Ron Weiss

Recorded at Alex Mastronardi Studio ( @alexmastronardi3053 ) May 22, 2023, Hold On To You is a new and different song for me, writing-wise. It features...of course...me. But also the great contributions of the band - slide and dobro by Fred Guignion, bass and backup vocals by Alex Mastronardi, percussion by Arien Villegas, violin & banjo by Keith Snider and special guest, Mackenzie Di Millo, on backup vocals.

Now, you may have noticed some multiple instrumentalist playing...Keith wore the banjo while also playing violin. As we were packing up, Keith turned to me and said:

"The violin belonged to prominent Toronto Architect Eden Smith and was given to me by his granddaughter. When I received the violin, it had not been out of the case for over 50 years. Eden Smith was a founding member of the Toronto Arts and Letters Club and is credited with designing the stone hearth and mantle of the club's neo-Gothic Great Hall.

Ron, at our recording session, it was such a coincidence that I decided to bring my violin that was made in Toronto by Capt. Thomas Mitchell and owned by Eden Smith and then learn you would be moving to Toronto. When in Toronto, you may enjoy visiting the beautiful Wychwood Park neighborhood, where Eden Smith lived. He designed many of the older historic homes."

Here are a few links about Eden Smith:

https://www.neighbourhoodguide.com/toronto/midtown/wychwood-park/
https://torontoist.com/2017/07/historicist-eden-smith-arrival-arts-crafts-movement-toronto/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_Smith
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/eden-smith
http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1310