Justin Rutledge gets tragically hip for Daredevil

Alt-country singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge performs "Looking For A Place To Happen", a song from his newest album Daredevil. It's an ode to one of Canada's most beloved bands, The Tragically Hip.

Justin also speaks to Jian about his decision to release a cover album, how he's gone about rearranging the Hip's tunes and the kind of reception the collection has received -- including from Tragically Hip frontman himself, Gord Downie.

"I sent him an email just to let [Gord] know what I was doing," Rutledge tells Jian. "He wrote back and he said, 'Hey J.R., that sounds like career suicide to me.'"

But Rutledge adds that Downie, along with the other band members, were "all very cool" with him doing his own take on their music -- a feat Rutledge says was "daunting." 

"Taking these iconic songs, which are as much a part of the landscape, I think, as any Arthur Lismer painting -- I experienced tremendous trepidation," Rutledge admits. "I was very careful to honour the lyrics."
   
This interview is part of our special Q Live at Luminato show. It was recorded live on June 5th at the historic Winter Garden Theatre and aired for the first time on Friday, June 6th.