Through The Fire Ep. 18 - Jay Bodner and Gabrielle Fontaine

On this episode, Don Amero honours former friend and bandmate Vince Fontaine with his daughter Gabrielle and longtime bandmate Jay Bodner. The three musicians discuss their favourite memories of Vince and the legacy they will carry forward in his honour.

Gabrielle Fontaine is an Anishinaabe singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Winnipeg MB. Gabrielle joined Indian City as a singer-songwriter on the 2017 Here & Now album. She is the daughter of the late band leader, Vince Fontaine. After the sudden passing of her father, Gabrielle was motivated to follow in her father’s footsteps within the band as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Gabrielle performs music and captivates audiences with her lyrics of personal experiences and perspectives of life, often highlighting her view through an Indigenous lens. Her honest melodies and angelic voice are sure to leave a unique and lasting impression. She is poised to follow in the strong tradition of Manitoba's vibrant music community while fostering her talent nationally and internationally.

Jay Bodner has been a singer, guitar player and songwriter with Indian City since joining the band on their 2018 Juno nominated album Here and Now and most recently their 2022 Juno nominated release, Code Red. Prior to Indian City, he held tenure for 25 years with the band Eagle & Hawk along with his musical partner and the founder of Indian City and Eagle & Hawk, Vince Fontaine. Eagle & Hawk recorded 10 albums in its career, toured internationally and went on to win a Juno Award in 2002 as well as nominations in 2004 and 2006. Both Indian City and Eagle & Hawk were humbled with numerous Indigenous music industry awards and nominations in Canada and the United States over the past few decades. Jay believes that music is medicine and remains committed to Vince Fontaine’s vision of building bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.