Two-Time Canadian Country Music Award ‘Group of the Year’ Hey Romeo Coming to Horizon Stage

Since forming in 2002, and cutting their teeth in Alberta’s highly competitive country music scene, Edmonton band Hey Romeo has grown from a hard-touring regional success to a national sensation whose popularity continues to skyrocket.  Their energetic blend of modern and traditional country, vintage folk, and rock and roll has been called a “soundtrack for day-to-day life” and has earned them a wide and diversified fan base.  Now, after ten years in the industry together and multiple CCMA (Canadian Country Music Award) wins, band members Stacie Roper, Rob Shapiro, and Darren Gusnowsky remain as tight on stage as they do off. Their deep personal connection and friendship is evident in their recorded music and when they perform together live. Horizon Stage is excited to present Hey Romeo, Alberta’s fastest rising country music act, Up Close and Personal on Saturday, March 2^nd at 7:30 p.m.

Lead vocalist Stacie Roper is a woman who sings from the heart and shoots from the hip. Stacie draws her inspiration from the harmonies of the Statler Brothers, the feel of The Mavericks, the vocals of Alison Krauss, and the strength of Martina McBride while also taking cues from eighties ladies like Cyndi Lauper and Debbie Harry when making a connection with her audience.

2012 CCMA keyboard player of the year, Rob Shapiro, has one foot in neo-traditional country music and the other in really good rock and roll.  Anyone who has had the opportunity to converse with Rob, a graduate of Grant MacEwan College’s jazz program, understands that this piano-playing singer-songwriter adheres to the Duke Ellington philosophy that “there are only two kinds of music, good and bad.”

Another musician who is in it “for the long run”, guitarist, singer, and tunesmith Darren Gusnowsky loves the country-honk of the Exile On Mainstreet-era Rolling Stones, and the seamless harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young in their prime. But it was his mother turning him on to Ricky Skaggs that convinced him he should pay more attention to hardcore country sounds.

No strangers to crossing the CCMA stage, Hey Romeo’s 2008 self-titled debut CD garnered them a Top New Talent of the Year – Group or Duo award. Their follow-up, 2010′s That’s What I Am, yielded five singles and a 2011 CCMA for Group or Duo of the Year. Demonstrating the drive and determination that’s been a hallmark of their career from day one, Hey Romeo immediately went back into the studio and recorded their third album, Twist of Fate, which landed the band their second CCMA for Group of the Year in 2012.

Over time, Hey Romeo has shared the stage with big name artists such as The Kentucky Headhunters, Marty Stuart, Sugarland, Darius Rucker, Gord Bamford and Johnny Reid. They have become regular fixtures on stage at Las Vegas’ annual National Finals Rodeo and are currently sailing through the Western Caribbean, performing for fans aboard the Norwegian Star Cruise ship. Together they have earned a reputation as not just Canada’s hardest working country act, but as one of the hardest working bands in the country, period.

Characterized by tight harmonies, the signature interplay between Rob’s keyboards, Darren’s guitar, and Stacie’s powerhouse vocals, Hey Romeo’s sound is a mixture of classic country phrasing and slick, upbeat, urban bounce. Catch them in Spruce Grove at Horizon Stage on Saturday, March 2^nd at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.

           

Hey Romeo on March 2nd

The Wolak Donnelly Duo on February 16

Big Sky Media Board Ads for This Week's Concerts

A Remarkable Blend of Classical and Jazz That Fans of Both Genres Will Love!

See the Wolak-Donnelly Duo at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 16

Armed with a clarinet, a piano, and their personable stage presence, Kornel Wolak and ChrisDonnelly present a remarkable blend of classical and jazz music rarely heard in live performance. From revered classical pieces such as Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, to Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue, and Oscar Peterson’s classic Hymn to Freedom, Chris and Kornel captivate audiences with virtuosity, familiar melodies and a profound passion for music and performing. Horizon Stage is excited to present the The Wolak-Donnelly Duo on Saturday, February 16^th at 7:30 p.m.

Born in Bialystok, Poland, clarinetist Kornel Wolak earned a Master of Music degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Highly praised on not just one but two continents for his glorious tone, precise technical control and musical imagination, he is well on his way to a major career as a soloist and chamber musician in both classical and cross-over repertoire. As a member of the renowned Quartetto Gelato from 2007 to 2009 Kornel performed on their 2009 recording, Musica Latina. As a soloist he has performed with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Sinfonietta, Poland’s Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra, and Charleston (North Carolina) Symphony Orchestra and, as a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Wieniawski String Quartet, the Glenn Gould String Quartet, the Tokai Quartet and the Lodos Wind Quintet.

 Chris Donnelly represents a new generation of jazz pianists, composers and improvisers dedicated to creating programs that are engaging, entertaining and educating. He is continually praised for his virtuosic performances, musicality, versatility and ability to captivate audiences. In 2008, Chris released his Juno-nominated, debut album Solo, which featured a blend of original material and jazz standard arrangements. Solo also earned him 2009 National Jazz Awards nominations for Best Recording of the Year and Best Keyboardist of the Year. In March 2011, Chris released an album of original music inspired by the works of graphic artist M.C. Escher entitled Metamorphosis. Chris Donnelly holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Toronto and he is currently a working as professor at his alma mater.

The Wolak-Donnelly Duo is touring western Canada this winter and you can catch them at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, February 16^th. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at Ticketmaster. Whether you’re a classical music fan or jazz enthusiast you’ll be sure to enjoy this unique and highly entertaining concert event! 

 

“Control and a smooth, elegant expressivity are what make Wolak shine.” - The Toronto Star

“…this guy [Chris Donnelly] sure knows his way around the piano. And his virtuoso playing blows the mind…

In a way he resembles a young Duke Ellington…” - World Music Centre

“It’s a pleasure to hear an impressive new artist [Chris Donnelly] creating something fresh and different, very accessible and entertaining.” – Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal

Seeking local actors for walk on rolls in Ballet Jorgen Canada's Swan Lake

Ragtime and Mountain Music That Will Take You Back To a Simpler Time

Enjoy Sheesham & Lotus’ Family Matinee at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 9

What if you only had one fiddle or mouth organ for a whole family or party? You would make do with what you had -- hands, feet, voices, spoons, sticks, washboards, old string or wire, whatever you could rustle up around the place! In that tradition, Sheesham & Lotus (Teilhard Frost and Sam Allison) play “olde-tyme” music from the Appalachian Mountain-region. Looking like they just stepped off Huckleberry Finn’s raft, Sheesham & Lotus play jaw harps, ham-bone percussion and home-made bass harmonicas in the ragtime and mountain style. Let them take you back to a time when families entertained themselves with dance, song, and music created fresh each day.  See Sheesham & Lotus in Spruce Grove on Saturday, February 9^th at 2 p.m. as the second performance in Horizon Stage’s 2013 Family Matinee Series.

Sheesham & Lotus came together in 1998 playing as the rhythm section in a fiddle band called Flapjack. Together for the next seven years they were on the road throughout Canada and the United States playing dances, concerts and workshops. It was during this time that they took a keen interest in the folk traditions of North America, particularly the American South. Both became enthusiastic historians of old-time fiddle and banjo music, learning from the old masters across the regions south of the Mason-Dixon line. Through personal instruction, perseverance and osmosis they learned harmonica, jaw-harp, flatfoot, and song.

Sheesham & Lotus play fiddle and banjo respectively, with an additional array of home-made curiosities of noise-makery. Sheesham makes gourd banjos and fiddles, and Lotus plays an invention called the contra-bass harmoniphoneum, which is a self-contained bass-harmonica and euphonium horn that can be used while plucking a banjo. Sheesham & Lotus use horns for singing, harmonicas, jaw-harps and more. Their sound can be described as American roots music but they also love to play fiddle tunes, hokum blues songs and ragtime string music. “The sounds of the south are near and dear to our hearts,” says Lotus, “from the old fiddlers to the Memphis jug-bands... there is so much to hear and learn.”

Let Sheesham & Lotus take you, and your family, back to simpler time when music was made orally, physically, with the cutlery or anything else that could be found. Tickets are just $18 for adults, $15 for children and seniors. Curtain is at 2 p.m. and there are free craft and colouring pre-show activities in the lobby for kids starting at 1 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Electronically you can visit www.sheeshamandlotus.com or like and follow them on facebook.

“Sam Allison and Teilhard Frost performing as Sheesham and Lotus (are) a real shot of joy… they perform old time music as if born into it… These guys are so in love with old time stringband music that the excitement jumps in the room… You have no choice, ya have to dance.” Penguin Eggs Magazine

Denis Chang Master Class

Experience the Sizzle and Feel the Heat of the Gypsy Jazz Guitar

See the Denis Chang Manouche Quartet at Horizon Stage on Thursday, February 7

 

It has been said that guitar virtuoso Denis Chang’s fingers “fly faster than his shadow”. Called the “Godfather of the Montréal gypsy jazz scene”, Denis is equally at ease with bebop and other jazz styles but it is when performing in the manouche style that he truly finds his passion. Horizon Stage is excited to present the Denis Chang Manouche Quartet, as a part of its 30^th anniversary season, on Thursday, February 7^th at 7:30 p.m.

Denis Chang’s family origins are Taiwanese but he grew up in Montreal and spent his formative years alongside some of the greatest manouche jazz guitarists, including Fapy Lafertin, Ritary Gaguenetti, Paulus Schäfer, Rindo Winterstein and Emmanuel Kassimo. As a young performer, Denis quickly developed his own style, influenced mostly by the music of the legendary Romani jazz guitarist and composer, Django Reinhardt, with some Bach, Chopin, George Benson, and Michael Jackson thrown in. Also an up-and-coming composer, he has been including a smattering of his own compositions in his concert play-lists since 2012.

In 2008, Denis had the honour of being invited to perform with the legendary Les Paul at the Iridium in New York. Other highlights of his career include performing at the 2009 Montreal International Jazz Festival and winning an Entrée and Scène Award from Loto-Quebec.

A highly sought-after guitar teacher and master-class instructor, practically every performing gypsy jazz musician in Quebec has benefited from Denis’ teaching. He has attracted private students from as far as California, Vermont, the UK and South Africa, and his manouche guitar instructional DVDs have been very successful. Denis’ student list includes the legendary guitarist of the Shadows, Hank Marvin, and guitar virtuoso Adrian Vandenberg of Whistesnake fame.

While in Spruce Grove he will teach a Django Reinhardt Style Guitar Master Class at Horizon Stage on Wednesday, February 6^th at 7 p.m. Priced at only $25, master class participants will also receive a free ticket to Denis’ concert on Thursday. Anyone interested in participating in the master class should call 780-962-8995.

The Denis Chang Manouche Quartet are touring Alberta for their first time in February 2013. See them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Thursday, February 7^th. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Come, see Denis Chang’s amazing fingers for yourself, and feel the heat of his gypsy jazz guitar!

“The audience was mesmerized by the musical wizardry of Chang and his back up musicians.”

LDNews, BC, Canada

Experience the Music of Les Misérable and Phantom of the Opera Up Close & Personal

Celebrate Horizon Stage’s Pearl Anniversary with Michael Burgess & Rebecca Caine: The Dream Concert

Celebrate Horizon Stage’s 30^th anniversary with two of Canada’s most luminous vocalists. Best known for their stellar performances in Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera, Michael Burgess and Rebecca Caine are performing together in The Dream Concert and local audiences are being given two opportunities to see this amazing musical theatre vocal-collaboration in Spruce Grove on Tuesday, January 29^th and Wednesday, January 30^th.
 

Soprano Rebecca Caine created the role of Cosette in the original Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of ‘Les Miz’. After a successful West End run, she joined the original cast of Phantom of the Opera to play Christine opposite Michael Crawford. She then returned to Toronto to repeat the role in the Canadian premiere of ‘Phantom’. Uniquely, Ms Caine’s career has been divided between musical theatre and opera. Her roles with the Canadian Opera Company include Vixen, Pamina, Despina, and Micaëla and at other theatres she has played Pamina (Glimmerglass), Musetta, Susanna (English National Opera), and Adina (New Zealand Opera).
 

Tenor Michael Burgess performed the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables over one thousand times at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre and in the Canadian touring production. Whether starring in a major musical, performing in concert, or appearing at world events for patrons like Queen Elizabeth II, Burgess touches the hearts and minds of his listeners.
 

Fresh from an appearance with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Michael Burgess and Rebecca Caine will take their Horizon Stage audiences on a dazzling journey through the music of classic and contemporary Broadway during this once-in-a-lifetime musical theatre experience. The Dream Concert opens with solo sets and closes with Michael and Rebecca singing iconic duets from ‘Phantom’ and ‘Les Miz’. Hearing these two incredible voices play off each other will be an unforgettable treat for anyone who loves musicals.
 

Les Misérables has been seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries in 21 languages and is still breaking box-office records. It has been running in London’s West End since 1985. Phantom of the Opera is the West End’s second longest-running musical and Broadway’s longest-running musical (over 10,000 shows in New York and counting) and is also still in production around the globe.  Michael Burgess and Rebecca Caine are touring The Dream Concert to selected venues in western Canada this winter and these two nights in Spruce Grove are their only performances scheduled in the Edmonton area.
 

Tickets to see Michael Burgess and Rebecca Caine Up Close and Personal in The Dream Concert at Horizon Stage on January 29^th and 30^th are $40 for adults, $35 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Both concerts start at 7:30 p.m. but the Tuesday night show includes a 30^th anniversary gala reception in the lobby at 6:30 p.m., with a commemorative ceremony and speeches in the theatre at 7:15 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Horizon Stage is 30 minutes from Edmonton. Burgess and Caine are out of this world!

Seeking Talented and Enthusiastic Young Actors for Jack and the Beanstalk

Audition Notice                                                
Date: Monday, January 14, 2013
Ages:  Kindergarten to Grade 12
Location: Horizon Stage (1001 Calahoo Road)
Time: 4 – 6 p.m., followed by the first rehearsal block 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

All MissoulaChildren’s Theatre (MCT) tour shows are designed for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. There are roles suited for all ages and experience levels. No advance preparation or appointment is necessary, but a smile never hurts at an audition! Students should wear clothing that is easy to move in. Please remember that everyone must stay the entire two hours of the audition. (Parents may stay and watch.) Approximately 50-60 students will be cast in the show, but sadly, there is no guarantee that everyone who auditions will be cast. Due to time constraints, anyone missing the initial audition will not be considered in the casting of the show.

During the audition, two to four Assistant Directors (ADs), ages ten and older, will be selected to help teach and direct the show as well as take on technical responsibilities at performance time. Their logistical help and creative ideas are a vital part of the process, and the experience of the ADs can be just as valuable as that of any cast member.

Please note: Rehearsals for those cast will begin immediately after the auditions on Monday, January 14 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., so bringing a bag lunch for those chosen would be a great idea. Rehearsals will then run Tuesday, January 15 to Friday, January 18 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, January 19 from 10 a.m. – noon. Not all children in the cast will be called for all rehearsals. The rehearsal schedule will be announced after the show is cast on Monday.

Jack and the Beanstalk is the first performance in Horizon Stage’s 2012/2013 Family Matinee Series.

Public Performances will be held on Saturday, January 19 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets are $18 Adults & $15 Children & Seniors

Tickets for the entire Family Matinee Series (3 shows) are $40 per person regardless of age.

Visit Horizon Stage's website for more information or call the City Hall Ticket Centre at 780-962-8995.

This Holiday Season - Give the Gift of Entertainment!

Legendary Hearts Front Man Locally Launches New Solo CD at Horizon Stage

Barney Bentall tours to Spruce Grove on Friday, November 16, at 7:30 p.m.

 

Barney Bentall was born in Toronto, grew up in Calgary, and moved to Vancouver in 1978 to follow his musical dream. In 1988 he formed the rock/pop band Barney Bentall and The Legendary Hearts, whose self-titled debut album won a Juno, sold over 100,000 copies, and spawned three hit singles. Subsequent albums by the band also reached gold or platinum status. Barney released his first solo album in 2007 and, during the past decade, he has transformed both personally and musically to emerge as one of Canada’s most prolific country/folk/roots singer-songwriters. Now, local audiences have the opportunity to enjoy both classic and brand-new Barney Bentall compositions at the intimate 318-seat Horizon Stage on Friday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Bentall doesn't tour as extensively as he once did but he keeps fans happy with select engagements. His last concert at Horizon Stage was almost exactly ten years ago (October 2002) but he was in Edmonton this past summer at the Rock Music Festival.  In concert Barney performs both his solo material and the Legendary Hearts hits. Fans will enjoy humming along to old favourites like “Something to Live For”, “Do Ya” and “Crime Against Love”. Music from his first solo album, Gift Horse, has been described as “reflective and pensive soft rock influenced by western and mountain folk traditions and covert country flavours”. Songs from his 2009 release, Inside Passage, are a combination of roots, country, rock, and folk with a ballad thrown in for good-measure. No matter what musical source he is tapping, Barney Bentall is a charming performer whose catchy lyrics resonate with audiences.

Barney will be introducing his audience on November 16 to music from his latest CD, Flesh & Bone, which is being released on November 13, just 3 days before his Spruce Grove concert.  Recorded at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, Flesh & Bone is a collection of eleven songs produced by Bentall himself. Influenced by an array of genres from folk to roots, blues-­rock to pop, and even a hint of Celtic, the album reflects Canada from coast to coast. Flesh & Bone is haunting yet beautiful with pure, truthful and emotional vocals, lyrics, and melodies that marry well together and are woven with a storytelling quality that transcends generations. Fans will be able to pick up their own copy of Flesh & Bone, hot off the presses, at the Horizon Stage product sales table!  

Tickets to see the legendary Barney Bentall, Up Close & Personal at Horizon Stage on Friday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.

“Legendary Canadian singer songwriter Barney Bentall’s passion and unmatched talent really shine on The Inside Passage… If you're a fan of artists like Bruce Springsteen, Fred Eaglesmith, Bruce Cockburn and Steve Dawson this is a must have in your collection.”

Andre Skinner – IndieCan

Vance Gilbert & Barney Bentall Flyer

Vance Gilbert’s Masterful Guitar Work, Rich Vocals, and Sharp Wit Create an Unforgettable Concert Experience

Talented American Singer/Songwriter returns to Horizon Stage November 9, at 7:30 p.m.

 
Vance Gilbert burst onto Boston’s singer/songwriter scene in the early 90s. Buzz spread quickly through folk clubs about this “ex-multicultural arts teacher who was knocking them dead at open mics”. The Philadelphia-area born and raised performer caught the attention of Shawn Colvin who invited him to be a special guest on her 1992 Fat City tour. Gilbert took audiences across North America by storm. "With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god, it was enough to earn him that rarity: an encore for an opener" wrote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Ten successful albums later, Vance still gets standing ovations wherever he performs. He is looking forward to stopping at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Friday, November 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Whether performing classic, original songs or ageless interpretations of covers, Vance Gilbert’s music is steeped in humanism and bravery, stunning artistry and soul, and contagious, unbridled joy. Called a musical poet, his catchy, pop friendly melodies support keenly crafted, hard-hitting lyrics. His guitar work is supple and his tenor voice is smooth, warm, and gentle. Vance’s subject matter ranges from the wrenching separation suffered by single parents, to the tug of love’s desire, to the bitterness of being non-white in a Eurocentric culture. His albums are all considered essential additions to any American singer-songwriter collection.
Since working with Shawn Colvin, Vance has toured both on his own and with Arlo Guthrie, Anita Baker, and the late George Carlin. He last performed at Horizon Stage in 2004, where he received enthusiastic reviews.  A brilliant musician, Vance is also a personable performer, a gifted storyteller, and a witty comedian who enjoys tossing unexpected elements into his performances. His November 9 concert is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience for all who attend.
Opening for Vance Gilbert will be Edmonton singer-songwriter and step-dancer, Lizzy Hoyt. Lizzy combines energetic and rhythmic fiddling from the Atlantic provinces with country-folk songs from the west. She is a gifted vocalist and musician who has been recognized both nationally and internationally. A 2011 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee for Traditional Singer of the Year, Lizzy was a finalist in both the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the USA Songwriting Competition. A multi-instrumentalist with a pure, clear voice and an aptitude for audience interaction, she is truly one of Canada’s foremost up and coming artists.
Tickets to see Vance Gilbert, with opening act Lizzy Hoyt, Up Close & Personal at Horizon Stage on Friday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.  

“He is that rare performer for whom people lean forward in their seats

as eagerly between songs and they do during them.”

The Boston Globe

Powerful Singer-Songwriter and Storyteller to Grace Horizon Stage

James Keelaghan scheduled to perform in Spruce Grove on Sunday, November 4, at 7:30 p.m.

James Keelaghan is one of our nation’s finest singer-songwriters. For almost a quarter of a century, this poet laureate of the folk and roots music world has gone about his work with passion, curiosity, and intensity. Possessed of an insatiable appetite for finding the next unique story-line, along with a beautiful and expressive tenor voice, James forges his lyrics with brilliant craftsmanship and artistic vision, making him one of the most distinctive and readily-identifiable voices on the Canadian singer-songwriter scene. Now, Edmonton and area music lovers can enjoy the James Keelaghan experience at Horizon Stage on Sunday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m.

 Alberta-born Keelaghan’s masterful storytelling has, over the course of eleven CDs, been the bedrock of his success. It has earned him multiple nominations and awards - including a Juno - and acclaim from Australia to Scandinavia. His musical  journey has attracted fans of literate and layered songwriting to join him on his artistic expeditions, some of which weave their way through marvelously etched historical stories with underlying universal themes, others of which mine the depths of the soul and the emotional trials of human relations.

A disciplined visionary, Keelaghan loves language and history, a subject in which he earned a degree.  He is a skilled thespian, which explains his ability to make an immediate connection with a live audience; and he has an ear for memorable melodies and harmonies that make those melodies glisten. "I’ve always had the urge to write," says the Calgary native who has been calling Winnipeg home for the past few years. "Some things weren’t being said in the way I wanted to say them, some things were not being written about at all. That's why I started to write the historical material. That led me to writing my own personal narratives as well.” His catalogue of timeless originals includes the haunting pieces “Kiri's Piano”, “Cold Missouri Waters” and “Hillcrest Mine”.

Never shying away from collaboration in his live and recorded performances, James has toured or laid tracks with Steven Fearing, Oliver Schroer, Oscar Lopez, David Francey, and Hugh McMillan (Spirit of the West). "If you work with people who are better than you, you become better," he observes. “The sparks of collaboration and the batting of melodies back and forth have produced some wonderful results”. Other artists, including Garnet Rogers, have lovingly covered James’ material and he, on occasion, has interpreted his fellow musicians’ work including a gripping take on the epic “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” on the Gordon Lightfoot tribute disc, Beautiful.

James Keelaghan finds a balance between examining the lighter and heavier sides of life and ties everything together with his powerful vocal delivery and a commanding stage presence. He has performed everywhere from large festivals and concert halls to intimate folk club venues and sometimes invites the audience for a beer after the show. Tickets to see him Up Close & Personal at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors and, $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. To learn more about James Keelaghan visit www.keelaghan.com.

“James Keelaghan is a voice in contemporary Canadian songwriting that has helped us define who we are as a people. He writes with great humanity and honesty, with an eye to the past and a vision of the future. He has chronicled his times with powerful and abiding songs, with heart and eyes wide open.”

David Francey, Juno Award-Winning Musician

 “A brilliant tunesmith who has become one of the most engaging performers of our time. You always know the journey with James is going to be great, you just never know what all the destinations are.”

Terry Wickham, Producer of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival

“Canada’s finest songwriter.”

Dave Marsh, award-winning American music critic and historian