“Masterful and amazing!” ~ Tampa Acoustic Music Exchange
Ken Whiteley has been playing folk, blues, gospel and other roots traditions at the highest level for well over fifty years. He has received many awards including a Canadian Folk Music Award, 7 Juno nominations, 18 Maple Blues nominations, a Genie Award (for Best Song in a Canadian Film) and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Mariposa Folk Festival, The Maple Blues Awards and Folk Music Ontario but ultimately for Ken his music is all about making connection. He loves to get people singing with him whether he’s on a concert stage, a folk festival, a church service or a yoga ashram.
Ken has made over 32 albums and his most recent one, “Long Time Travelling” was just nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award as Best Traditional Album this year. He has written over 400 songs that have won numerous awards and been covered by more than a dozen artists. Ken is a living link to the traditions of people he has sung and played with including Pete Seeger, The Georgia Sea Island Singers, Tom Paxton, John Hammond Jr., Blind John Davis and many others. He brings this vast experience to each performance as a way to allow all of us to come together through the power of song.
Spring is coming, whatever the madman in control of the current U.S. government does and we should celebrate that.
First off, I broke a bone in my ankle on Feb. 15, right before a lot of musical activity. As yet another snow storm hit Toronto, I went off to perform (sitting down) at Winterfolk festival at the Tranzac in Toronto. On Monday, after playing some Hammond organ on a new recording by the great singer and songwriter from Kentucky, Joan Shelley, I went to the emergency department. 8 X-rays and a CT scan later it was confirmed that I had a fracture and I would have to completely stay off my right foot (crutches, boot, etc.). I got Brent Webb to take me to the Jackie Washington Day concert in Hamilton but I had to cancel my trip to the Folk Alliance International conference in Montreal. With the help of a great band, Gary Craig (drums), Ciceal Levy (vocals, percussion), Richard Underhill (sax) and most importantly, Gord Mowat (string bass) I was able to have a great show at the Old Mill on the last day of February. In March I will be sticking close to home.
In renewal! Photo by Deb Barndt.
In April I am nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award as Traditional Singer for my album, “So Glad I’m Here”.
Then over the Easter Weekend, April 19, 20, I will be giving concerts and workshops at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram Camp in Val Morin, Quebec. This is always a wonderful time in the beautiful Laurentian mountains, just over an hour north of Montreal. Group meditation, chanting, yoga asana classes, excellent buffet style vegetarian meals along with a chance to enjoy and go deeper into “The Yoga of Gospel Music” and concerts that celebrate Jesus’ Easter message of faith, love and “rising again”. You can find out more information at The Sivananda Yoga Ashram Camp here.
Ken Whiteley leading a workshop at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram Camp, Val Morin, Quebec
Looking ahead I’m doing a concert May 29, 7:00 P.M., at the Detweiler Meetinghouse, which is located at the south end of Kitchener (just north of Ayr). It is an historic building from 1855, first built as a Mennonite meetinghouse. It is the oldest stone meetinghouse in the province and Ivan Emke, who coordinates a summer concert series there says it is a great, singing audience. It is admission by donation and you can find out more here.
Finally I’m really looking forward to returning to the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival August 7 – 10. Always a great festival in a beautiful Nova Scotia setting.
“I will always sing, until my breath is gone,
Allowing every note to help me carry on.” from “Unseen Hands 12 songs 12 strings”
