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Great Lake Swimmers
On Tour
3,603,043 plays (238,513 listeners)
Wainfleet, Ontario, Canada (2003 – present)
Great Lake Swimmers is an indie folk band which formed in 2003 in Wainfleet, Ontario, Canada. The band currently consists of Tony Dekker (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Erik Arneson (banjo, guitar, harmonium), Bret Higgens (bass), Julie Fader (keyboards, vocals) and Greg Millson (drums).
Fifty-five years ago, Marilyn Bell took a plunge and traversed Lake Ontario. Back then, being a Great Lake swimmer was a big deal; now, it’s an astonishing physical feat taken for granted. It’s a rapidly forgotten part of history, like a faded map or a tattered photograph. Or a lost channel.
Tony Dekker’s Great Lake Swimmers have spent the past seven years performing on stages around the world—though, like Bell, they should never be taken for granted. LOST CHANNELS, their fourth album set for release on March 31st, finds them once again recording at historic locations. This time in the Thousand Islands region of Ontario and New York state, telling tales of hidden histories, still “mining for light in the dark wells,” still “tuned to an instrument of greater and unknown design.”
The instrument in question is the singular voice of Tony Dekker, a voice that summons ghosts from times past. It’s a voice that is capable of conveying heartache and comfort all in the space of a single phrase. Though his supporting cast has changed over the years—with the exception of longtime right-hand man Erik Arnesen — Dekker has always encircled him self with sympathetic players who value spacious arrangements that frame his vocals.
Fifty-five years ago, Marilyn Bell took a plunge and traversed Lake Ontario. Back then, being a Great Lake swimmer was a big deal; now, it’s an astonishing physical feat taken for granted. It’s a rapidly forgotten part of history, like a faded map or a tattered photograph. Or a lost channel.
Tony Dekker’s Great Lake Swimmers have spent the past seven years performing on stages around the world—though, like Bell, they should never be taken for granted. LOST CHANNELS, their fourth album set for release on March 31st, finds them once again recording at historic locations. This time in the Thousand Islands region of Ontario and New York state, telling tales of hidden histories, still “mining for light in the dark wells,” still “tuned to an instrument of greater and unknown design.”
The instrument in question is the singular voice of Tony Dekker, a voice that summons ghosts from times past. It’s a voice that is capable of conveying heartache and comfort all in the space of a single phrase. Though his supporting cast has changed over the years—with the exception of longtime right-hand man Erik Arnesen — Dekker has always encircled him self with sympathetic players who value spacious arrangements that frame his vocals.
Top Albums
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Ongiara
Great Lake SwimmersBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $8.99
- 7digital $7.77
- iTunes $9.90
- Buy Album
- Amazon $11.30
- eBay Search
-
Bodies And Minds
Great Lake Swimmers
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $7.99
- 7digital $6.99
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $14.98
- eBay Search
-
Lost Channels
Great Lake Swimmers Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $8.99
- 7digital $7.77
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $13.99
- eBay Search
-
Great Lake Swimmers
Great Lake Swimmers Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $7.99
- 7digital $6.99
- iTunes $9.90
- Buy Album
- Amazon $14.63
- eBay Search
Top Tracks
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Your Rocky Spine
full track
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| 2 |
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Pulling On a Line
full track
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| 3 |
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Backstage With the Modern Dancers
full track
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| 4 |
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Changing Colours
full track
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Put There by the Land
full track
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| 6 |
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I Am Part of a Large Family
full track
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| 7 |
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Everything Is Moving So Fast
full track
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| 8 |
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Palmistry
full track
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| 9 |
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Bodies and Minds
full track
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| 10 |
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Still
full track
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| 10 |
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Concrete Heart
full track
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| 12 |
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Where in the World Are You
full track
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| 13 |
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Song for the Angels
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| 14 |
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There Is A Light
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Various Stages
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Shoutbox
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noranarcise wrote:
what a bunch of charismatic talented musicians
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jdt28 wrote:
Great show at the Komedia in Brighton last night - such beautiful music, they were a pleasure to watch :)
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laureldumbdumb wrote:
Last time I listened to Great Lake Swimmers was 4 years ago... I forgot how good they are. Why oh why did I ever stop?
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CollectToNYC wrote:
nother short feat. "Still" by Great Lake Swimmers Enoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gcQzYhQlbs
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LTHMPLS wrote:
Wonderful show at The Cedar last night in Minneapolis. Erik was, however, a bit drowned out by the violin player. That was a bummer because I love his guitar and banjo playing and could not hear it well. Tony is very gifted and the band was really tight otherwise. Thank you GLS!
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LTHMPLS wrote:
I'm so happy for the success they have recently found. Tony and crew deserve it!
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FarahSabz wrote:
man i loved these guys wayyy before they became popular in the states. found a demo CD on a flight, and i've been in love ever since!
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rhavelund wrote:
Perhaps these young guys have found some inspiration in Great Lake Swimmers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi8di1WlKyw Wow!
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WLDB wrote:
Nice mellow music.
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imbesil wrote:
Indeed.
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paper_swan wrote:
loooooooooooove.
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TheHochhaus wrote:
one of the best folk bands
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bassjuwh wrote:
Great songs :) It kinda makes homework fun.
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ariana710 wrote:
YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL I LOVE YOU
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-rivulett wrote:
A short featuring the Great Lake Swimmers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT-vEgTW9Eo&feature=player_embedded#t=214
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OrientalSka wrote:
Love. 46485 x <3.
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radicalapical wrote:
You should probably take sometime out of your schedule to woo us kids in Ohio with your beautiful music.
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straineryou wrote:
fucking beautiful.
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tylerbarney wrote:
so glad i found this band.
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darkphilli wrote:
gotta love the Canadians
Videos
See more
Events
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Nov
23
Great Lake Swimmers
Molotow, Hamburg, Germany
Add shout
| 52 attendees
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Nov
24
Great Lake Swimmers
Festsaal Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
4 shouts
| 93 attendees
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Nov
25
Great Lake Swimmers
Steinbruch, Duisburg, Germany
Add shout
| 33 attendees
Listeners
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NicksTunes
Listening now
to New Light -
brigonia
Listening now
to Merge, a Vessel, a… -
sgazerm
Listening now
to Your Rocky Spine -
thomasbader
Top Listener
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sabanja
Top Listener
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kieranklaassen
Top Listener
Recent Activity
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mynameismoe tagged Great Lake Swimmers with canadian and saw live. 2 minutes ago
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klaxsonsound, Duffclown65, AlLupo534 and 5 other people added Great Lake Swimmers to their libraries. 47 minutes ago
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sebastiano_riva tagged Great Lake Swimmers with ‘acoustic’. yesterday afternoon
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CepenPark and DanPopejoy added Great Lake Swimmers to their libraries. yesterday afternoon
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sebastiano_riva tagged Great Lake Swimmers with rock and folk. yesterday afternoon
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sebastiano_riva, pityocamptes, KEVJMurph and 3 other people added Great Lake Swimmers to their libraries. yesterday afternoon
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About_Face wrote about Great Lake Swimmers in Seen Live. Saturday evening
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kezelsky, gabgabknits, blair2100 and 2 other people added Great Lake Swimmers to their libraries. Saturday evening
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travelin_man wrote about Great Lake Swimmers in 51 great album of 2009. Saturday evening
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BrentHanifl, ashmeebs, Squalch and 36 other people added Great Lake Swimmers to their libraries. Saturday evening
Related Journals
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Seen Live
by About_Face |
21 Nov 2009 | Add comment
-
51 great album of 2009
by travelin_man |
21 Nov 2009 | Add comment
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Best Albums Of 2009: Longlist
by pzantingh |
17 Nov 2009 | Add comment
Groups (73)
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Great Lake Swimmers
45 members
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CBC Radio 3
38 members
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Canadian Americana
38 members
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Euphonos
40 members
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i'm not anti-social, i just enjoy my music.
10,429 members
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