A passing comment on another podcast sends Anna wandering down a different kind of trail this week, through Carolinian forests, great lakes, quiet cliffs, and the steady hum of this place she calls home. In this side-trail episode, Anna explores the wild beauty, artistic heartbeat, and understated magic of Ontario. From the windswept shores of Lake Superior to a hoppin' speakeasy in Burlington, the museums of Ottawa, and the vineyards of Niagara , she honours the creative genius and natural wonder that permeates the province.

In this gentle episode of Loose Threads, Anna speaks to the invisible weight of autoimmune illness — the deep exhaustion, the anxious fog, and the quiet grief of not being able to do what you used to. But woven through the fatigue is something holy: a reminder that we are not defined by our productivity, but by who we are — wonderfully made, even in the weariness. She shares the practices that help her stay grounded — prayer, nourishment, boundaries, and breath — and invites you into a moment of stillness with soft music and guided breathing to close. For anyone who’s ever felt broken by their body… this one’s for you. You are not lazy. You are not alone.

In this special two-guest episode, Anna sits down with Greg Smith (The Lowest of the Low, The Weakerthans) and Bry Webb (Constantines) for a thoughtful, quietly powerful conversation about identity, experimentation, and the long road of self-expression.They talk about shifting creative paths, the tension between solo work and collaboration, and the evolving relationship between sound, space, and self. It's a rich exchange between two artists who’ve spent decades learning how to listen, reshape, and sound out who they are.

Anna sits down with Aleks Jurcev — frontman of Burlington’s own The Regulars — for a conversation that’s full of heart, humour, and unexpected depth. They talk about songwriting, local stages, creative intuition, and carving your own path through the noise. And to close things out - A rare treat — the first-ever live performance of Aleks’s brand new song, Highlands. Honest, quirky, and quietly profound, this one’s for anyone who’s ever felt like the “regular” road just didn’t quite fit.

Paul Kennedy has been a staple of the Burlington music scene for decades — a guitarist, a frontman, and the driving force behind The Joe Rockhead Band. In this episode, host Anna Blair sits down with Paul to talk about what it takes to keep a band thriving, the highs of playing live, and the deeper heart behind the hardheaded rock persona. We get into the joys and challenges of fronting a cover band, the stories behind those unforgettable Saturday night sets, and what keeps Paul posting ads, booking shows, and holding it all together after all these years.

While visiting Alberta — surrounded by wide skies, winding roads, and new memories with her sister — Anna gets the call that her Aunt Diane had passed. This episode is a soft moment of remembering. A reflection on the women who raise us, loved us, and are no longer here. It’s about grief, legacy, and the threads that hold even when they feel like they’ve come undone. If you’re carrying the names of loved ones lost in your heart today, let this one wrap gently around you.

Host Anna Blair opens up about being adopted, and the humble beginnings of Threads & Chords — a podcast built with a phone, a small mic, and a big heart. This first Loose Threads episode weaves together the story behind the show, the leap from behind-the-scenes to behind-the-mic, and the search for belonging. It closes with an original WinterChild piece that flows with a quiet, watery melancholy.

Self-taught, self-aware, and a little bit feral, Bad Science (aka Lance Isaacs/Stak­wa­hereshi) joins Anna Blair in the Edison Room to talk music, identity, and learning to howl louder than the doubt. From his roots in Six Nations to outlaw punk shows and abandoned train stations, Lance shares the story behind his moniker, his sound, and why he leans into the weird. It’s a conversation full of grit, guitars, and unfiltered honesty—plus a few aliens, useless superpowers, and one unforgettable live performance.