Stephen Fearing

Stephen John Ging Fearing (born January 14, 1963) is a Canadian roots/folk singer-songwriter. In addition to his solo career, Fearing co-founded Canadian roots-rock supergroup Blackie and the Rodeo Kings with Colin Linden and Tom Wilson. He returned to Canada in 1981 via Minneapolis, Minnesota, and began pursuing a career in music. Soon after his return, he released a cassette-only, self-titled album in 1986. He was then signed to the Canadian label Aural Tradition. In 1988, he released Out to Sea, which was co-produced by Steve Darke and Fearing in Vancouver. The album was followed by Blue Line, in 1991, which was produced in London by Clive Gregson and features B.J. Cole on pedal steel.

Soon after, Fearing was signed to True North Records. It was also at this time that he began working with manager Bernie Finkelstein. True North re-released Fearing's first two efforts Out to Sea and Blue Line. His first official release for the label was The Assassin's Apprentice, in 1994. Produced by Los Lobos' Steve Berlin, the album features musical contributions from Sarah McLachlan and Richard Thompson. It was nominated for Best Roots & Traditional Album at the 1995 Juno Awards.

In 1996, Fearing joined forces with Colin Linden and Tom Wilson to form Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. The album was mastered by John Whynot. Its cover photo was shot by Margaret Malandruccolo and features art direction from Michael Wrycraft. Considered one of Fearing's definitive works, it was nominated for Best Roots and Traditional Album at the 2003 Juno Awards.

His next album, Yellowjacket, saw him taking on the role of producer for the first time on his own. The record was coproduced by John Whynot, who has worked with Fearing on numerous Blackie and the Rodeo Kings albums. on September 10, 2018. Fearing collaborated on the project with two music industry legends: the album's co-producer and veteran engineer Roy Gandy, co-founder of UK-based hi-fi manufacturer Rega Research, and international mastering engineer Ray Staff.

Fearing has also produced recordings for other artists, including Suzie Vinnick’s Juno-nominated Happy Here (2008), for which Fearing co-wrote most of the songs.

Fearing and White In 2011, Fearing collaborated with longtime friend, Northern Ireland–born performer Andy White, to write and record a full-length album, Fearing & White. Produced by Scott Merritt at his Guelph studio, the Cottage, the record features thirteen songs, written over the course of the duo's ten-year friendship.

In 2014, the duo released a second album, Tea and Confidences, on LowdenProud Records.

Discography

Albums Year Album 1986 The Yellow Tape 1988 Out to Sea 1991 Blue Line 1993 The Assassin's Apprentice 1996 High or Hurtin’ (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 1998 Industrial Lullaby 1999 Kings of Love (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 2000 So Many Miles (Live) 2002 That's How I Walk 2003 BARK (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 2006 Let's Frolic (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 2006 Yellowjacket 2007 Let's Frolic Again (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 2009 The Man Who Married Music:The Best of Stephen Fearing 2009 Swinging from the Chains of Love (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 2011 Fearing & White (Fearing & White) 2011 Kings and Queens (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 2013 Between Hurricanes 2014 South (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 2014 Tea and Confidences (Fearing & White) 2016 Kings and Kings (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) 2017 Every Soul's a Sailor 2018 The Secret of Climbing 2019 The Unconquerable Past 2023 Vejpoesi 2025 The Empathist

Production Year Album 2002 Stephen Fearing, That's How I Walk (co-produced with Colin Linden) 2006 Stephen Fearing, Yellowjacket 2008 Suzie Vinnick, Happy Here 2011 Eric Angus Whyte, Luddite Sons 2017 Stephen Fearing, Every Soul's a Sailor (co-produced with David Travers-Smith) 2018 Stephen Fearing, The Secret of Climbing (co-produced with Roy Gandy)

Singles