Steph Cameron‘s music and lifestyle seem to echo another time and place. Think of the beatniks in the ’50s, hitchhiking, and hopping freight trains. Think Greenwich Village circa 1963, and the beginning of the Dylan-fueled folk explosion, or a late ’60s commune in northern California perhaps. In fact, Steph Cameron and her community of like-minded friends have made their own time and place, right here, right now. They have chosen to share music and ideas around the campfire, or by candlelight within the rural cabins they have built themselves.

That is the environment that has spawned Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady, the astonishingly accomplished debut album from Steph Cameron. Out on Pheromone Recordings, it presents the B.C.-based singer/songwriter in an honest and unvarnished setting, showcasing a genuinely exciting new roots music talent.

Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady was recorded in just three days at Revolution Recording in Toronto this past summer. Initially, plans were for Steph to lay down just one song, she recalls. “I came to Toronto, met Kim Cooke for the first time, and we decided to record, mix, and master one song, ‘Goodbye Molly,’ as a test run. We had Molly down within a couple of hours so we kept going. We recorded for three consecutive days, finishing all 13 songs on the record. I had made a short trip to Toronto and left with a finished album.”

Cooke notes that the timing was fortuitous bordering on guided by divine intervention. “All three rooms of the studio were booked solid that month, except for a Monday to Wednesday slot that coincided with Steph being here.” The initial recording template was put in place by Revolution engineer Joe Dunphy, with further recording by Jack Clow. Recorded to 2 inch tape, the analog approach perfectly captures the warmth and intimacy of Cameron’s voice and fluent guitar playing.

There is an undeniably retro feel to Cameron’s work, but she is certainly not mired in the past. “I’ve been involved in the underground punk and hip hop scenes for years,” she says. “I have always felt an affinity for music that comes from the street or other places of conflict.” She goes on to express a “respect for music that admires the resourcefulness of struggling people and demonstrates a distrust for authority.” Steph acknowledges that her core passion, however, remains “folk and blues music.” This ranges from the country blues of Lightnin’ Hopkins to the bluegrass of Doc Watson to the vintage ’60s folk of Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and early Joni Mitchell.

Hints at these diverse influences can be found on Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady. Songs like “Five Dollars,” “Railroad Boy” and “Blues At My Window” have a talking folk-blues feel, while the sensual and bluesy “Poppa You Can Take Me Home” projects a Maria Muldaur vibe. The closing cut, “Many Miles To Go,” is a breezy bluegrass gem. “Joe Dunphy had a guitar in the studio done up in Nashville tuning, giving it that ethereal tone,” Cameron explains. “I used that guitar on the spur of the moment and it worked beautifully.”

Beginning her musical career as a busker, being a recording artist is not something Steph actually pursued or predicted. The catalyst was a friend from Victoria. “He pressured me into making a demo about 18 months ago,” Cameron explains. “I had been playing these songs around the fire and he really enjoyed them so he got after me and we set up a recording date in our friend’s bedroom.” This same friend then gave the resulting demo to Cowboy Junkies bassist Alan Anton, who was highly impressed with what he heard and offered encouraging advice to Cameron. “When Alan contacted me, I had a feeling that this could all get a little more serious than I intended.”

That first demo then found its way to music industry veteran Kim Cooke at Pheromone Recordings. Knocked out by what he heard, Cooke reached out to Cameron, eventually signing her to the label. “For someone new to this, Steph has incredible instincts and she knows exactly what she wants,” says Cooke. “I think she is a unique character who has already led a fascinating life at a young age, and it is on display in her music.” Cameron reflects that “I had a good amount of time and space between hearing from Alan and meeting Kim. I was able to write a lot of material for the record in that time and was able to digest what was going on. This is all about small steps for me. It is not something I was pursuing or felt driven to do. It is just something that has happened, and we’ll see where I take it.”

Find out more about Steph Cameron HERE and watch for tour dates to be announced soon.