Maritimes To Memphis 2016 - Who's playin'?
Read about the participating artists, and about the judges. This page is under construction!
The East Coast Blues Society is proud to present the artists of Maritimes to Memphis 2016. Two of these blues acts will earn the right to represent ECBS and the Maritimes at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, January 2017. The event takes place at Mic Mac Amateur Aquatic Club in Dartmouth (see map) on Sunday October 23 at 3pm. You can read the rules and more on the following link:
Submissions open 2016
The artists will play in front of six independent judges. This year's judges are presented on the following link:
Independent judges 2016
Maritimes to Memphis Judges 2016
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Bill Stevenson
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In over forty years as a musician Bill has recorded for Elektra records while still in his teens, opened for the Doors, backed up John Lee Hooker, put performing and recording bands behind some of Canada’s best loved musicians including Amos Garrett, Colleen Peterson and Linda Carvery. He has hosted his own National radio series for CBC. He has been a contributing side man to multi award winning albums by Garrett Mason, Thom Swift ,Hot Toddy ,and now includes his own win with a 2008 ECMA for best Jazz Album. His participation in the Jazz/Blues idiom has earned him a respected place in the national music spectrum.
Bill Stevenson & Nine Steps has played together for over twenty years. Tom Easley (bass), Bill Stevenson (piano, vocals) and Geoff Arsenault (drums) are three of Atlantic Canada’s most in-demand and original artists.
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Charlie A'Court
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Canadian singer-songwriter-guitarist Charlie A’Court is the proverbial force to be reckoned
with. Planted at the crossroads of roots and soul, Charlie’s mighty voice, fierce guitar work and
contemporary songwriting have earned him an international following and a host of awards and
accolades for his five solo albums to date, including his latest offering, Come On Over, winner
of the 2015 East Coast Music Award for Blues Recording of The Year and 2015 Music Nova
Scotia Award for Blues Recording of the Year. In 2016 A’Court made the pilgrimage to
Memphis, TN, representing the East Coast Blues Society in the Solo Acoustic division of the
annual International Blues Challenge hosted by The Blues Foundation.
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Dan Doiron
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A blazing spitfire guitarist with a six-string wall of sound who combines traditional and modern guitar influences with unique lyrics reflecting his views on everyday life that keep audiences engaged at every band and solo show. He has released three albums in the past four years, highlighting his versatility as a guitarist and songwriter. From straight up pop, to rock, to blues, to soulful ballads with thought provoking lyrics, to high energy humourous tunes, the new album, "Stand Back I Don't Know How Loud This Thing Gets!" delivers.
Dan Doiron has been addicted to the raw energy of the electric guitar since he formed his first band at age 13 in Port Hood, Cape Breton. In fact some people say they don't recognize him without a guitar strapped on. His unique sound reflects his diverse background in rock, blues and classical guitar.
For over 20 years he has been involved in the music industry in Atlantic Canada as a musician, music educator,(B.MUS.Ed from Dalhousie University with a major in classical guitar), National guitar clinician and recording engineer.
In 2014 Dan Doiron with band represented the East Coast Blues Society and the Maritimes in the Band Category of the International Blues Challenge.
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Michael Frank
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Chicago, home of some of the best blues around and Michael's harmonica skills for the last 35+ years. Michael Frank took up the harmonica and blues record collecting in junior high school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After his college graduation he moved to Chicago to practice social work in child welfare and to meet as many blues musicians as he could.
Starting in 1973 he began playing the harmonica with David "Honeyboy" Edwards as a duo and in a four piece blues band, managing and booking Honeyboy as well. Michael toured the world with him until just before Honeyboy's passing at the age of 95.
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Michael 'Hawkeye' Herman
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With over 50 years of performing experience, Michael "Hawkeye" Herman exemplifies the range of possibilities in acoustic blues, and personifies versatile musicianship, originality, and compelling artistry as a blues storyteller. His dynamic performances have won him a faithful following, and he leads a very active touring schedule of performances at festivals, concerts, school programs, and workshops. Hawkeye performs a wide variety of traditional blues, ballads, swing, and original tunes, on six-string and twelve-string guitar, and is an adept and exciting practitioner of slide guitar and slide mandolin. His music has been included in video documentaries and in three hit theatrical productions, and his solo CD, Blues Alive!, released in 1998, was greeted by rave reviews and greatly increased the demand for his live performances at major blues and folk festivals. His newest CD, It's All Blues To Me!, was released in May of 2005.
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Tom Bedell
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Tom Bedell is a popular host for Q104 FM in Halifax and has
been in the radio business for thirty years.
Tom's show, the award winning 'Route 104', which had begun
in 2000, has given him great experience and interaction
with many of the best of Maritime and world's musical talent,
having concieved and hosted that show for 50 weeks per year.
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