Ron Sexsmith

Ron Sexsmith blends classic pop melodies with gentle folk arrangements and insightful lyricism. The songwriter was born in 1964 in St. Catharines, Ontario, and began playing music live as a teenager, becoming known as a one-man jukebox at a local bar for his ability to play any and all requested songs. That deep knowledge of popular music has paid dividends over the years. Since his proper debut (1991’s folky Grand Opera Lane), Sexsmith has carved out a space for himself in Canadian singer/songwriter circles with timeless, top-quality and varied work earning early-career endorsements from Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello. Songs like 1995’s soulful “Secret Heart” and 1997’s wistful “Strawberry Blonde” showcase his poignant lyricism; 1999’s “Must Have Heard It Wrong” finds him in grand pop form; and he nails sweeping balladry on 2002’s “Gold in Them Hills”. In 2011, producer Bob Rock helped him fill out a bigger, hookier rock sound on Long Player Late Bloomer, and in the 2020s, Sexsmith continued to release moving music—like 2023’s buoyant “Diamond Wave”—that doesn’t bend to trends.