06/08/2026
There are few songwriters on the Canadian music scene today with as much stage hours as Edmonton’s John Hewitt. Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and raised under the gleaming light of local mentor Rusty McCarthy (Mary Margaret O’Hara) John’s teenage fingers bled six nights a week at Reggie’s Tavern (One of the last places in Canada to do week long residencies). Back when you were underage and had to hang out in the kitchen on your breaks (John had a beard and got away with staying inside the club).
After a five year stint in the Big Smoke John packed up his memories and headed west to the land of Americana, Canadiana and everything in-between. You could say his work ethic comes from the fact that songwriting and performing is like breathing to John, there’s no living without it.
John has toured the US and Canada extensively often performing at songwriter festivals in the US as the only Canadian performer. With recent appearances at Alberta Showcase, Breakout West, Your Roots Are Showing (Belfast) and the Canadian Folk Music Awards as one the most export ready acts in the west with John Hewitt & the New Americans.
Nine albums in six years, 100,000 road miles, over 1,500 shows and 10,000 hours on stage, John and the boys are old school and not giving up on anything. John is a rebel in the music industry, going against the norms and not bowing down to any organizations. The true independent artist. A man who has seen struggle and triumph all on the same day and done it with his scruples in check. A poetic, a prolific one at that, a filmmaker, arranger, producer, agent, manager and all that rolled into one fierce force balladeering across the prairies, through the mountains to the sea. In 2026 John Hewitt & the New Americans won first place at Blues on Whyte’s Bandmania against over 30 regional bands.
If you like John Prine, Bob Dylan and Neil Young you should listen to John Hewitt. If you dig Tom Petty, Van Morrison and the Beatles you should listen to John Hewitt. If you get off on folk, Americana, Rock n’ Roll you should listen to John Hewitt. If you are human, you should listen to John Hewitt.
