A true maverick, 2013 Roots & Blues headliner Daniel Lanois began his extraordinarily successful production career at the age of 17, when he and his brother Bob started recording bands in their mother’s Hamilton, Ont. basement.
His acumen and hard work ultimately paid huge dividends to the point where the Hull, Que. native has produced a roll call of superstars including Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris and, with Brian Eno, most of U2’s work since 1984’s The Unforgettable Fire.
Noted for his unmatched atmospheric sensibilities, Lanois pursues emotional authenticity over technical perfection, relying on vintage equipment and unconventional studio methods to achieve a signature sound both viscerally compelling and intricately beautiful. His work in this capacity has brought him critical acclaim, with more than one of his clients’ albums honoured with a Grammy Award for album of the year.
As a master musician and songwriter, Lanois’ own work as a recording artist surfaced in 1989 with the release of his critically acclaimed debut album Acadie – described as a “stunning blend of New Orleans rhythm, rock, new age mysticism, and folk… as caressing to the ear as to the mind.”
“It’s a lovely thing when you can elevate somebody’s spirit,” Lanois has said, “and that’s what a record should be about – to give people an outlet for their imagination.”
Following Acadie, Lanois continued creating an impressive body of musical work – including 1993’s For the Beauty of Wynona, the soundtrack to 1996 Academy Award winning film Sling Blade, 2003 album Shine, and 2005’s Grammy nominated album Belladonna. His autobiographical documentary, Here Is What Is, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007.
In 2008 he released his all instrumental three-disc Omni Series, which showcased Lanois ambient virtuosity on the pedal-steel guitar conjuring up deep, ethereal soundscapes.
Always trailblazing, in 2009 Lanois formed Black Dub with bassist Daryl Johnson, drummer Brian Blade, and vocalist/keyboardist Trixie Whitley. The quartet make a beguiling, seductive music that blurs rock, soul, blues, gothic Americana, New Orleans funk, and dubwise reggae.
The band’s self-titled album was released in late fall 2010 to glowing reviews.
In 2011, Lanois’ autobiography Soul Mining: A Musical Life was published but it’s no swan song, merely an account of the iconoclast’s story thus far.
“You’d think that after having been in the trenches as long as I have the fun would kind of wear off and that one would like to try one’s hand at something else,” he says. “I can only be thankful that I haven’t gotten tired of music.”
Lanois has won seven Grammies and eight Juno Awards with many more nominations. He was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2005 and in 2012 was given the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame Award.
The 21st Annual Roots & Blues Festival, runs Aug. 16 to 18.