Jeremy Fisher (born Jeremy Binns; December 15, 1976) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Fisher is based in
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
, Ontario, and was previously based on
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest ...
, B.C.,
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, Quebec, and in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
,
Washington
Washington most commonly refers to:
* George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States
* Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A ...
, US. Fisher's work is heavily influenced by
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk horror
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Fo ...
and
blues music
Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
, and his songs feature accompaniment by
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
,
slide guitar
Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos that ...
and
harmonica
The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...
.
Life and career
Fisher's mother, Judy Binns, is from
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
, Canada. Fisher was a member of the Hamilton All Star Jazz Band at
Westdale Secondary School
Westdale Secondary School is a public high school founded in 1931 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is a school in the city of Hamilton and is located in Westdale Village, a suburb in the west-end of the city. It is administered by the Hamilton- ...
(Class of 1995), attended
Camp Gesher
Camp Gesher () is a Jewish summer camp near Cloyne, Ontario. It is a member of the Habonim Dror Zionist youth movement and the Ontario Camping Association.
Camp Gesher originated in 1963 as a member of the Dror Hachalutz Hatzair Zionist Youth ...
in 1999, and became a camp counsellor at
YMCA Wanakita.
He performed with the band The Obvious under the name Jeremy Binns, and some of his early songs that he performed with The Obvious, including "Lemon Meringue Pie" and "Kiss the Moon" are on his later albums. In 1999, The Obvious put out a self-titled CD.
To support his 2001
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
debut album, ''
Back Porch Spirituals'', Fisher spent six months touring from Seattle, across Canada to
Halifax, Nova Scotia by bicycle.
The tour, dubbed "One Less Tourbus", travelled 7,500 kilometres, included 30 performances, and worked with the
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy
An institute is an organizational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body.
In some countries, institutes c ...
to raise funds for the "Tour des", promoting access to bicycle transport and to education for girls in Africa. Fisher has also performed as a sidewalk
busker.
''
Let It Shine'', his first album on a major label (
Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...
BMG Music
Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) was a division of a German media company Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Sony Corporation of America on 1 October 2008.
Although it was established in 1987, the music co ...
Canada), was released on October 12, 2004. "High School", the second single from the album, won wide airplay on Canadian commercial radio and music television in early 2005.
In February and March 2005, Fisher toured Canada with
Sarah Slean
Sarah Hope Slean (born June 21, 1977) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, composer and musician. She has released eleven albums to date (including EPs and live albums). She is also a poet, visual artist, and occasional actress.
Career Major recordi ...
, and in April, he was a featured performer in the Canada Performing Arts Program at
Expo 2005
Expo 2005 was a world expo held for 185 days between Friday, March 25 and Sunday, September 25, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of the city of Nagoya. Japan has also hosted Expo '70 Osaka (World Expo), Expo '75 Okinawa (Specialised Expo) ...
in
Aichi Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the ...
, Japan.
In 2006, Jeremy toured with
Xavier Rudd
Xavier Rudd (born 29 May 1978) is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist. Several of Rudd's songs incorporate socially conscious themes, such as spirituality, humanity, environmentalism and the rights of Indigen ...
and opened for
Rex Goudie
Rex Goudie (born November 18, 1985) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and was the runner-up of '' Canadian Idol 3''.
Early life
Rex Goudie was born in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and moved back to his father's hometown of Burlington, Newfound ...
on Rex's Outports Tour 2006.
Fisher dueted with Canadian
industrial music supergroup Jakalope
Jakalope was a Canadian Indie pop/rock group. They formed in 2003 and named for the mythical creature of the jackalope. The band was started by noted Canadian industrial musician and producer Dave "Rave" Ogilvie, most famous for his studio work ...
on the track "Unsaid" from their ''
Born 4
''Born 4'' is the second album from Canadian group Jakalope. It was released in Japan on June 7, and was released on October 3 in Canada. The first single from the album, "Upside Down (And I Fall)", was released with an accompanying video. It was ...
'' album, released in 2006.
His third album, entitled ''
Goodbye Blue Monday'', with fellow Canadian
Hawksley Workman
Hawksley Workman (born Ryan Corrigan, March 4, 1975) is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter who has garnered critical acclaim for his blend of cabaret pop and glam rock. Workman has released eleven full-length albums throughout his career. A mul ...
, was released on March 27, 2007, by his new record label,
Aquarius Records. The single "Cigarette" was serviced to radio in Canada after a surprise add at Toronto radio station 104.5
CHUM-FM
CHUM-FM (104.5 FM) is a Canadian radio station in Toronto, Ontario. Owned by Bell Media, the station airs a hot adult contemporary format. CHUM-FM's studios are located at 250 Richmond Street West in the Entertainment District, while it ...
in early 2007. A home-made video for the song has been viewed over two million times on YouTube. On August 20, 2007, Fisher made his U.S. television debut on ''
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the The Late Late Show (American talk show), ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airi ...
''. The following night, he again appeared on the Late ''Late Show'' but this time with
Craig Northey
Craig Northey (born February 9, 1962) is a Canadian musician and film and TV composer. He is one of the founding members of the band Odds, which released four albums between 1991 and 1996. They were best known for the radio singles " It Falls Apa ...
and Pat Steward of
Odds
In probability theory, odds provide a measure of the probability of a particular outcome. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics. For example for an event that is 40% probable, one could say that the odds are or
When gambling, o ...
. ''Goodbye Blue Monday'' was released in the United States on August 28, 2007, through
Wind-up Records
Wind-up Records, LLC (legally known as Wind-up Entertainment Inc. until 2004) was an American record label founded by Alan and Diana Meltzer in 1997. It was based in New York City and was distributed by BMG Distribution. Wind-up's best-selling ...
.
In April and May 2008, Fisher opened for
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish Rock music, rock duo formed in 1983 by twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid (born 5 March 1962). They came to attention with their 1987 single "Letter from America (song), Letter from America", which reached No. 3 ...
on their North American tour. He also opened for several of
Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea was a Canadian folk rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year Irish, Scott ...
's Ontario shows in September 2009, eventually making a guest appearance on their 2010 album ''
Safe Upon the Shore''.
His album ''Flood'' was released on October 26, 2010, followed in 2012 by ''Mint Juleps''.
In June 2012, he launched a "Catch and Release" series with singer-songwriter
Jim Bryson
James “Jim” Paul Sean Bryson (born April 30, 1969) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Briefly a founding member of the band Punchbuggy (band), Punchbuggy, he moved to a musical life under his own name with the release of his debut album, ''Th ...
, in which the two musicians collaborated on a project to write and release a song in a single day. The first song in the series, "The Age of Asparagus", was released on June 7, 2012.
His 2014 album, ''The Lemon Squeeze'', features a duet with
Serena Ryder
Serena Lauren Ryder (born December 8, 1982) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Born in Toronto, she grew up in Millbrook, Ontario. Ryder first gained national recognition with her ballad "Weak in the Knees" in 2007 and has released eight studio ...
.
In February 2021 he released ''Hello Blue Monday'', an album of new rerecordings of songs from ''
Goodbye Blue Monday''.
Television series ''
Family Law
Family law (also called matrimonial law or the law of domestic relations) is an area of the law that deals with family matters and domestic relations.
Overview
Subjects that commonly fall under a nation's body of family law include:
* Marriag ...
'' uses the song "Uh-Oh" as its opening theme.
Children's music
Fisher has also released music for children, inspired in part by making music for and with his own daughters.
[Graham Rockingham]
"‘My daughters are my focus group’: Jeremy Fisher turns children’s feelings into stories and song on Jeremy and Jazzy"
''Hamilton Spectator
''The Hamilton Spectator'', founded in 1846, is a newspaper published weekdays and Saturdays in Hamilton, Ontario, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. One of the largest Canadian newspapers by circulation, ''The Hamilton Spectator'' is owned by Torstar.
...
'', September 8, 2022.
His first children's album, ''Highway to Spell'', was released on March 9, 2018, and credited to "Jeremy Fisher Junior". The album was a
Canadian Folk Music Award
The Canadian Folk Music Awards are an annual music awards ceremony presenting awards in a variety of categories for achievements in both traditional and contemporary folk music, and other roots music genres, by Canadian musicians.
The awards pr ...
nominee for
Children's Album of the Year at the