Biography

In a complicated world, Cam Penner finds beauty in simplicity, with an honest, spare approach to folk music that is refreshing in an age filled with so much insincerity and irony. Singing uncompromising songs about redemption and truth, his is a voice for the disenfranchised, a storyteller for those who never reach their destination. Penner's fiercely personal lyrics are complemented by a gentle acoustic guitar style, and the defiant heroes of his songs are weary, but they are never defeated.

Penner had a unique view on the world early; his parents owned and ran an illegal roadhouse and his grandfather made and sold his own moonshine within a small Manitoba Mennonite town. At eighteen Penner left small town life to wander the highways and back roads of North America. A year later he found himself in Chicago serving mystery soup and stale bread to two hundred and fifty homeless men a day. Next, a women & children's shelter, then youth shelters and detox centers. For thirteen years he immersed himself in this subculture absorbing as much raw humanity as he could. When the shift was over he would spend endless cathartic hours writing and playing his guitar, exorcising his emotions through music. After becoming a self-taught expert on homelessness, he decided to become a full time touring artist, meanwhile becoming homeless himself.

Looking at the world through a windshield. Thatʼs been Cam Pennerʼs view for the last four years. In that short time he has toured seven countries, six provinces, twelve states and performed over three hundred and fifty shows. He has opened for and shared stages with Chip Taylor, Richard Thompson, Slaid Cleaves, Fred Eaglesmith, Blue Rodeo, Greg Trooper, Carrie Rodiguez, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, John Prine, Glen Campbell, Lyle Lovett, and the Flatlanders.

He has released four full length albums and two e.p.’s. His previous three albums ‘Trouble&Mercy’ & ‘Felt like a Sunday Night’ and ‘Get Up’ all debuted in the top ten in the Freeform Americana Charts and Euro Americana Charts.

Cam Penner has carved his own path. Music born from the soil and sin of this world. He has described his philosophical outlook and songwriting muse: “Sometimes I feel the thousands of souls I've listened to are people living inside of me, telling their tales.” Agreed. When listening to Penners songs you can hear the struggle, the hope, the yearning to be better.

"If music had a quota system, then the category of singer- songwriter would be closed due to
overcrowding. Thankfully there isn't, because Cam Penner and his emotional songs of lives lived
and experiences endured and enjoyed deserve to be heard in all their stoical splendour."

- Irish Times