It has been 30 years since Canadian Barney Bentall came onto the music scene. In the three decades since he has been a constant fixture on this country’s music landscape. With six albums with his band, the Legendary Hearts, six solo albums and three under the pseudonym of Brandon Wolf. In other words, the guy has kept busy and shared much music with the world. His latest comes after not putting out anything new for five years. Many have said that this is his most personal work to date. What it does without a doubt prove is that he is one of the best songwriters working in Canada today. The lead single from The Drifter & The Preacher is “The Miner” and it is the first time he and his musician son, Dustin, have wrote a song together. Much of the album was inspired by family, including his recently deceased father-in-law, and friends. The song “The Ocean and You (A Song for John Mann) is about his longtime friend and member of Spirit of the West, who is battling early onset Alzheimer’s. Touching. He sings about real life, about joy and sadness. Instantly relatable for any human. It is the type of album in which you will have a hard time picking a favourite song as they are all good and on any given day one will speak or sing to you.
Barney Bentall – The Drifter & The Preacher
