Published Jan. 9 2018
The Haliburton County Folk Society is acknowledging the pivotal role Johnny Burke played in many local musicians’ lives and in the overall local community of music by making this year’s Homemade Stew Concert a tribute to Johnny Burke. Homemade Stew is an annual showcase of local talent and is celebrating its fifth year on Saturday Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion.
This year’s Homemade Stew Concert promises to be a night of touching remembrances of this memorable local musician through music and spoken word. Several of the acts will be honouring Burke by playing songs he wrote or songs that had a special place in his heart.
The lineup of acts for this concert will take the audience on a journey through various musical genres including country alternative rock classical swing and jazz. It is a testament to the talent of the Haliburton Highlands that there has only been one act repeated in the five years the concert has been staged. Other individual musicians who are part of multiple musical acts may have played more than once but not as part of the same group. This year’s full lineup is: Falling from Stilts Dan Riley The Moontones Duo Prosecco Nick Russell and Rob Muir Lunar Bloom Nick and Benton Kate Hall and Andrew von Zuben Jeff Barry Ryan VanLieshout and Mark Christiano.
Christiano’s performance of the song he wrote in Burke’s honour is sure to be one of the highlights of the evening.
VanLieshout had a special connection with Burke who mentored him from a young age in his guitar playing and vocals. Ryan’s musical accomplishments speak well of the value of that mentoring. Two years ago Ryan placed in the top 10 at the CMT Magna Hoedown sharing the stage with Paul Brandt Alan Doyle Beverly Mahood and Leah Daniels. Ryan started his 2017 show season in Nashville and plays all around Ontario.
Duo Prosecco consists of Laurel McCauley and Kim Quigley: two halves that make a harmonic whole. They will be performing a Charlie Pride song one of Burke’s favourites at the suggestion of Teresa Burke.
The evening will be full of other surprises including Albert Saxby’s emergence in the world of alternative rock with his new band Falling From Stilts. The band also includes Brendon Burgess and Richard Joudrey. The band will perform original tunes written by Saxby.
The very talented mostly self-taught guitar player Dan Riley will perform Debussy and Carmichael tunes. He has always been interested in how the guitar can be utilized as a solo instrument without the need for any accompaniment. He has adapted a classical technique to suit the electric guitar following the examples of Ted Greene George Van Eps and Lenny Breau.
Jazz and swing sounds will fill the auditorium when the Moontones take the stage. This spirited and talented swing trio feature a unique blend of instruments and playing styles creating their own flavor on many of the great swing and jazz tunes throughout the decades. The group consists of Bethany Houghton on vocals and cello Ian Pay on stand up base and Kris Kadwell with his unique fingering style on guitar. In addition to being musicians themselves all three performers contribute tireless hours to enhancing the community through music.
That is just a taste of what the total of 11 acts will bring to the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion on Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the concert are available online at www.haliburtonfolk.com Halco Electronics/The Source in Haliburton and The Organic Times in Minden. For more information call 705-754-FOLK or visit www.haliburtonfolk.com. With more than half of the tickets already sold the HCFS anticipates that this show will once again be a sellout. Don’t be disappointed. Get your tickets soon.
Submitted by the Haliburton County Folk Society
