June 7th, 2009 Festival

Sue Foley:

For the past 20 years Sue Foley has made her mark as a notable Canadian singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and prolific recording artist. She has recorded with, shared the stage with, and opened up for B.B. King, Buddy Guy, George Thorogood, Tom Petty, Joe Cocker, Rufus Thomas, Bill Doggett, Pinetop Perkins, Joe Ely, Chuck Rainey and Lucinda Williams – to name a few.

In 2000, she was honored with her first Juno Award for Best Blues Album, for her CD "Love Comin’ Down." Since 1999 she has received a record-setting 18 Maple Blues Awards, and three Trophée de blues in France . Sue also received a nomination for the prestigious W.C. Handy Award for best contemporary female artist in 2002.

There are 11 CD’s in the Sue Foley catalogue: five from legendary Austin-based blues label Antone’s, three on New York independent Shanachie, and three on Ruf Records, from Germany, and Justin Time Records, in Canada . In the spring of 2006, Ruf Records released the live DVD " Sue Foley , Live in Europe ."

http://www.suefoley.com/

Brent Parkin Sextet:

Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter Brent Parkin has been a mainstay of Winnipeg's Blues scene for over 35 years. He has performed extensively across western Canada, transfixing his audiences with a unique blend of technical virtuosity and "down home" feel that leave no doubt of his status as one of Canada's premier Blues men.

Along the way Brent has been part of the backup band for such legends as Gate Mouth Brown, Bo Diddley, Otis Rush, Billy Boy Arnold and many more, as well as opening for greats like James Cotton, Johnny Winter, and John Prine. A career highlight was sharing the tour bus and stage with B.B.King and his band as his opening act on a western Canada tour. Brent Parkin's music is a mix of Chicago Blues, Jazz, Swing, and Roots Rock and Roll.

Honours include: Juno Award 1993 , Maple Blues Award Nominations 1996 - 1999 M.B.S. Lifetime Member 1997

http://www.mbblues.mb.ca/parkbio.html

Honkytonk Doughboys:

The Honkytonk Doughboys aim to resurrect an era that has been largely over-looked in today's country music, and they are having a grand old time doing it. The group came together in 2008 when guitarist/vocalist Dwayne Dueck was encouraged to put together the kind of country band he had long dreamed of for the Back Forty stage. He recruited some serious talent in Joel Titchkosky on pedal steel and Jeremy Hamm on fiddle, two instruments that give the band their authentic sound. Adding Gil Dudgeon on drums, and JP Lepage on bass, the Honkytonk Doughboys were complete. They all share a love for vintage music and perform classic honkytonk and western swing material from the 30s to the 60s by artists like Hank Williams, Faron Young, Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills, George Jones and more.

Borderline Drive:

Whether it's a slow-moving ballad or a hard-driving instrumental, this Manitoba bluegrass band delivers!
The four-member band hailing from the Winkler, MB area consists of Alvin Elias, banjo and vocals, Mark Fehr, guitar and vocals, John Krahn, mandolin and vocals, and Kayla Elias, bass guitar. With the exception of Kayla, each member brings with them previous band experience. Their shared appreciation of the music is where this band found its roots.

Since their inception in 2006, Borderline Drive has played many local fairs and festivals, and has traveled out of province as well. In the fall of 2006, they opened for Tom Jackson when his Singing For Supper Tour made a stop in Manitoba. This past summer they played the 21st annual Chilliwack Bluegrass Festival.

Their repertoire includes a mix of gospel and secular, with gospel being close to their hearts. Their trademark tight harmony vocals, special attention to instrumentation, and straight ahead, hard-driving traditional bluegrass style is pleasing audiences everywhere they go.

http://www.borderlinedrive.com/

Darcia Senft:

Possessed of a stunning voice and an engaging, endearing stage presence, Darcia is a compelling performer among prairie singers and songwriters. Each polished word, each arched phrase, is a captivating message from one heart straight to another as she reaches out and holds an audience in an intimate musical conversation.

Darcia's songs are drawn from the stories between the seasons, as lives flow from planting through harvest then onward again. The images and characters that inhabit her songs spring from the same soil as the wheat fields and wild flowers, are fed by the same sun and rain, and move to the same rhythms of life. These are real lives portrayed in vivid colours and profound emotions.

Darcia’s singing has enraptured audiences at festivals, in coffee houses, on theatre and concert stages, and through recordings. In September of 2001, she teamed up with veteran Winnipeg acoustic guitarist, James Hickerson to focus on performing and recording her own songs. Her debut CD, Take Time, showcased her expressive range as both writer and vocalist.

http://www.tallgrassmusic.com/?q=bios/darciasenft

The Other Brothers:

The Other Brothers blend the simplicity of Simon and Garfunkel, with the minimalistic edge of alt-country. They are storytellers and songsmiths, playful and authentic, telling tales of strangers they've met on prairie fields and city streets.

http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=186938&name=music

Bill Dowling:

An inner city Winnipeg boy, half way through life finds himself in a prairie town in Southern Manitoba writing songs about life, love, heroes and villians. Go figure. Bill fuses the country, folk, blues and rock & roll he was raised on to bring his tunes to life, full of edge, energy and longing. Songs for those who want to laugh, need to cry, get pissed off, wonder "why?"

http://www.myspace.com/billdowling

Dan Frechette:

Dan Frechette is a modern traditionalist troubadour in the roots music vein. Raised on Rock n'Roll records and radio, Frechette has crafted an original catalog of over 1300 songs with styles ranging from old tyme music to rockabilly. His political folk songs "Who Will Take My Place" and "Mists of Down Below" have been sung the world over by The Duhks.

His thought provoking lyrics and emotion provoking riffs and melodies don't stop there. Frechette is also known to many as a soulful, dynamic and engaging performer who showcases his songs on a wide variety of instrumentation. With his forays in to other styles and sounds Frechette has developed his own style and mastery on all styles of guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, and ukulele. His harmonica playing, while simple and melodic, has become a staple of the Dan Frechette sound.

http://www.danfrechette.com/

Jacob & Lily:

Jacob and Lily are one of Winnipeg’s newest must-see acts; catch them as they tour across North America, living the gypsy life in a 35 Ft RV, playing their unique and organic folk-roots blend.
Complex fusion-style rhythms and innovative, spontaneous songs create an electric atmosphere that captivates their audiences. Incorporating the cajon beat box, world percussion instruments and a partial drum kit, Caleb Friesen is the perfect compliment to Karla Adolphe’s powerful voice and award winning songwriting.
Co-Winners of the 2008 Mountain Stage Newsong Songwriting Competition and nominated for the 2007 CAnadian Folk Music Awards Best New/Emerging Artist.

www.jacobandlily.com/bio.html