Date Signed: February 8, 2024
Label: Strolling Bones Records
Band Members: Daniel Connolly, Keast Mutter, Etienne Beausoleil, Dagen Mutter
Type of Music: Americana / Folk Rock
Management: Daniel Connolly, [email protected]
Legal: David Perlmutter
Publicity: Brady Brock, [email protected]
Web: horsebath.ca
A&R: George Fontaine, Sr.
Even though Canadian act Horsebath only signed to Strolling Bones Records last February, the folk/Americana band’s Daniel Connolly had been planning for success much earlier. He began by writing down his dream partners. “I put George Fontaine, Sr. on a list,” he remembers, specifically mentioning the New West Records executive. New West is the parent label of Strolling Bones.
Figuring a blind email would get him nowhere, Connolly instead focused on building his network. While living in Amsterdam, he developed a friendship with one of the label’s associates. Impressed with what he heard, the connection suggested Connolly ring Fontaine.
“I love calling people, because I love chit chatting,” admits the singer, who doubles as the group’s manager. “It’s a more personal way of meeting people.” The pair discussed all things music, including their mutual adoration for Gram Parsons, Lee Hazlewood, and The Sir Douglas Quintet.
Connolly sent over three songs. The next day, he received a curt email. “Daniel, give me a call if you get a moment. A couple of quick questions…” Says the artist, “That started the process of negotiation.”
The three-album deal came together fast. Only a month after that brief request, the players were in the studio laying down their full-length debut. Previously, they had turned down offers that were either too controlling or seemed suspect. In this instance, they had no such qualms.
What truly convinced them to move forward was the opinion of songwriter and Grammy nominee Tamara Saviano. She assured them the label made a perfect fit. Suggests Connolly, “That was kind of the deciding factor.” Perhaps the true reason for everything coming together is Connolly’s embracing the Chinese philosophy of we wei. The Daoist mindset revolves around the concept of “non-doing.” Like a folksy Yoda, he imparts, “Allow yourself to naturally connect with people that are on the same wavelength.”
