isletunes

The third season of isletunes, the music podcast that plays nothing but music from Prince Edward Island, begins October 24 with all-new episodes.

Since its premiere in 2023, host Adam-Michael James, a former radio deejay who produces broadcasts for the Charlottetown Islanders hockey franchise on MAX 93.1, has shone an audio spotlight on the full range of music made on PEI, showcasing both contemporary and vintage songwriters—and everything in between. The podcast also makes a point to feature artists from Black, Mi’kmaq, Francophone, Asian, LGBTQ+, and other Island communities.

The isletunes music library boasts songs from some 400 local performers so far, and the new season will focus on “theme shows,” exploring Island songs from similar genres, such as folk, hip-hop, pop, rock, fiddle, old school, and more. There will also continue to be holiday episodes, and the third season premiere will hone in on brand-new and recently released material.

As always, James will provide information and trivia about the songwriters and their songs, plus deliver details from the Island’s bygone days with his “This Week in PEI History” segments. A big attraction of the show is its regular exclusive interviews with Island artists. Performers who have sat for the isletunes microphones include Lennie Gallant, Scott Parsons, Julie Pellissier-Lush, The Umbrella Collective, Gordon Belsher, and Kelley Mooney.

In 2024, isletunes was nominated for a PEI Arts Award.

For the podcast’s 100th installment in November, plans are underway for a live episode at Trailside Music Hall in Charlottetown. The event will be a fundraiser for a charity to be determined. Musicians Todd MacLean and Julia Robichaud have already signed on for the event; more details will be announced soon.

James encourages listeners to send recordings of themselves saying Island catchphrases—PEI expressions that always open episodes—to amj@isletunes.ca. Suggestions and requests can be sent to that address as well, and also to the show’s social media accounts.

All episodes are available on Spotify, YouTube, and other major podcast platforms.