“t's not just my opinion, A.I. is changing everything including music and yes, it creates Blues. I'd ask people to listen to some of that and imagine how humans can deal with the challenges presented. Young folks coming along need to prefer humans over computers, and it's a tough decision. Science fiction has become science fact. Even in live performance, computers are augmenting human performance. A.I. A.I. may be the biggest challenge facing the Blues and our lives. That's a revolution.”

Danny Marks: Back to the Blues

Danny Marks, one of Canada’s most enduring and deeply revered figures in blues and roots music, releases his new album 'Back to the Blues' (2026). Spanning 13 tracks and drawing on more than five decades of living, listening, and playing, the record is both a homecoming and a declaration: a master musician at the height of his craft, returning to the music that has always told the truest story. ‘Back to the Blues' is an album that breathes with the full weight of a life spent honouring the form. From the jubilant, stomping invitation of “Blues Party Tonight” to the aching reverence of “Blues for Lonnie Johnson,” Marks moves through the tradition with the ease and authority of someone who didn’t just study it but lived inside it. Produced by Alec Fraser Jr. and Marks himself, 'Back to the Blues' is a record made by musicians who know one another completely. Fraser serves double duty on bass and background vocals, anchoring the record with warmth and authority, while the drum chair rotates among four of Toronto’s most seasoned players and recorded across multiple storied Toronto studios and remastered by L Stu Young at Loud Mouse.

(Danny Marks / Photo by Don Dixon)

For those newly arriving at the name Danny Marks, the biography demands a moment. Co-founder of Edward Bear, the celebrated Canadian band whose hits filled radio across the country in the early 1970s, Marks went on to work as a sideman alongside Rick James, Bo Diddley, and Ronnie Hawkins,and shared stages with Paul Butterfield, Led Zeppelin,and Humble Pie. He brought the blues to generations of Toronto listeners as host of BLUZ FM on JAZZ FM91 and through his television series Cities in Blue on HIFI TV. In 2006, he received the Blues with a Feeling Lifetime Achievement Award,a recognition that speaks not only to the breadth of his contribution but to the singular depth of his commitment. With 'Back to the Blues,' that commitment finds its fullest and most personal expression to date.

Interview by Michael Limnios                   Archive: Danny Marks, 2025 Interview

Special Thanks: Danny Marks & Eric Alper 

What was it like being part of the Blues-Rock scene back in the 1960s? In your eyes, how exactly did the blues shape the evolution of rock and roll?

The Blues Rock scene in the 1960's was reinvigorated by the younger generation in the USA, the UK, and my hometown of Toronto. We were part of something big.  Folks like Paul Butterfield, John Mayall and Ronnie Hawkins were making the scene. Also the Stones, Yardbirds, and the Lovin' Spoonful to name a few. Blues was reborn in Rock and even Pop Music then. At the same time, greats like Muddy and Wolf, BB, Albert and Freddie King were rocking out. It was an awesome era. 

What was it that initially drew you into the blues scene in the first place?

The first thing I ever learned to play on guitar was the Jimmy Reed lick from his song we all called Peepin' and Hidin'. Such a simple move in the key of E. My older brother showed it to me when I was eleven years old. He had all kinds of Blues records on 45rpm. That really got me. We loved all the originals. That influence carried over in the first bands I joined. I have loved many kinds of music, but the Blues always rewards my devotion with a way forward. That's why I always go back. 

What has been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome both personally and artistically, and how did that challenge help shape you into a better blues musician?

The biggest obstacle I've had is finding a place in life, somewhere between acceptance and self reliance. I never want to be part of the club but I like many things other folks do. Life is full of contradictions. I love solitude but I'm happiest centre stage with my guitar turned up and the band rocking it! More and more I'm finding the sweet spot, despite the obstacles in life's path.  

“Blues was reborn in Rock and even Pop Music then. At the same time, greats like Muddy and Wolf, BB, Albert and Freddie King were rocking out. It was an awesome era.” (Danny Marks / Photos by Don Dixon)

You recently released a new album titled “Back to the Blues”. How would you say this record stands out compared to your previous work?

“Back to the Blues" is a journey about the times and the influences, naming names and recalling dreams of being, going and arriving. It feels like a cohesive work and I hope it's received that way. I love the idea of an album as a concept. An album represents the highest form of musical presentation and artistic expression. From my heart to yours, it's personal.

Do you have any interesting behind-the-scenes stories from the making of this album? Also, if you could ask Lonnie Johnson just one question, what would it be?

If I could ask him one thing it would be for him to please listen to my song. There's a reason I saw Lonnie Johnson with a halo back in 1969. I didn't know it at the time. Years later, when I sang Blues for Lonnie Johnson at the Maple Blues Awards, the performance was filmed. That film reached a TV network executive who offered me the series Cities in Blue which ran for a decade on BBC First TV. Lonnie really was my angel.  

In your opinion, what is the biggest musical revolution happening today? What major changes do you foresee in the near or distant future of the blues world?

It's not just my opinion, A.I. is changing everything including music and yes, it creates Blues. I'd ask people to listen to some of that and imagine how humans can deal with the challenges presented. Young folks coming along need to prefer humans over computers, and it's a tough decision. Science fiction has become science fact. Even in live performance, computers are augmenting human performance. A.I. A.I. may be the biggest challenge facing the Blues and our lives. That's a revolution. 

Danny Marks - Home

(Danny Marks / Photo by Don Dixon)