Evangeline Gentle's 2023 album, Where the Diamonds Are, is a masterpiece sonically and lyrically. It’s melodic and interesting, propelled and shaped by producer and master musician Jim Bryson. He encouraged Evangeline to make a first professional album and has been a mentor, collaborator, and supporter ever since. But even with guidance, talent, an interesting perspective, and a solid grounding, the rampant difficulties put in place by the old guard in the music industry can throw up road blocks along the way. One of the standout tracks on the album, "Underdog", deals with a traumatic setback in a young career that led to questions about whether a career in music was even the right way to go. evangelinegentlemusic.com evangelinegentle.bandcamp.com iTunes Store Join Evangeline and me at the Trout Forest Music Festival in Ear Falls, Ontario, Aug. 9-11, 2024: troutfest.com