Esteemed New Brunswick Songwriter and Folk Artist Robert Thomas Reflects on Life and Time With Wistful Single “A River Runs Through”

East Coast Music Awards “Entertainer of the Year” nominee Robert Thomas is a natural storyteller. With an energetic and welcoming voice, he highlights the stories of our lives with empathy, energy and humour. Based in Moncton, New Brunswick, Robert has written for artists across many genres including Bonnie Raitt, The Chicks, Kenny Rogers and Mister Mister.

Robert’s creativity is ably matched by his acoustic duo, The Session Men. Ray Legere (fiddle, mandolin, vocals) may be the most renowned and prolific acoustic musician in the Maritimes. He has performed with Alison Krauss, Tony Rice, Natalie MacMaster, The Chieftains and a host of others. Jon Arsenault (guitar, keyboard, percussion, vocals) is a superb­ multi-instrumentalist and captivating performer. Together, Robert Thomas and The Session Men weave all-original songs into a highly entertaining musical biography of Robert’s long career as a published songwriter with Capitol/EMI. His forthcoming album is produced by JUNO Award-winner Catherine MacLellan.

Robert’s new acoustic single, the poignant and reflective “A River Runs Through,” came to fruition from multiple inspirations – the natural beauty of the Trout River, the passing of time and the late writing of Johnny Cash which he found a parallel in.

As I grew older, particularly over the last five years into my mid 60s, I was surprised to find the same thing happening to me as a songwriter. It strikes me that the road ahead of me is now very much shorter than the road behind. My children are grown and the river of my life is flowing inevitably away from me. Because I am not particularly spiritual, I think Cash’s later work opened the door for me to venture into the same territory – questions of mortality, God and what is still to come. – Robert Thomas