The Early Widows is the fourth album by Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge

Justin Rutledge

Justin Rutledge is a Toronto-based alt-country singer-songwriter signed to Six Shooter Records.Rutledge's musical style is often compared to that of American alt-country singer Ryan Adams. His influences, both of the literary and music world, include Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams, Richard Brautigan...

, released on May 4, 2010 on Six Shooter Records

Six Shooter Records

Six Shooter Records is an independent record label, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The music label was founded by Shauna de Cartier in 2000. Artists who have released material on the label include Jenn Grant, Amelia Curran, Elliott Brood, Luke Doucet, Christine Fellows, Ford Pier, Captain...

. The album, produced by Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman

Hawksley Workman

Ryan Corrigan , better known by the stage name Hawksley Workman, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter who has garnered critical acclaim for his blend of cabaret pop and glam rock. Workman has released eleven full length albums throughout his career...

, was recorded at The Woodshed, a recording studio owned by Canadian country-rock band Blue Rodeo

Blue Rodeo

Blue Rodeo is a Canadian pop and country rock band, which was formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have been signed with Warner Music Group since their debut album Outskirts in March 1987...

. According to Rutledge, the songs are written with a single character in mind from the Michael Ondaatje

Michael Ondaatje

Philip Michael Ondaatje , OC, is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist and poet of Burgher origin. He is perhaps best known for his Booker Prize-winning novel, The English Patient, which was adapted into an Academy-Award-winning film.-Life and work:...

 novel Divisadero

Divisadero (novel)

Divisadero is a novel by Michael Ondaatje, first published on April 17, 2007 by McClelland and Stewart.-Synopsis:The novel centres on a single father and his children: Anna, his natural daughter; Claire, who was adopted as a baby when Anna was born; and Cooper , who was taken in "to stay and work...

.

The album was a longlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize

2010 Polaris Music Prize

The 2010 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 20, 2010. The gala presentation was held at Toronto's Masonic Temple, and was hosted by Grant Lawrence of CBC Radio 3 and Sarah Taylor of MuchMusic....

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Track listing

Ondaatje contributed to the writing of several of the songs, and is credited as co-writer on the single "Be a Man".

The track "I Have Not Seen the Light" is co-written with Nashville singer-songwriter Darrell Scott

Darrell Scott

James Darrell Scott known as Darrell Scott , the son of musician Wayne Scott with whom he has collaborated, is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He moved as a child to East Gary, Indiana. He was playing professionally by his teens in Southern California, later living in...

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Personnel

• David Baxter – electric guitar
• Burke Carroll – pedal steel
• Gary Craig – Stew Crookes – tubular bells, electric guitar
• Bazil Donovan – bass
• Julie Fader
  Julie Fader
  Julie Fader is a Canadian musician, songwriter and visual artist, best known as a keyboard player and backing vocalist for Sarah Harmer, Chad VanGaalen and Great Lake Swimmers...
  
   – voice
• Blake Manning – drums, percussion
• Oh Susanna
  Suzie Ungerleider
  Suzie Ungerleider, who writes and performs under the name Oh Susanna, is an American-Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. Born in the United States, she was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia and is currently based in Toronto.-Bio:...
  
   – voice
• Justin Rutledge – electric, acoustic and 12-string guitars, piano, wurlitzer, voice
• Hawksley Workman – electric guitar, piano, percussion
• Jesse Zubot
  Jesse Zubot
  Jesse Zubot is a Canadian musician primarily known for his unique violin playing. Zubot also works as a producer, engineer, and composer.-History:...
  
  – violin, viola, mandolin, soundscapes
• Amoy Levy, Nevon Sinclair, Sharon Riley – choir