First Rate People loves to experiment as songwriters and musicians who believe in the art of collaborating. They are a band that knows no boundaries. The online momentum and buzz about FRP is spreading rapidly. This is a group that is adapting to new mediums to promote itself but has its' roots firmly planted in the Summerfolk tree.
Samantha Martin and the Haggard is a Toronto-based roots/rock foursome who add blues and country sounds into their musical mix.
Samantha Martin began her musical career in Lion's Head on the Bruce Peninsula. In her teens she sang country, blues, bluegrass and 60's folk/rock songs, quickly becoming a crowd favourite with her exceptional voice. Now in her 20's, she manages The Dakota Tavern in Toronto and pursues her musical career with The Haggard.
Those lucky enough to hear Martin sing are left wondering how all that soulful power comes out of a
five-foot frame. She recorded her debut album Back Home in 2008 with a group of session musicians. Material from that album remains a staple of her live show with The Haggard, but they really shine on material they have since worked up together.
All three members of The Haggard bring with them a wealth of musical knowledge and also perform with the country group, The Kensington Hillbillies. Samantha says of drummer Pete Lambert, guitarist Mikey McCallum and bass player Greg Sweetland, "We draw out the best parts of each other, we bring out the best in each other musically. We`re friends and becoming a really tight unit."
Randy Morrison & the Flatt River Band is a newly formed group but they are not newcomers to bluegrass music in Ontario. The band is made up of experienced players centered around Randy Morrison, an award-winning fiddle/mandolin player who first came on the scene with the band Bruce County Grass in the 1980s.
Randy is from Teeswater and traces his fiddle roots to his father Lincoln Morrison who was a well-known fiddler in Huron County. Around the time the Bruce County Grass group broke up, Randy was in many ways, mentored by Graham Townsend. Graham was without question, one of Canada's most versatile and smoothest fiddlers. In subsequent years, Randy has played with many groups including a stint with Charlie Pride.
Lead singing for The Flatt River Band is handled by guitarist Richard Dugal, formerly of the fine band Clean Sweep. Banjo player Larry Millar rounds out the band along with Martin Chapman on standup bass.
Oddville Stage Company is an umbrella for many exciting projects, including the Oddville Music Show, developed by Steven Morel and Jenny Parsons, award-winning Second City alumni.
Jenny and Steve recently moved to West Grey, in the vicinity of Allan Park between Hanover and Durham.
Jenny co-wrote and performed in six original revues for Second City, two of which received Toronto's theatre award, The Dora, for best new musical review. She performed in Martin Short's live show which toured North America and her film credits include appearances in Hairspray, Cheaper by the Dozen Two and Pushing Tin. Steve performed, produced and directed with Second City for almost 20 years and has worked with the likes of Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Colin Mochrie and Ron James.
They have created a neo-vaudevillian road-show called A Swell Chaos which toured Northern England earlier this year and a 'silent' musical feature film The Oddville Picture Show, for which they sang and played all of the instruments as accompaniment. They can also be seen on TV co-starring in the Family Channel’s new show Wingin’ It.
Together they perform original and old-timey sing-a-longs on banjo ukulele and washboard as the musical comedy duo - The Oddville Music Show. With appearances throughout the Festival weekend, they will be featured in Sunday night's The Last Laugh at Summerfolk.
Along with PEI's Chuck and Albert, Rob McLean and Terry V. Hart make up the comedic third act for The Last Laugh. Rob works regularly with Larry Jensen but he is also part of the Canadian comedy scene as musical director for the Canadian Comedy Awards and a recipient of several awards himself. His pal Terry V. Hart is a master of improvisation and alumni of the famed Second City, having spent over twenty years delighting audiences across Canada and the U.S.
The Jocelyn Pettit Band performs a high-energy fusion of original, old and new music led by fiddler Jocelyn Pettit and her youthful enthusiasm. She is just 15 years of age. With outstanding talent, unwavering determination and an excitement to explore new ideas, Jocelyn has quickly developed impressive musicianship well beyond her years.
Jocelyn resides in Squamish, British Columbia with her parents Siew Wan Khoo and Joel Pettit who also play in the band. She has attended Summerfolk on many occasions as the family makes yearly trips to visit relatives in Owen Sound during August. At last year's Festival, her fine performance on Summerfolk's Open Stage earned her a spot in our 35th anniversary lineup.
First inspired by the fiddle music of Cape Breton, Jocelyn enjoys creating her own compositions and crafting arrangements of Canadian, Scottish and Irish tunes, both traditional and
contemporary.
Two fine folks who help to make Summerfolk a special place are John
Somosi and Kathryn Edgecombe. They reside in Bentinck Township just outside of Hanover. I 'inherited' John and Kathryn from previous artistic director Liz Harvey Foulds who brought them to Summerfolk to create the First Nations Village; and what a fine addition they've been. They set up the centerpiece teepee and present cultural workshops based on Aboriginal traditions.
So that's a look at the Summerfolk performers with connections to the area. Celebrating the culture and talent of the region gives each of us a sense of place. They speak to us directly, and in many ways, they speak for us. Summerfolk has long been a showcase for the world-class talent that lives right next door.
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