Article Contributed by Propeller Publicity
Published on 2026-11-15
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — Juno and Canadian Folk Award winner Cara Luft shares her charming new video for “The Banjo Is a Gift,” which premiered at The Bluegrass Situation. The song, inspired by a true story, appears on her new album, My Heart Will Always Be, her first solo release in 13 years. Known for her work in the Wailin' Jennys and The Small Glories, Luft is back with a warm, big-hearted record built on friendship, kindness and the healing power of music. My Heart Will Always Be was mixed by Grammy-winning engineer D. James Goodwin (I'm With Her, Anais Mitchell, Craig Finn, Rhett Miller) and features guests John K. Samson (The Weakerthans) and Grammy-winning banjo queen Alison Brown. The album was most added this week on the NACC (North American College and Non-Comm) folk radio chart and has been nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Watch the video for “The Banjo Is a Gift”
Listen to My Heart Will Always Be | Order CDs and Vinyl
“I grew up in a house full of open-back banjos,” Luft tells The Bluegrass Situation. “My dad is known as the Pete Seeger of Calgary, and is credited with giving many players their start with the banjo. This includes Grammy winner and frailing master Cathy Fink, who used to stay with my folks whenever she was on tour in Alberta. Fast forward to May 2025, I was playing a theatre show with my co-writer and sideman Clayton Parsons in Grand Forks, a small Doukhobor* town (*a communal Russian religious sect) in Southern BC when an old-timer came up and offered me a free tenor banjo as a thank you for the concert. I don’t play tenor so suggested he give it to Clay. Turns out it was the second tenor banjo offered to him within the span of a month!
“As we were making our way home after the gig, we thought wouldn’t it be fun to write a song about the kind of banjo that we actually play (5-string open-back), with the secret hope that someone might actually gift us a banjo we would love? We found inspiration from an old John Hartford song. The track features seven banjos (we even made the drummer play the banjo…. Ha ha!), with very special guest and Grammy-winning banjo queen Alison Brown. I’ve gotten to know Alison over the years and she was so gracious when I asked if she’d like to guest on the track. Such a gift having her play!
“For this video I wanted to celebrate the myriad friendships and connections that have been made through a mutual love for the banjo. Something really beautiful happened as I began compiling them: everyone was connected in some unique and special way. There were banjo teachers & their students & then their students. Take my dad for example: he taught Cathy Fink, Cathy taught Daniel Koulack, and Daniel taught me. So many instances of this! Watching this photo collection makes my heart very happy, I can’t help but smile and feel immense joy. The banjo is indeed a gift!”
My Heart Will Always Be was created by Luft and her trusted creative entourage she affectionately dubbed "The Quadrangle of Awesomeness": session musician/producer Scott Poley (Liverpool, UK), musician/singer/songwriter Clayton Parsons (Cranbrook, BC), and engineer Julia Graff (Vancouver, BC). Recorded over 12 days in Vancouver, she, Poley and Parsons sang and played nearly everything themselves, making for an intimate, cathartic experience.
My Heart Will Always Be was born out of Luft's desire to celebrate music’s enduring power to heal, connect and bring joy. The album was released digitally, on CD and vinyl on November 6 via Blue Case Tunes/Symphonic. Luft is currently touring Canada. Look for US dates to be announced soon and check in at www.CaraLuft.com.
Follow Cara Luft: Website | Bandcamp
December 5 – Thunder Bay, ON – DaVinci Centre
December 12 – Los Barriles, MX – Venue TBA
December 16 – Winnipeg, MB – The Park Theatre
December 21 – Gimli, MB – The Ship and Plough (Winter Solstice Concert)
January 13, 2027 – Duncan, BC – Khowatzun Heritage Centre (Girls Do Boys)
January 14, 2027 – Courtenay, BC – The Regier Theatre (Girls Do Boys)
January 15, 2027 – Parksville, BC – Knox United (Girls Do Boys)
January 16, 2027 – Victoria, BC – The CODA (Girls Do Boys)
January 17, 2027 – Salt Spring Island, BC – Saltspring Folk Club (Girls Do Boys)
For additional dates, tickets and information, visit Cara Luft's official tour calendar.
