WILLIE P BENNETT - Sun Feb 20 - Casbah (Hamilton)

[whiteymuseum]

When: Sunday February 20, 7:30PM-10:30PM

Where: Casbah, 306 King St W @ Queen St, downtown Hamilton

Who: WILLIE P BENNETT

Guests: LINDA DUEMO

Cost: $16.00

A singer songwriter for more than 30 years, Willie has a stash of

terrific songs and a devoted fan base. Willie is presently touring

north America as Fred Eaglesmith's Mandolin/Harmonica player; writing

and recording a new album and playing mandolin and harmonica on

various other recording projects

In 1999, Willie received a well-deserved JUNO award for Best Roots &

Traditional Album - Solo for the album Heartstrings, produced by Tony

Quarrington.

Since 1979 Willie has performed in every major folk festival in

Canada and has shared concert billings with such luminary artists as

JJ Cale , Jesse Winchester, Guy Clark, Garnet Rogers , and Eric

Anderson, to name a few. Willie's songs have been recorded by Prairie

Oyster, Colleen Peterson, Stan Rogers, Jonathan Edwards, The Seldom

Scene, Garnet Rogers, and in 1996 a tribute album of his songs

titled "High or Hurtin" was released by Blackie and The Rodeo Kings.

In 2000, a second Blackie album was released.

Born William Patrick Bennett in Toronto on October 26, 1951, Willie

found a fascination for singing very early in life. As a choir boy in

Westwood Junior High and then as songwriter/performer in the late

1960's at Rochdale College, Willie's work was considered magic. In

1969 he wrote his first hit single "WHITE LINE". By 1973 a "newgrass"

folk band called the BONE CHINA BAND was performing in coffeehouses,

small bars and universities around the province.

He started song writing in 1966, formed his first band in1973, and

went solo in 1975. Willie played harmonica in the Canadian bluegrass

band Dixie Flyers till 1979, then released The Lucky Ones (cassette)

in 1985. That album was picked up by Duke St. records in 1989. Willie

co-wrote the song Good-bye, So Long, Hello with Russell deCarle of

Prairie Oyster which became the 1990 Canadian Country Music

Association's (CCMA ) song of the year. Always seeking new sonic

thrills, Willie started playing mandolin in 1990, and has been a full

time side man with Fred Eaglesmith since 1995.

August 2000 Update

Willie is most often seen these days as the stunning mandolin and

harmonica sideman with non-stop energy in Fred Eaglesmith's band The

Flying Squirrels. They have in fact toured North America extensively.

Fortunately, in between tours Willie found time to record his latest

solo project, Heartstrings ( 1998 ) which garnered him a Roots and

Traditional Solo : JUNO award. This collection of all new, all

original tunes is a must for any folk's CD rack. A bunch of Willie's

pals "helped out" on the recording ... pals like Bruce Cockburn,

Prairie Oyster, Stephen Fearing, Tony Trishka, Amos Garrett, Daisy

Debolt, Melanie Doane, the late Graham Townsend, and many more.

A testament to Willie's incredible songwriting was the 1996 formation

of BLACKIE AND THE

RODEO KINGS and the making of the album High or Hurtin' by three

singer songwriters from the diverse musical worlds of folk, blues and

rock and roll; Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden, and Tom Wilson released

a tribute album of their songwriting hero, Willie. A second Blackie

album was released in 2000, featuring more covers of Willie's songs.

Willie lives and writes in the city of Peterborough Ontario Canada,

situated in the picturesque Kawartha hinterlands.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

Rodney Gilchrist, Waterloo: "a performer who has so much natural

magic ..."

Paul Hepher, Calgary: "he gave a gutsy performance... no doubt that

Willie is one of

Canada's most original and rewarding songwriters..."

Helen Metella, Edmonton: "perfect little gems of melody... he's in

communion with beautiful tunes..."

Greg Quill, Toronto: "Willie's magic works. It draws you in... the

stuff of his own life and not just facile romance."

Craig MacInnis, Toronto: "the most naturally talented songwriter

still working... might seem unsavory to the middle class..."