Age is opportunity no less than youth itself, though in another dress, and as the evening twilight fades away, the sky is filled with stars invisible by day.
–Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Selkirk Range – Artist Bio
Selkirk Range is the solo songwriting project of Edmonton-based artist Gordon Gow, blending folk, roots rock, and contemporary singer-songwriter craft into a sound that is warm, narrative-driven, and unmistakably personal.
Gow has released three full-length albums—Reach Out to You, Seeing the Sun Again, and Hired Gun—along with the singles “Ballad of the Titan” and “Meet Me in Montreal.” Though primarily a solo artist, Gow has collaborated with Everett LaRoi (Manraygun, Goldtop) on his debut album and Colin Noel of Electric Treehouse on his second and third releases.
Gow’s musical roots run deep. His grandfather played banjo in dance halls along Lake Erie in the 1920s, and that same banjo has been passed down through the family. On the generational track “Singalong” from Seeing the Sun Again, Gow plays his grandfather’s original banjo, performing on a century-old family instrument for a 21st century audience.
A Return to Songwriting
In his early twenties, Gow worked in Vancouver’s studio scene as a songwriter, engineer, and producer before turning toward academia—earning a PhD and building a career at the London School of Economics and later the University of Alberta. Songwriting returned later in life, sparked by creating silly songs for his young son and a tribute for his partner.
“Those casual efforts flipped a switch. They pulled me back into music, which gives me a chance to reflect musically and emotionally on life from the perspective of a mature adult.” he says.
The Sound of Selkirk Range
Across his early catalogue, Gow’s music blends story-driven folk, rootsy guitars, acoustic textures, and understated baritone vocals, inspired by his favourite rock artists from his youth, along with folk legends such as Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Petty, Townes Van Zandt, The Jayhawks, and Bry Webb. The sound aims for honesty and relatability through the life of a grown up.
Sunophonic: The New Chapter
Gow’s newest creative venture, The Sunophonic Sessions, explores human-guided generative music platforms—a way of bringing lyrics to life and reimagining older songs through emerging tools. While recognizing that not everyone embraces AI-assisted production, Gow approaches it with curiosity and intention: “I’m interested in what these tools can do—how they extend a songwriter’s imagination and breathe life into my hand-crafted lyrics, often taking the songs in unexpected directions.”
The Sunophonic Sessions have produced new works as well as regenerated older material, expanding the Selkirk Range repertoire while keeping the distinctly human craft of storytelling firmly at the centre.
Contact: info@selkirkrange.com
SELKIRK RANGE 