YAY for YES!

I’m pretty sure the holidays just passed a few months ago so I don’t know what the heck is going on that it would be rolling around again so soon. I am a living dichotomy of always being in a rush while wanting it all to slow down. Otherwise known as - I still have SO much to do yet!

The past month has been a wild and wonderful adventure in the benefits of saying “yes”. Not the easy predictable yes, like “would you like some chocolate?”, but the kind that is a mysterious, maybe even risky unknown.

Let’s start at core of it all. The heart and soul of human life - MUSIC! I could go on, but for now, it’s where this story starts. Well, so does my life story, but that’s for another time. A dozen years ago, inspired by the 30 years of producing the Bluebird North / SongBird North songwriters’ series for the Songwriters Association of Canada, where I aimed to build the audience’s trust that they needn’t be familiar with all the artists'/writers to be assured that the evening will be engaging and uniquely remarkable, I started The “Trust Me” Series in my small community. Since we’re surrounded by a moat here, it’s easy for friends on tour to add a Bowen Island show to fill in a mid-week night off after a Vancouver performance, have a sleepover, and play for a grateful island audience that always comes through. The key word there is “friends”, as it was selfishly as much about a chance to visit as it was the concert! I pass all the funds on to them and my reward is witnessing my community fall in love with their music and the artists fall in love with the audience, and then staying up to the wee hours talking about life, music and everything in between.

Very rarely are those artists new to me since I’m not looking to present shows and I have now confessed my true motivation. But a couple of times I was charmed by the music and figured, “how annoying could they be as house guests? I’ll say yes”. About 9 months ago, I was approached by a group of 4 bluegrass/newgrass musicians from Vancouver Island called The Unfaithful Servants. I checked them out…An easy yes. Unexpectedly, before the show they said, “we want to play one of your songs with YOU”. I should note, I never open for these shows, as it is their stage and their night - and frankly I’m not really a believer in that scenario, so this was an unusual request. Hmm, okay, sure! (Another “yes”! ) After the show we stayed up good & late going good & deep (my favourite)! A couple of days later, the band contacted me to say - they were about to release a brand new album “Fallen Angel” and wondered if I’d share the bill with them on some shows. Another unusual request, and another “yes”!

Well, that was several shows ago, with several more to come and what an utterly unexpected great experience it has been! The skill of bluegrass players is already formidable but these guys are off the charts. Quin Etheridge-Pedden on violin; Jesse Cobb on mandolin; Dylan Stone on guitar; and Mark Johnston on bass. To have this out-of-the-blue experience sharing the night and their stage with them, and have them back me up on a bunch of tunes - an unprecedented outcome to a “Yes”! It would be misleading to imply that I could even begin to keep up with them. But man, what a blast to be accompanied by them! The other factor that is unexpectedly cool, (though clearly they had a plan and it’s working like a hot damn!) my audience is not just showing up, but leaving as righteously HUGE fans of the Unfaithful Servants! Damn, that feels good. (Maternal pride?) Three generations of musicians doing what we love so much. So here’s your upcoming chances to have the SU*US experience!