When We Wake with Andrew Shaver24 Apr 2025

32. When We Wake with Joel Plaskett

In celebration of this momentous occasion, his long time manager and friend, Sheri Jones, quietly asked dozens of his musical pals to contribute a cover of one of Joel’s songs to an album she was compiling as a surprise birthday gift.

And, boy oh boy, did these friends heed the call.

The album, Songs From the Gang: A Celebration of Joel Plaskett, released April 11, a week before Joel’s big day, and features the likes of Sloan, Arkells, The Sheepdogs, Jenn Grant, Rose Cousins, Alan Doyle, David Myles, City and Colour, Matthew Barber, and his sister Jill Barber.

And that’s not even half of them. The album is a remarkable testament to one of Canada’s finest songwriters.

As you’ll hear in our chat, Joel was looking forward to a quiet 50th. Instead, he found himself in the middle of a full on press campaign. As most conversations with Joel go, we weren’t constrained to a single avenue.

Sure, we talk about Songs From the Gang, but our chat also meanders back to his most recent album One Real Reveal, over to its companion film, Character Witness, and back up to the media course he’s currently taking with Andrew McLuhan, Marshall’s grandson.

That and more on today’s episode with Joel Plaskett.

Wanna get in touch?

Send an email to ⁠whenwewakeradio@gmail.com⁠

Or find me on Instagram

@whenwewakeradio & @theandrewshaver

When We Wake with Andrew Shaver is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Andrew Shaver. The radio broadcast is syndicated across the country, info can be found here.

Theme song Got You by Noah Reid

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