Song/Craft Writers in the Round with Blair Packham

In the Song/Craft Writers in the Round show there are four songwriters on stage. Our host will introduce a topic and each songwriter will share one of their songs related to that topic.

It is an exploration of humanity and how we all experience the world differently.

After decades of playing music in electric bands Blair Packham has gone acoustic.

Why? Well, first and foremost, Blair is a storyteller.

“I started playing solo occasionally in the late 1990s, and at first I just wasn’t very good. I think I was using the acoustic guitar to try to simulate the sound of a loud band behind me. But once I got comfortable with the extraordinary dynamic range, I realized that the acoustic guitar can still be powerful even if it’s quiet—maybe even especially when it’s quiet.” Blair went on: “I also figured out that playing an acoustic guitar—unlike with a loud band—the words can usually be heard. I could tell stories with my songs. And in between songs, too.”

The Toronto-based performer’s songs themselves are stories of joy, triumph, heartbreak and loss; in between songs, Blair reliably adds something funny or quirky to the narrative. It comes naturally, it seems.

“Like most people, I’ve had losses in my life, sadness that sometimes threatened to take over, but also, I’ve had lots of joy. And I wanted to make a really personal collection of songs that reflect those extremes,” he explains. “And since I’ve lately been playing acoustically in pretty small places, I’ve found it’s easy to do both.”

Coraline James is an offbeat adult contemporary musician from Kitchener, Ontario whose music sounds like Josh Groban on mushrooms. In August 2023, James unveiled her debut EP, In the River, produced by the JUNO award-winning producer Michael Wojewoda. Her second EP, Brambles, will be released in June 2025 thanks to the support of the Ontario Arts Council and the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund.

Coraline James is a stage name for Corey Linforth who originally worked as a classical musician. Over the past five years, after taking the plunge into "non-classical," Corey has learned about songwriting, the recording process, the industry, and, most importantly, the type of music she wants to make and the type of artist she wants to be.

This show is not the end of Corey's performance career, but it is her last show as "Coraline James." So come say goodbye to this chapter of her career with her and stay tuned for a new project launch in April 2026. (hint: her single 'Unholy Prayer' is indicative of the direction she is headed)

About the Venue

There is street parking and city lots nearby.

The building, washroom, and upper seats are accessible.

Please Note

There will be photography and video of the event, if you do not want to be in any images from Song/Craft events, please contact our host, Coraline, at [email protected].

People of all gender expressions, sexual orientations, races, neurotypes, abilities, etc are welcome. Biggotry and harassment will not be tolerated.

We strive to make Song/Craft a safer space. If you encounter opression or have feedback, please reach out to our host, Coraline, at [email protected].

Host or Publisher Song/Craft