Three-time Juno Award winner Ron Sexsmith, one of Canada’s most revered songwriters, will return to Australia and New Zealand in April 2026 for his first visit in over eleven years.
Sexsmith will bring his band for seven dates across both countries, starting in Auckland before heading to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Castlemaine, Adelaide and Perth.
Tour Dates:
Thursday 16 April – Tuning Fork, Auckland
Saturday 18 April – Sydney Recital Hall, Sydney
Sunday 19 April – BCEC Plaza Auditorium, Brisbane
Thursday 23 April – Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne
Friday 24 April – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Saturday 25 April – The Gov, Adelaide
Sunday 26 April – Rosemount Hotel, Perth
Tickets are on sale now via davidroywilliams.com.
Sexsmith has long been hailed for his thoughtful, emotionally resonant writing. Mojo once called his songs “effortlessly beautiful, poignant, and universal,” while Rolling Stone praised his ability to “balance melancholy with hope, like a bruised soul summoning strength for one more attempt at happiness.”
His work has drawn admiration from some of the greatest names in music, with Paul McCartney, Elton John, Leonard Cohen, John Prine, Gordon Lightfoot, Elvis Costello and Ray Davies all voicing their respect for his craft.
Beyond his own catalogue, Sexsmith’s songs have been recorded by Rod Stewart, k.d. lang, Michael Bublé, Emmylou Harris, Feist and Nick Lowe, cementing his standing as one of the most quietly influential writers of his generation.
Sexsmith released his latest album, Hangover Terrace, through Cooking Vinyl on 29 August 2025. Produced by longtime collaborator Martin Terefe, the 14-track set marks a shift from the warm optimism of his recent records.
“My last few albums actually had a feeling of rural contentment,” Sexsmith explains. “Hangover Terrace feels more wounded to me. There’s some self-examination going on, and a desire to know who my real friends are. It also deals with the passing of time and how many more things become dear.”
The title itself was born from a slip of the tongue by drummer Don Kerr, who misread a London street name as “Hangover Terrace.” Sexsmith immediately knew it was the perfect fit.
Born in 1964 in St Catharines, Ontario, Sexsmith grew up immersed in his mother’s record collection and the sounds of Buddy Holly and Elton John. He picked up the guitar as a teenager and, after becoming a father at 21, began writing the songs that would shape his career.
In the late 1980s he relocated to Toronto, performing in clubs by night while working as a courier by day. His early cassette release, Grand Opera Lane (1991), caught industry ears in Los Angeles, leading to his first publishing and recording deals.
His breakthrough came with the self-titled 1995 debut on Interscope, produced by Mitchell Froom. Though the label was hesitant, Elvis Costello’s endorsement pushed the record into the spotlight, earning critical acclaim. He has been called him “the most fluent balladeer to come along since Tim Hardin or Harry Nilsson.”
Since then, Sexsmith has released more than a dozen albums, working with producers including Daniel Lanois, Steve Earle, Jim Scott, Bob Rock and Brad Jones. He has toured internationally, opening for the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Coldplay, John Hiatt, Squeeze and Lucinda Williams, and headlined venues as prestigious as Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall and Massey Hall.
Sexsmith’s creativity extends past songwriting. His 2010 documentary Love Shines won international acclaim, and in 2017 he published his debut novel, Deer Life, a fairy tale that he has also envisioned as a stage musical. Most recently, he made his theatrical composer debut at Canada’s renowned Stratford Festival in 2025 with a score for Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
