Bluegrass Now Magazine

"This Canadian band has a great deal of promise.''

Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine

"The best, most laid-back bluegrass band I've heard in some time."

Jurgen Gothe, host of CBC Radio's Disc Drive

"A smooth and sophisticated bluegrass quartet."

Robert Reid, Kitchener-Waterloo Record

". . . one of Canada's finest bluegrass recording acts."

Country Music News

"When you're thinking bluegrass, you're thinking Northern City Limits"

Dan Bieman, host, Blueridge Express, CKWR

"The Most Pleasant Surprise of the festival (Winterfest, Ohio) goes out to Northern City Limits band from Canada. Do not miss an opportunity to watch/listen to this gang. Merge the Seldom Scene and early J.D. Crowe and the New South and you have an idea of the Northern City Limits sound. Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Tim Little, Managing Editor, Michigan Bluegrass Newsletter

Their 1995 debut recording, Through the Mill, was followed by Clear Blue Sky in mid-1997.

Spawned from weekly jams in the early 1990s, the Ontario group played a range of venues in Canada and the U.S. Named Most Promising Group at the 1997 Central Canadian Bluegrass awards, the following year it was runner-up at the Canadian Regional Pizza Hut Bluegrass Showdown.

City of Cambridge recognized the band for actively supporting the Mill Race Folk Festival and Children's Sunshine Foundation.

Recordings:

Clear Blue Sky

Clear Blue Sky cover "This is a really, really great CD . . . Every song is a highlight, no lack of good material. Should I keep going???" Gregg Benson, WELY 92.1 FM, Minnesota

"Northern City Limits clearly has a lot of talent on board. There is plenty here to please their fans and impress new listeners." Nancy Pate, Bluegrass Unlimited

"A well-mixed, well-played recording that features your gospel, breakdowns and hurtin' grass songs" Steve Fruitman, host of The Great North Wind, CIUT-FM 89.5, University of Toronto

Clear Blue Sky includes 14 cuts -- three originals, two gospel songs and a range of contemporary and traditional bluegrass.

Guest fiddle player Darrin Schott (sideman to Susan Aglukark, The Goods, Tia Hofgraf and many others) and dobro player Steve Adams, a top-notch guitar instructor join the group on this outing.

Recorded at Cedartree Recording Studio in Kitchener, Clear Blue Sky was engineered, mixed and co-produced by Rick Hutt (producer of Bev Mahood, Jamie Warren, Northern Pikes, Tom Cochrane, and many more).

The kick-off number "One Glorious Day" is featured on two compilation recordings by the Ontario Arts Council and 1999 International Plowing Match.

The cover features a photo taken by Norm and Nancy Tellier on a trip to Eastern Canada.

Through the Mill

Through the Mill cover "A dynamite first release" Tim Farrell, Bluegrass in Review

"The bottom line? These guys are good and they mean business! If you haven't spun their CD in your unit, make it your New Year's Resolution to do so, and hey, while you're at it, try to catch them live - you won't regret it." Nick Parker, Bluegrass Canada Magazine

Named for one of Norm's original instrumentals, Through the Mill was recorded in early 1995, just four months after Tom joined the group. Gord DeVries, former member and five-time Dobro Player of the Year in the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards, appears on all 15 cuts.

The cover shows part of a historic site purchased by Heritage Cambridge to preserve a popular old mill visited by many sketchers, painters and photographers.

Photos by Mirko Petricevic; Logo by Carolyn McLeod; CD Liner designs by Diane Shantz; Web site design and publishing by Tom Nunn