Three Canadian folk/roots veterans provide an even stronger foundation to Roots and Blues 2016, says artistic director Peter North.
A veteran of the western Canadian scene, Linda McRae’s talents first came to prominence when she joined Spirit of the West for what would become an eight-year tenure with the popular roots group. During that time she was heard on a number of Spirit of the West albums including Save This House and Faithlift.
The next phase of her career included her original songs being produced by the likes of Colin Linden and Gurf Morlix. One turn led to another and McRae’s compass pointed her towards the states where she has been working and living for the few years, immersing herself in traditional folk styles while injecting those sounds into her original songs.
“We also shouldn’t forget that she was a spark plug in a short-lived but ever so tasty West Coast roots group of all-stars called The Knotty Pines,” adds North.
McRae’s latest albums, Shadow Trails and 50 Shades of Red have been met with rave reviews and she’s toured around the continent with her banjo and guitar, from major festivals to folk clubs, to prisons and educational institutions.
For almost 45 years, Roy Forbes has been a mainstay at festivals, and folk club-produced concerts across this country. The B.C. native burst onto the scene during a renaissance period for Canadian roots music and in quick succession the singer-songwriter released a series of recordings under the name Bim.
Those recordings earned him loyal audiences, thanks to deep well of songs that included Right After My Heart, Fly Back North, Tender Lullaby, Farmer Needs the Rain, Waitin for You Mama and Shell of a Life.
That impressive foundation was added to with another string of recordings that saw him shed Bim for Roy. A series of releases as Roy Forbes found the songbook expanding via albums like Crazy Old Moon and The Human Kind and one byproduct of that great songbook has been numerous artists, ranging from the Great Western Orchestra to American bluegrass star Kathy Kallick, serving up wonderful interpretations of Roy Forbes songs. In the new millennium Forbes has released a collection of his interpretations of classic folk-roots songs under the banner of Some Tunes for that Mother of Mine (2006) and an energized live solo set titled Strikin’ Matches Live! (2014).
Forbes also continues to host the popular Roy’s Record Room on the CKUA radio network on Monday evenings, and his vast knowledge of classic roots styles, including western swing, rockabilly and rhythm and blues, will be tapped into during workshop sessions at Roots and Blues 2016.
For all of the great Canadian musicians who went south during the ’70s, Canada was blessed with a number of musicians who migrated north.
“Tim Williams is one of those fine and multi-talented artists who decided Canada was where he was going to hang his hat and our scene has been so much better for that move,” Says North. “Yes, he is a terrific bluesman, but he’s so much more.”
Along with his critically acclaimed blues albums, Williams has recorded traditional country and border music and folk gems and been a sought-after producer for many established and new, emerging artists.
“Tim Williams is Canada’s Ry Cooder,” wrote North many years ago. “Toss in the fact that he’s a brilliant raconteur, and Williams brings a vast arsenal of talents to a festival table.
Look for Williams to not only deliver great solo shows but act as the ringleader at a few workshops.
And, check out his latest solo recording So Low on YouTube.
And an echo from a past festival, Vancouver’s Cannery Row, will be headlining the Raising the Roots Dance, a fundraising event for the Roots and Blues festival on April 16.
Cannery Row play infectiously danceable roots music with a Cajun flare. The band features talented multi-instrumentalists, with songs pairing piano, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, accordion, washboard and more with three-part vocal harmonies.
The Raising the Roots fundraising dance will take place at Gleneden Hall April 16 at 6:30 p.m.
The rambunctious, crowd-pleasing members of Seal Skull Hammer will open for Cannery Row.
Tickets to the dance are available online or at the Salmon Arm Folk Music Society office, 490 Fifth Ave. SW.