Singer-songwriter Colin James' blues tour coming to the Maritimes

Canadian singer-songwriter Colin James is back on the blues highway and it's leading him right into the Maritimes.

James' career took off after filling in for a no-show opening act at a Stevie Ray Vaughan concert in his hometown of Regina.

That led to his 1988 self-titled debut album, which became the fastest selling in Canadian history.

More than 30 years and 20 albums later, James remains on top of his game.

"It's thrilling. Honestly, all I ever wanted was to make records and make a living playing music," said James.

James' latest album, called "Open Road," gained him a 2022 Juno Award for blues album of the year, making it his eighth Juno win and counting.

"It's more a tip of a hat to the fact that I'm still going, still playing, still loving it, can't wait until the next record," he said.

Created during the pandemic, James says this album was anything but an "open road."

"We were stuck here at home and my producer was in England, so we did it all over, like this (online)," James said. "This is kind of my third record in a three-set of coming back to my blues roots."

James' tour has four stops in Maritime cities, which include:

• Moncton on July 1
• Fredericton on July 5
• Saint John on July 6
• Halifax on July 7

"We love playing out east every time, so it's been a while since we've been out there, so we look forward to getting there," he said. "Music is a part of people's lives in a way that's uncommon."

More details on James' Open Road Tour can be found online.