For two decades, Great Lake Swimmers have served as a cornerstone of Canadian indie-folk, known for atmospheric recordings in silos, parish halls, and natural landscapes. At the center of this project is Tony Dekker, a songwriter whose voice carries a quiet, resonant gravity. Following the release of the band's latest work, Caught Light, Dekker joined Jason English to reflect on the group’s twenty-year milestone and the shifting terrain of a life spent in pursuit of the "gut feeling."

Dekker reveals that his creative process is guided entirely by instinct rather than a predetermined theme. He describes songwriting as a visceral experience—something he feels in his bones—and only seeks to understand the context of the work once the collection is complete. "The analysis tends to happen afterwards," he notes, explaining that the meaning of his songs often reveals itself to him only after they have been set into the world.

The conversation dives into a significant period of transition for Dekker, who recently moved from the city to the country and is raising two small children. This change in scenery coincided with the band's twentieth anniversary, prompting a season of "taking stock." Dekker discusses the challenge of balancing the momentum of a long-standing career with the grounding presence of family life. He views this stage not as a moment of looking backward, but as a necessary pause to see where the music and the man currently stand.

Reflecting on the songs within Caught Light, Dekker explores the tension between personal evolution and the external world. He describes the record as a document of a specific time—one marked by a sense of collective and individual questioning. Despite the longevity of the band, he remains curious about the "magic" of the process, maintaining a humble approach to the craft. For Dekker, the goal remains simple: to continue following the instinct that has sustained the Great Lake Swimmers for two decades, regardless of the industry's changing tides.