Dean Sawatzky is a Vancouver-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music draws from folk, country, Americana, rock and blues.

Recording and releasing music under the name Rust & Fire, Dean writes songs about mortality, memory, love, loss, resilience and the complicated business of moving through life. His 2023 EP, More Days, brought those themes together in a collection of reflective, roots-driven songs shaped by both personal experience and a lifelong connection to songwriting.

Dean has been writing and performing music for decades. His work has been recognized by CBC Radio and the Songwriters Association of Canada, and he has written and performed alongside acclaimed songwriter Deborah Holland as part of the Holland Sessions. His songs have been performed across Canada, and he remains connected to songwriting communities in Vancouver and beyond through organizations including SongTown USA, New England to Nashville, the Americana Music Association and the Martha’s Vineyard Songwriting Festival.

New Rust & Fire music is now underway, including a new EP planned for 2027. Before that, a new single will arrive at the intersection of two of Dean’s creative worlds: music and Free Your Box, the podcast he is helping create. The song serves as the podcast’s theme while also standing on its own as the next chapter in the Rust & Fire story.