At the Harrison Festival, we are still running! Along with the distanced live events we are producing throughout the summer, we have asked 9 different solo artists and groups to perform a few songs for us for these special videos. Some of these are artists who have graced our stage before, while others have yet to perform here. We’ve put together a varied program of great music to help get you through the Covid times! Here is to the summer, to our community near and far, and to the performing arts!
Stayed tuned for a series of three videos. Each video will feature three artists performing 2 songs dedicated exclusively to the Harrison Festival and the people of Harrison Hot Springs.
One thing that unfortunately has been lost since this pandemic began has been the opportunity to verbally acknowledge the land on which the Festival gathers and is based out of. Even though the video contains performances from across Canada, we would still like to acknowledge the land on which it has been compiled and produced.
“We would like to acknowledge the sacred land on which we gather, as the unceded territory of the Sts’ailes Peoples.“
“Off and Running!”
We’re just doing some finishing touches on the video. But it will be ready soon! We promise!
Doug Cox
Doug Cox is a longtime friend of the Harrison Festival, having performed here numerous times in various formats. His musical path was fomented in the blues, in which he honed his skills as a young bottleneck slide guitar player. For the past three decades, he has been a dobro specialist and producer. His list of collaborations and sideman positions is too extensive for this short bio, but the diversity of his partnerships are evident in such names as Long John Baldry, Indian slide guitarists Vishwa Mohan and Salil Bhatt, guitar slinger Amos Garrett, and Rwandan musician Mighty Popo. In 2017, Doug was inducted into the BC Music Hall of Fame. Since then, Doug has shared a Grammy Nomination for his work on San Antonio band Los Texmaniacs recent CD, and has produced a CD in Nashville for his friend and collaborator April Verch, which brought together the who’s who of the ‘real’ country music scene.
Boyd Benjamin & Kevin Barr
Known as the “Flying Gwitch’in Fiddler”, traditional fiddler and commercial pilot Boyd Benjamin comes from a long line of fine Gwitch’in musicians. As Boyd says, “my grandfather Peter Benjamin was a fiddler. Fiddling is in my blood already, I see myself continuing to pass it on”. Boyd’s family immersion in the fiddle music of the north combined with formal training in school, eventually leading him to develop an extensive repertoire that features a staggering gamut of songs, styles, and techniques. His performing highlights include performing with musicians Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ashley MacIsaac, Fred Penner and Tom Jackson, as well as performing at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Boyd’s captivating and energetic stage presence is infused with charm and grace that forges instant fondness. His lively tunes lift spirits.
Kevin Barr is called the troubadour of the Yukon, singing his folk, bluegrass, and country style of music, along with stories of love and life. As a writer, he and his band “The Undertakin’ Daddies” found their way to the Junos and toured much of Europe. He has shared the stage with Valdy, KD Lang, Fred Eaglesmith, Kim Beggs, Fred Penner, and the great Penny Lang, who has said that Kevin “sings like an angel”. His solo album “Lost and Found” features great tunes of days gone by. In his spare time, he enjoys life in a sailboat off Vancouver Island. Come harken to Kevin Barr—you won’t be disappointed.
Maria Dunn
A true preserver of the spirit of folk music, twice Juno-nominated Maria Dunn is often compared to Woody Guthrie for her keen social awareness and her melodic, unvarnished songs about the lives of working men and women. In keeping with Pete Seeger’s words (1994), “The key to the future of the world is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known”, her latest recording Gathering (Nominee – 2017 Juno Award; Winner – 2016 Edmonton Music Prize) highlights stories of love—the love of family, community and humanity that fires our actions to make the world a better place. The songs range from historical and narrative to personal and immediate, inspired by social justice stories both global and local. Maria’s earlier albums anchor her lyrics in music that melds North American roots with her Scottish-Irish heritage.
Enjoy this free video and please consider making a donation to the Festival Society.
The Festival Society is providing these videos free of charge for the public, but we still pay the artists for their performances. Needless to say, any donations that you, your family or business might be willing to make would be greatly appreciated. Like the buttons we sell on the beach, this helps us keep quality arts and culture accessible to everyone! Thank you in advance. Donations over 25 dollars are tax-deductible as well!
A big shout-out to our funders!
