Loose Blues News – March 2019
8th Annual Aurora Blues: Back in 1795, legendary Yonge St was extended up to Aurora, so it’s an easy drive for city dwellers wishing to catch the Aurora Winter Blues Festival held in March. Now a month-long event with both pop-up venues around town as well as seated concerts, the highlights include the following ticketed performances held in Theatre Aurora: JW-Jones & Jerome Godboo Band on March 15, Soulstack & Johnny Max Band on March 16. The Festival Kickoff with Bywater Blues March 2nd at a “secret location.” Watch for social media posts for pop-up announcements as well as a Youth Showcase. Though the festival enthusiastically branches out with new ideas every year, it stays true to its multi-faceted community initiatives, including fundraising that helps the disadvantaged right in their own backyard. Ticketed concerts historically sell out, so advanced purchase is recommended so you won’t be disappointed. www.musicaurora.ca
My Life In The Jeff Healey Band: Guitar hero Jeff Healey passed away over a decade ago in March of 2008, and few knew him better than his drummer Tom Stephen, who was both bandmate and manager in the 15 years spent with the iconic musician. The band’s history is documented in his book Best Seat In The House: My Life In The Jeff Healey Band, which was released in December. The drummer-turned-author aims to reveal with honesty, clarity, and humor what life was really like for the band: from Jeff challenging ZZ Top to a bowling competition, to getting an audience with Queen Elizabeth II. Healey once made a prickly suggestion about teaching Keith Richards how to play guitar. Healey won posthumous Maple Blues Awards for Entertainer of the Year, Electric Artist of the Year and Guitarist of the Year in 2009. The book is now available on Amazon.
Ghost Town Blues Band in Toronto: With only one Ontario gig on their North American tour, the Maple Blues Nominees for the B.B. King International Artist Of The Year, Ghost Town Blues Band, will be playing the intimate stage at the Cadillac Lounge this month. Though the band is known to energize large festival audiences across the US, the Toronto venue will be holding their signature cigar box guitars and horns, including a hip-hop trombone player. Living Blues Magazine called this mash-up a “STAX-busting explosion of modern blues vision”. The Cadillac Lounge, March 17, 9pm
Help Needed: Chris McKhool from Sultans of String has created a gofundme campaign for his longtime publicist Lisa Weitz to help her with some major medical challenges. Many will remember Lisa from her tenure as Hugh’s Room publicist but she’s helped raise the profile of many Canadian musicians, blues and otherwise over the years. Visit www.gofundme.com/Help-Lisa-Weitz-fight-cancer to help out if you can.
Lenny Stoute is another media personality who has helped many artists, publicists, bands and just plain friends over the years. Lenny
has been entertainment columnist for The Toronto Star, editor of Music Express as well as stints at The Globe and Mail, Eye, Metro, US industry mag Pollstar, and recently Editor for the American Record World Magazine and Editor of Cashbox Canada. A fundraising concert is being planned for Thursday, March 28 (Doors 7:30pm/Music 8pm). It will be hosted by Jaymz Bee with musical guests including Fergus Hambleton, Joanne Powell, Big Rude Jake, Kim Doolittle, Danny Marks, a reunion of the Look People and much more. Funds are needed for Lenny to relocate, buy medication, transportation and rehab. Lenny writes, “Some, understandably, may think it’s due simply to the aging process and the natural order of things but in fact I have been slowed down in my proverbial tracks, with a medical anomaly centering on the spine, which leaves me in chronic pain 24/7 & with severely restricted mobility on the left side of my body.” www.gofundme.com/lenny-stoute-medical-fund.
Remembering “Blues Mama” Linda Nagy: On January 30, 2019 we lost Linda Nagy one of our sweet Blues Mamas. Linda was a good friend to many of us in the Blues Family and she will be greatly missed. Linda was a very loving, kind & gentle soul and was one of the most generous persons you could ever meet. Linda always made sure people around her were happy, extending her love, warmth and helping hand to anyone in need. Linda was proud & loving mother of Michael & James. Linda lived a full & rich life and had an infectious smile that just made you want to smile with her. She loved and found comfort in music and was a great supporter of live music. She was unstoppable; going to as many shows & festivals as possible. For more than a decade she rarely missed a Sunday afternoon at the Blue Goose. Linda is no longer dancing with us on this plane but we will always have her in our hearts. As her nephew said at her memorial. “Although her song has ended her melody will always be with us.”
The Toronto Blues Society would like to extend sincere condolences to Michael & James and all of Linda’s family.
– Janet Alilovic, Lucie Dufault, Brian Blain