Acclaimed Canadian songwriter and Big Sugar collaborator returns with a new collection of original music.
Canadian singer-songwriter Patrick Ballantyne releases his new album, This Enchanted Place, today, September 16, 2026. Featuring nine new songs, the album marks another chapter in the career of a songwriter whose work has helped shape the sound of Canadian rock, roots, and popular music for decades.
While his name may not be immediately familiar to every music fan, Ballantyne’s songwriting certainly is.
A longtime collaborator of Big Sugar frontman Gordie Johnson, Ballantyne co-wrote some of the band’s most recognizable songs, including “If I Had My Way,” and “All Hell for a Basement”. His songwriting credits also extend to The Trews, Wide Mouth Mason, Tim Chaisson, Meredith Shaw, and other Canadian artists.
His collaboration with Tim Chaisson on “Beat This Heart” earned an East Coast Music Award nomination for Song of the Year, while his songwriting achievements were recognized with NOW Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Songwriter of the Year in 2014.
Yet Ballantyne’s work as a solo recording artist reveals another side of his musical identity.
Since releasing his self-titled debut in 2008, he has continued to develop his own catalogue of original material, following it with albums including Days of Rain, Calendar, Sky, and Love / Shadow / Dust.
With This Enchanted Place, Ballantyne adds nine new compositions to that catalogue, continuing a creative journey rooted in his enduring devotion to the craft of songwriting.
That devotion has been a constant throughout his career.
In a 2019 interview with the Songwriters Association of Canada, Ballantyne described his approach to writing across musical genres with a characteristically straightforward philosophy:
“I write what I feel… the rest is production.”
It is a sentiment that speaks to an artist who has spent decades writing for both himself and others, allowing the song itself to remain at the centre of the creative process.
Upcoming Live Performance
Ballantyne will join fellow Canadian singer-songwriter Ambre McLean for her album release show on September 26, 2026.
The performance will bring together two longtime friends and musical collaborators for an evening celebrating new original music.
About Patrick Ballantyne
Patrick Ballantyne is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer whose extensive catalogue includes songs recorded by Big Sugar, The Trews, Wide Mouth Mason, Tim Chaisson, Meredith Shaw, and others.
Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Ballantyne began writing music as a teenager and developed a longstanding creative partnership with Big Sugar’s Gordie Johnson.
His credits include the Big Sugar hits “If I Had My Way” and “All Hell for a Basement,” as well as The Trews’ “Poor Old Broken Hearted Me.”
A former Board Chair of the Songwriters Association of Canada, Ballantyne has also been an advocate for songwriters’ rights and fair compensation.
His solo recording career began in 2008 and continues with the release of This Enchanted Place.
Album: This Enchanted Place
Artist: Patrick Ballantyne
Release date: September 16, 2026
Tracks: 9 original songs
Artist website: https://patrickballantyne.com
Media inquiries, interviews, and review copies:
Northwood Music
