Event Lineup
Main Stage Schedule
Showtimes are approximate
Legion Stage Schedule
Showtimes are approximate
Hosted by Michael Williams
A dynamic, talented producer and host of Talk Radio and music related radio and television programs for AM640, CFRB 1010, CTV News, CP24, CHCH and Rogers. With an extensive knowledge of the music industry, on air and behind the scenes, Michael is an instructor at the Trebas Institute of Music and guest lecturer at York University and Centennial College. Former host, and creator, of the popular Soul in the City series for Much Music – syndicated in 19 European countries and Japan. Michael has conducted numerous live interviews with world renowned music and film artists, politicians and news makers of the day.
Photo credits: Bill King April 15th 2023
JC Smith Band
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, J.C. Smith has toured throughout the United States, Russia, Eastern Europe, South America, Canada, and beyond to sellout crowds. Whether wowing audiences across the world or in his own backyard, Smith is a consummate performer who engages and entertains as only the very best in his profession can. Smith has had the privilege to share the stage with notable artists such as Hubert Sumlin, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Buddy Miles, Son Seals, Willie Bigeyes Smith, Pinetop Perkins, Eddie Shaw and many more. He is also known as radio personality Johnnie Cozmik on KKUP F.M.
Smith has received numerous awards, including Winner Metro Newspapers Best of Silicon Valley “Best Original/Local Band” Award, 2012; Winner Bay Area Blues Award Best Dressed Artist Award, 2006; Winner South Bay Blues Drummer of the Year Award, 1997; California State Assembly Honoree for Keeping the Blues Alive; City of San Jose Mayor’s Office Commendation for continued service.
Henri Brown
Henri Brown, a Musician, Songwriter, Actor, and Music & Film Producer. He’s got fire, passion and always a smile as he embraces this life journey. Absolute dedication, devotion and determination. Coming from a family of entertainers. The son of Black Cultured Pearl, nephew of Canada’s First Lady of Jazz, Eleanor Collins and the cousin of Jimi Hendrix ensures he sees each and every project to completion.
His undeniable passion for music from a very early age, forged his way to travelling the world performing with his then band, “HB Concept”, and now “HB Wild”. He was embraced by South East Asia and performed the majority of his tours in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, KL, Macau, Taiwan, Beijing and Vietnam.
Since 2011, Henri has been performing with “The Experience Hendrix Tour”. This hugely successful tour includes some of America’s finest Blues and Rock musicians. They come together once or twice a year and in 2019 alone they covered 48 US cities.
In March 2020 Henri Brown HB Wild released a single & video “Make Time 4 Love”. It feat. Marlon McClain on Guitar and Joe Satriani on the solo. Following that, in November 2020 he released another single and video, “The Ride Is Real” feat. Corey Phillips on guitar. This man doesn’t stop…
In May 2021 HB Wild released a new Album on all platforms. “Best Friend”
Amidst 4 decades surrounded by music, Henri also fashioned an amazing career in acting, film and tv. The entertainment world has been extremely good to him.
Unbelievable but, Henri has even penned an innovative and unique film story called “Just A Gig”. The script itself attracted well known screen play writer and Director, Marc Fusco. Be on the lookout, the project is underway and will be fully released in the very near future.
BMW
Belzner, McClean, Williams – A trio of veteran roots and blues musicians.
Kevin Belzner is an inventive percussionist, who, on the cocktail drum kit, is one of Calgary’s most in demand drummers, and winner of the Calgary Blues Music Association’s Drummer of the Year award.
Tim Williams began his career in the coffee houses of Southern California as a teenager, coming to the notice of Epic Records for whom he recorded his first LP in 1968 before moving north to Canada, where he opened shows for the likes of Taj Mahal, Mose Allison and Lightning Hopkins in the 1970s. After spending some time away from the scene he returned to full time performing and producing in 1988 and since then has been producer/performer on four JUNO nominated projects.
Big Dave McLean is a veteran Canadian performer, blues guitarist, harmonicist, singer and songwriter who has influenced many western Canadian blues musicians, including Colin James and Wide Mouth Mason. Notable McLean songs include “She’s Got the Stuff”, “Kanadiana”, “Up On Waverly”, and “St. Mary At Main”. Billboard magazine noted that “He’s done more to shape the Western Canadian blues scene than perhaps any other artist”. In 2019, Big Dave McLean was awarded the Order of Canada for his musical influence and mentoring of musicians.
https://bmw-belznermcleanwilliams.com/
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Over the years he has performed with and shared the stage with a great many of the world’s most influential blues and rock pioneers, including Jimmy Reed, Pinetop Perkins, Johnnie Johnson, Big Joe Duskin, Joe Louis Walker and Floyd Dixon, and as a guest performer with well-known rock and soul artists that have included Ike Turner, Sly and the Family Stone, Delaney and Bonnie and members of Santana and the Doobie Brothers. As a touring performer, he has played to knowledgeable and appreciative blues audiences on four continents and has been profiled by music journalists in Europe and North America.
His many awards include seven Maple Blues Awards (Toronto Blues Society) for ‘piano player of the year’ and three keyboard awards from Living Blues magazine, in which he was hailed as “an artist bringing the piano back to the front ranks of contemporary Blues.” In 2006 he won a Juno Award for Best Blues Album and was nominated three times afterwards. In 2017 he was inducted into the Boogie-Woogie Piano Hall of Fame while performing at the Cincy Blues Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio. 2021 Blues Artist of the year from Western Canadian Music Award and Washington State Virtual Showdown in 2021. 2023 nominated for Pinetop Perkins ‘Piano Player of the Year’ with Blues Music Award. The Blues Boss has been on many covers of blues magazines worldwide including the most recently the Living Blues Magazine 2022 June/July issue. Kenny now resides in beautiful Burlington, ON.
Russell Jackson
He has toured with B. B. King for 7 years as well as many other legends.
Currently, in addition to touring with his own band his other major projects include recording and touring with “Silent Partners” and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne and others.
Brother Ray Lemelin
An Alberta Musician Born and Raised in the Eastern townships of Quebec, where the population is almost divided equally between French and English made moving West easy for Ray.
Raised in a family where musicians were common on both sides of the family was a natural move for Ray as he himself affirmed as a child (Jigging for change at gatherings) and in blues Rock local bands at house parties or wherever else he was allowed to perform as a teenager and young adult.
In Calgary, after attending a Willie Dixon concert, he proceeded to get a hair cut, buy a suit, a Stratocaster and tube amp. Everything changed and he started searching and listening to anything Blues in all styles but always digging the Roots. Once the King Eddy opened, he spent every
opportunity there to listen and learn at the feet of masters.
Being at the king Eddy all the time led to an opportunity as one week a friend had a P.A. at the club but could not do the sound gig for the artist, Clarence Gatemouth Brown. Ray jumped at the opportunity and in turn was asked to do the two-week gig along with the rest of the Western Canadian gigs. That started a friendship with Gate and a few other gigs as Ray took care of the stage and sound along with being Gate’s valet. During this time Ray led or was part of the blood of the Alberta blues scene, playing with Jimmy Payne, Tim Williams, Ron Casat, Amos Garrett, Rusty Reed, Back-alley John, Johnny V, harp Dog Brown, all the while leading his own groups in between jobs backing other on the Blues scene.
As time went on Ray would keep getting calls to put together a tight band to back up touring blues artists in his part of the world. Subsequently he has had the opportunity to back up or work with and share the stage with many artists such as: Wes Mackay, Lowell Fulson, Fenton Robinson, Jimmy Payne, Pinetop Perkins, Billy Branch, sugar Blue, Sherman Robertson, Johnny Copeland, Sonny Rhodes, mark Hummel, Johnny Nitro, Carl Weathersby, Michael Coleman, James Coffon, Lurrie Bell,
Country Pete, Alabama Mike Big Dave Mclean, and Brent Parkin.
Ray has played Festivals Throughout the Country, North West Territories, Funk Fest, Raven Maddase, snow King Fest. In Alberta he has played at the Calgary Blues Fest, Edmonton Jazz Fest, Edmonton Folk Fest, North Country Fair, South Centre Fair, Central Alberta Music Fest and Stampede Stomp.
In Saskatchewan he played at the Saskatoon Jazz Fest, Rimouski Jazz. Halifax Blues Fest, Frederickton Harvest Jazz and Blues Fest, Whatshan Family Fest, Cherryville Art Fest, Ray has written for other Artists and shows such as Cristal Plamondon, Video Stew (CFRN) Project Discovery (Shaw).
He has played in recordings for Johnny V’s “Rooster & Hens” and written and recorded his own work such as “Thangs”, “Here to Stay”, “Killer Floor Sampler” (2 songs) and co-produced with Tim Williams. Hills and Lemelin “Neither Here Nor There”, which was named album of the year from the Acoustic Underground Blues Network.
Ray is now getting ready to release his next album, Dark/Out of Phase. This album is all acoustic and features Tim Williams throughout the Album. He is also busy leading a full time band the
“Matinee Kings”, along with teaching and mentoring which is very important as this is how the craft is
learned and passing it on is an easy thing to do as all his idols and mentors were very generous.
https://brotherraylemelin.com/
Stormriders
Originally from Tobacco Road, now based right here in Slocan, Johnny Tornado has been playing the blues for a long time. Since getting his start as a young player on the streets of New Orleans The legend of the “Tornado” has grown all across the South and throughout North America. He has learned from and rubbed shoulders with some of the greats including Freddie King and Lenny Breau among others. He is widely known for his prowess on the guitar and his ability to fire up a crowd. He has recorded 5 of his own albums and played on many others. in addition to playing the guitar, John writes wonderful heartfelt , soulful songs , that pique the imagination , and fire up the crowd with their intensity. Tornado’s band, The Stormriders, include Kenny Giles (Harmonica), Darrell Coombs, and drummers Bill Wilson and Adam Drake. For this performance the Stormriders are also featuring Lindsay Mitchell, guitarist and founder member of Canadian rock band Prism.
Lindsay Mitchell
English-born Canadian guitarist Lindsay Mitchell has a career stretching back to the late sixties when he joined psychedelic era band The Seeds of Time, with whom he toured and played with venerated bluesmen Willie Dixon, Albert Collins, and T-Bone Walker. He went on to be a founder member of Canadian rock band Prism, with whom he played until 2005. Prism’s first album achieved platinum status in Canada in 1977, and Mitchell received a SOCAN song of the year award for one of his tracks from their third album, Armageddon. He has also played as part of the celebrated rockabilly vocal and instrumental group Billy Mitchell’s Trainwreck, with the late Bill Cowsill and upright bassist Elmar Spanier.
Brothers Black
The Brothers Black come roaring back with rock ’n roll fuelled by funk, punk and soul. Twin brothers Fraser and Alan Black ignite the dance floor, carrying forward their traditional brand of original West Coast party music. The infamous scions of BC’s independent underground lead a motley band of dangerous, talented cultivators of Kootenay musical vibes featuring Jay Buttle on bass, and Dave Ronald on guitar.
Claude Godin
A dynamic and versatile saxophonist, Claude Godin creates mood and memories with music. His love for what he calls ‘rootsy’ styles of music such as Jazz, Latin, Blues and Funk, and versatility with a number of instruments have given him the opportunity to perform with many bands across the country. Currently, he is excited to be forming a groove and funk band under his own name ‘Claude Godin Groove Ensemble’ and is performing with Edmonton Blues/Funk band -‘The Whisper Kings’. In 2011 & 2015, Claude won the prestigious ‘Saxophone Player of the Year’ from the Calgary International Blues Music Association in 2015. He has been featured in print and radio across the country and television on CBC.
Holly Hyatt
Holly Hyatt is an award winning singer, bassist and songwriter living in the Slocan valley who has performed at festivals and clubs, appeared on a nationally televised concert and performed with a big band on the steps of the Parliament building in Victoria, BC. She has opened shows for Leon Russell, Sue Foley, The Golden State Lonestar Revue, JW Jones and appeared on shows with Canadian artists such as Colin James, Jeff Healey and international legends like Los Lobos and David “Fathead” Newman. Holly worked on the promotion team for Merle Haggard’s 2004 Canadian tour and is a current board member of the Kootenay Blues Society. The Blues Compadres are: Jon Burden – Guitar, Vocal; Jack Tafaro – Keys, Steve Wilson – Drums with special guest Vocalists: Judy Brown and Aryn Sherrif.
The Great Full Life
The Great Full Life is a celebration of the abundance of this, occasionally overwhelming, life. Guided by the muses of American music, The Great Full Life, at times bluesy, at times soulful, and at times psychedelic, blends the flavours of The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan, and Motown to bring you a spicy chili that will bring you to your feet to dance in the sweetness.
The Great Full Life is pleased to bring you original music sprinkled with covers of the ones we love.
Music is the Food of Love
Greg Walter
Originally from New York State, J Greg Walter has been playing in and around the Kootenays for many years and become a mainstay of the Nelson blues scene. In his long career on keyboards he has played with many of the greats across North America.
Two for Tripping
A West Kootenay band who shares their acoustic interpretations of meaningful and popular music. Their strong vocal harmonies and down-to-earth presentation make Two For Tripping a memorable experience at any event.
Two talented vocalists accompanying themselves with guitar, bass and mandolin; their influences ranging from celtic to country to fold and rock & roll.
With their simple philosophy that there are no genres, only songs and ways to intepret them, they seek songs that speak to them on a personal level, both lyrically and musically, and adapt them to their own unique style; a style that leans on their skills with harmony and subtle instrumentation.
Violet Wolf
Violet Wolf is a wild emotive natural vocalist.
“How could that voice come from such a tiny woman?” Vancouver Sun
At 15 Kootenay-born Violet was musically adopted by road warriors of the blues Bobby and Don Stewart and J. Greg Walter. They heard her singing in her older brother’s band. She went on to tour Canada and parts of the
U.S. with cover bands playing at clubs, dive bars, taverns, biker fests and tree planter parties in the woods. She much preferred this to competing in adjudicated music festivals as a child, winning 1st or 2nd place in classical
voice.
Violet has opened for Taj Mahal, Buffy Saint Marie, Colin James, Del Rey and Wyrd Sisters. She’s sung and/or recorded with Jeff Healey, Steven Drake, Frazey Ford, The String Cheese Incident, Kevin Kane, Adam Shaikh and her Kootenay local much-loved family, including Bo Conlan, Marv Walker, Bill Wilson, Clint Swanson, Carol Street, Pat Braden and Glen Martin. She fronted the seventies show band Shag, who played to sold-out shows always. Shag opened for Blue Rodeo and the Northern Pikes.She’s played festivals such as Starbelly Jam, Tiny
Lights, Shambhala, Kaslo Jazz Fest, Folk on The Rocks, Unity and Sun Fest. Violet also teaches voice and led a soul gospel choir in Nelson for three years.
In her 20s she became a widow with a baby girl. Violet loved being a mama and being at home where she dove
into writing songs on guitar and piano. Her songs are folk, roots and blues with a dark edge.This winter she has been getting up to stoke the woodstove at 3 a.m. and writing and recording her 5th album Feral on her
homegrown label Burnt Cookies Records.
Gary Edward Allen
Gary Edward Allen is an indie artist currently living in Toronto. Born and raised in Ottawa , Allen moved to Vancouver in 1996 . A fixture on the local Vancouver scene, his recording career began in 2012 , playing bass for Robb Hill, and then continuing as a solo artist . With AJ Ottaway and Jake Broder , Allen formed OBA in 2013 , releasing 2 albums before moving to Toronto in 2015.
Allen continues to record an interesting blend of freak folk and eclectic singer songwriter music. “I find it hard to describe what I’m doing. I’m trying to blend different styles of music, from classical to psychedelic, art type stuff…. I’m not sure if that makes me clever or confused but it’s what I love to do.”. Recent recordings have a chill Tom Petty vibe that belies a tense undertone; a song about loss , desperation and ultimately hope.
Gary is performing solo acoustic at Slocan Live.
Follow the links here to preview some of Gary’s music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zFni_t2qHM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoDrXGkI504