Jory Nash (Jor-ee Nash) is an award-winning singer-songwriter and storyteller who blends folk, jazz, blues, pop, and soul into a distinctive and original stew of sound. Over his career, he has released nine critically acclaimed albums, including The Many Hats of Jory Nash, which was nominated for two 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards. His 2009 album, New Blue Day, was named Penguin Eggs Magazine Critic’s Choice Album of the Year and earned a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Best Producer. He is also a past winner of the OCFF Songs From The Heart Award.

 

After stepping away from music in 2019, Nash is making his return in 2025 with his 10th album, The Light Still Shines On The Main, co-produced with longtime friend Chris Stringer (The Wooden Sky, Elliott Brood, Timber Timbre, Megan Bonnell, Holly McNarland). The road to this record has been anything but easy. In 2019, Nash experienced a breakdown that led him to quit music, facing depression and financial struggles. The pandemic compounded these struggles, and in early 2021, his partner, Brittany, was diagnosed with multiple cancers, beginning an intensive journey through chemotherapy and surgeries. That summer, a fire damaged their Toronto rental, prompting a move to Cobourg, ON, where Brittany could focus on recovery and their young son could start kindergarten. “This album is about coming through the darkness,” says Nash. “It’s about hope, resilience, loss, and finding beauty in new beginnings.”

Nash has served as Artistic Director of the Shelter Valley Folk Festival and co-founded The Way We Feel, a beloved, long-running annual concert that celebrated the music of Gordon Lightfoot for over 20 years. He has held board positions with multiple folk music organizations, including Vice-President of the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (now Folk Music Ontario) and the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA).

 

A multi-instrumentalist on acoustic guitar, piano and banjo, Nash’s warm, unique voice draws listeners into his thoughtful lyrics and intricate melodies. His music is regularly heard on CBC Radio, SiriusXM, BBC, Stingray Digital, and on college and NPR stations across North America. He has toured extensively in Canada and the U.S., performing at folk festivals, house concerts, folk clubs and theatres, with appearances at Summerfolk, Mariposa, Home County, Stewart Park, Eaglewood, Shelter Valley, Hillside, Blue Skies, Live From The Rock, Winterfolk, and more.

 

His songs have appeared in the feature film Moon Point and the documentary30 Ghosts, and have been covered by Juno-nominated jazz singer Lori Cullen. Offstage, Nash has a hat collection numbering in the hundreds and remains a long-suffering fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs.