Latam and The Stride recently held a fundraiser to help support the creation of the new single and thank all those who helped with #Empties4Recording.
The new single “Stray Dog” was influenced by the sudden pause of the music industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We felt like stray dogs,” says Latam. “Not necessarily abandoned by anyone in particular, just a result of this strange world we now live in. All we can do is try to take each day as it comes and stride on!”
The new single was recorded, mixed and mastered at Sound Foundry Studios, Kingsville ON.
Latam’s previous single “You Don’t Know Jack!” was featured in the documentary “Jack’s Garage”, dubbed as “the documentary big pharma doesn’t want you to see.” The doc follows Jack Kungel’s transformative, healing journey with cannabis.
JUSTIN LATAM and THE STRIDE is: Justin Latam (vocals and guitar), Benny Pallotto (drums), James Staley (bass) and Brett Humber (guitar).
Born and raised in Leamington, ON- Justin Latam (known locally as the “barefoot musician”) has been charming audiences for the last 14 years.
In 2015, he left his day job (and shoes) behind to follow a path as working singer-songwriter. At the end of a last coffee house shift as barista, the shoes came off, the bare feet came out, and he hasn’t looked back since.
It was a risky move. Justin and his wife have five children and leaving a steady job meant he would have to work tirelessly at music. From 2015 on, the barefoot musician’s been juggling music and family, playing 100+ shows/year. 2015 also saw the release of his album “Barefoot”. Funding for the album came from a “Barefoot In Your House Tour”, where he played in fan’s homes. The album charted on Canadian campus radio. This was followed by his acoustic-based EP, “Six” which he promoted on his Ontario Tour 2018.
Latam has many influences that have helped him find his sound, among them; the Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Simon and Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby, Stills Nash and Young. He was exposed to much of this music as an infant, when his parents played their records…without turning the volume down. From these sources, Justin offers up barefoot-stomping music with honest heart and soul, blending folk, rock, blues, jazz and pop into a down-to-earth, up-beat sound.
The lyrics of his songs range from exploration of everyday life, love and family, interpreting local folk history and Canadiana, and thoughtful introspection. Justin tours regularly across Ontario, playing festivals, house concerts, breweries, wineries, bars, restaurants and beyond. Festival appearances have included; the Kingsville Folk Music Festival (ON), The Gathering (NL), Niagara Pride Fest (ON), Windsor-Essex Pride Fest (ON), Leamington Tomato Fest (ON), Ruthven Apple Fest (ON), and Squirrel Fest (ON). He’s also made several trips down to Nashville, playing writer’s rounds, Canadian showcases, and furthering his craft through workshops.
As a child, Justin remembers discovering his dad’s old sketches and silk screens in their shed. To provide for his family, his dad boxed-up his artistic dreams when he had kids and got a steady job. Then, when Justin was 10 years old, his dad lost his job. He turned this obstacle into an opportunity to rediscover his art and turned art into his job as a full-time silk-screener, photographer and sign-maker. His experience and example instilled in Justin the drive to pursue music, with the hopes to inspire his children to follow their own paths, whatever they may be. When he’s not out somewhere making music, Justin is a family man, spending time with his large crew. His wife is an amazing woman who believes and encourages him. When his head is in the clouds, she reminds him to keep his bare feet on the ground.
