CREDIT: SONGKICK.COM
Craig Cardiff brings his singing and songwriting talents to Fanshawe College for a free noonhour show in Forwell Hall on September 12.

Craig Cardiff is a Canadian singer and songwriter from Waterloo, Ontario. At 37 years old, he has made a name for himself in North America and some parts of Europe.

During his performances, Cardiff makes an effort to include the audience. He describes it as keeping the relationship personal with his fans by creating a connection. In January 2011, he started passing around notebooks he calls the Book of Truths as a way of connecting with the audience. Cardiff enjoys playing in non-traditional venues such as boathouses, camps, prisons, docks, cafés, living rooms and backyards.

Cardiff has released 15 albums, which include live and studio albums. His latest album, Floods and Fires, is considered to be one of his most ambitious musically and lyrically.

“I feel like everybody talks about writing a great song, and I feel like everybody is trying to write the same song, which is tying all the knots and fitting all the puzzle pieces,” said Cardiff in a May 2012 article by Roots Music Canada.

“That's why all great songs are songs everybody can connect to and identify with. For me, all the work that went into the album … choosing to be awake when it's easier to be asleep, that's where it all started. Within the framework of choosing to be happy instead of fear, everything becomes clear, and all the songs connect.”

In 2012, Floods and Fires was nominated for a Juno Award for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Solo.

Cardiff will be performing on campus on September 12 at noon in Forwell Hall. Admission is free, so come out and enjoy the roots of folk music.