November 18-19
Host Paul Mills
featuring Ariel Rogers, Laura Smith, Rick Taylor, Arthur O’Brien, Fred Jorgensen & Tannis Slimmon
Paul Mills
Paul Mills was Stan Rogers’ record producer and close friend. Since Rogers’ death he has continued working with Stan’s widow, Ariel to ensure that his music continues to thrive.
In addition to his distinguished work as a producer, Paul is also an accomplished performer and has been an important part of the Canadian folk music scene and recording industry for almost forty years. He has produced well over one hundred and fifty albums working with artists such as Stan, J. P. Cormier, Sharon, Lois and Bram, Natalie MacMaster, Tanglefoot, Ron Hynes and John Allan Cameron. He is also one of the founding partners of the folk music record label, Borealis Records.
Albums produced or engineered by Paul have earned four gold records (sales over 50,000), two platinum records (sales over 100,000), 5 Juno nominations and 5 East Coast Music Awards. Natalie MacMaster’s record, “My Roots are Showing”, which Paul engineered, won the 1999 Juno award for best instrumental album. Sharon Lois & Bram’s recording “Skinnamarink TV”, co-produced by Paul won the 2000 Juno for “Best Children’s Album”. Ron Hynes’ CD “Get Back Change”, received the East Coast Music Awards nod for Best Album and Best Country Album of the year in 2004. Hynes’ 2006 release, “Ron Hynes” also produced by Mills earned him the ECMA Male Vocalist of the Year award.
In 2006, Paul released a solo album, “The Other Side of the Glass” to wide critical praise. It received extensive airplay on folk and roots radio programs all over North America and in February of that year was the most played CD by North American folk DJs. He is currently performing extensively with Joanne Crabtree in the duo Crabtree & Mills who are just completing their third recording together.
Ariel Rogers
Ariel Rogers once again joins us in this tribute to her late husband’s music. Since his death, Ariel has worked tirelessly to ensure that Stan’s music remains vital and available for people to enjoy and treasure. For the past 28 years she has managed Fogarty’s Cove Music, the company that manufactures and distributes Stan Rogers’ recordings and handles his publishing interests. This past year she oversaw the remastering of the first five albums of Stan’s recordings and licensed the distribution of Stan’s entire catalogue to the very capable Borealis Records here in Toronto.
Ariel is involved in many aspects of volunteerism in her community and sings in her church choir. She spends many happy hours working with several little theatre groups and is often found treading the boards in pursuit of the perfect alter ego!
Her beautiful voice and intimate knowledge of Stan’s songs have been a part of almost every Stan Rogers Tribute concert over the past 9 years at Hugh’s Room. We’re delighted that she has agreed to return.
I was born in Ontario and found a deep satisfaction listening to music. My first gig was performing at a club in London, Ontario - Smale’s Pace – where the likes of Willy P. Bennett, David Essig, Colleen Peterson, Luke Gibson, Paul Mills, Stan Rogers and David Wiffen passed through on a regular basis. It was inspiring to say the least. I headed to Toronto for eight years, plugging away at composition and studying various instruments, while moving eleven times and holding down various and sundry jobs from secretary to sous chef.
I moved to Cape Breton in 1984 and I think a dormant gene kicked in; I got the overwhelming sense that I should have been born there. Really, my mother must have missed the bus…. What a brilliant place to learn to revere and absorb the power of delivering a song and tune-smithing.
My body of work consists mainly of three, full-length recordings of original songs spanning 1989 to 1997. I’ve received two East Coast Music Awards, Juno Nominations, a Gemini award, an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Mount Saint Vincent University and the opportunity to travel to many places on the strength of my songs. A version of my song, “My Bonny” was recently named Song of the Decade by the internet site, LiveIreland and the Chicago Irish-American News.
I live on the South shore of Nova Scotia now. Upsets in the business of music impacted my desire to write and a series of accidents over the last nine years impacted my ability to tour. Happily, I am being invited to perform again and I enjoy enthusiastic audiences who treat me to their supportive listening and encouragement. I just may have the best fans in the world: They let me know that, while they are waiting patiently for another recording, they will continue to come out to hear the songs I’ve made…
Rick Taylor
Rick Taylor made his first major appearance as a singer, songwriter and guitarist at the famed Mariposa Folk Festival in 1971 and went on to become a regular at many Canadian festivals and clubs. Blues, jazz, country, rock, roots, world, and contemporary music all influenced Rick’s early years on the club and festival circuits and he established himself firmly in the 1970’s southern Ontario roots music scene.
As a singer-songwriter and guitarist, Rick has been featured on CBC television and radio programs Touch The Earth with host Sylvia Tyson, The Entertainers with host Bill Garrett , Peter Gzowski’s 90 Minutes Live, City TV’s Music City and Intimate Evenings with Songwriters on Rogers Cable TV.
Rick’s dynamism on guitar has led to session and sideman work with Willie P. Bennett (guitarist on “Hobos Taunt” album), Stan Rogers, Doug MacArthur, and a highly acclaimed tour with Colleen Peterson, which culminated in a nine evening engagement as opening act for Gordon Lightfoot at Massey Hall in Toronto. He also fronted his own band The Torpedoes with legendary brother Steve Taylor on drums in Southern Ontario, as well as the Rick Taylor Band which featured some of the finest blues and jazz musicians in Vancouver, and a 3 year run with Vancouver’s HARD 8; a roots-acoustic trio featuring guitar virtuoso Paul Pigat and harmonica legend Monte.
Rick Taylor is well know for his high energy live performances, rich, expressive baritone voice, and his quirky and novel song writing styles such as the cult classics “Black Leather Diaper” and “Drunkards Lullaby”, as well as his delicately, haunting, well crafted ballads, and unforgettable “guitarnastics”.
Arthur O’Brien
From Bay Bulls one of the oldest fishing communities in North America on the Southern Shore of Newfoundland, Arthur O’Brien is one of the two Navigators lead vocalists switching between fiddle, acoustic and electric guitars. Arthur is a powerful baritone having performed for audiences coast to coast to coast in Canada, France, Germany the UK and the southern United States. Audiences know him as a lively entertainer with an engaging stage presence.
Arthur is The Navigators principal songwriter with some of his songs appearing in TV & Film. As a performer on the local St. John’s scene he has been a member of Connemara, released a solo CD in 1997. In January 2000, he recorded with Cape Breton producer Gordie Sampson and the Nova Scotia-based Celtic group, Cuillin. Since forming The Navigators he has written and produced the groups’ 2002 “Dance & Sing”, 2009 “Sea Miner” and the bands’ latest just released this fall “Soldiers & Sailors”.
Fred Jorgensen
From the town of Bull’s Cove on the Burin Peninsula located on the south coast of Newfoundland close to St. Pierre & Miquelon the only colonial remnant of New France, Fred Jorgensen is the another lead vocalist of The Navigators, according to Mitch Podolak he is considered “one of the best tin whistles players he’s ever heard” also an outstanding on the bodhran and acoustic guitar. A powerful vocalist with an amazing range and an unmistakable voice, his performances have been described as entertaining, energetic, and dynamic.
Fred was a founding member of the well-known Newfoundland folk group Fine Crowd (recordings- Poverty’s Arse and Sucker For Good Company) and won the MusicNL Song of the Year several years ago for Hugh Scott’s “Theresa Maria”.
Tannis Slimmon
Tannis Slimmon grew up in a musical family on a farm in the prairies of western Canada. In 1980 she moved to Guelph, Ontario and soon became known on the Canadian music scene as a member of the critically acclaimed Bird Sisters. Tannis’ solo career was launched in 2001 with the release of ‘Oak Lake’, followed up by the award winning ‘Lucky Blue’, a rich offering of songs and artwork influenced by travels to Mali, West Africa and Cuba. A third album is expected to be released in the new year.
Tannis was named the Contemporary Vocalist of the Year by the Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2008. You can find Tannis’ name on over 75 albums, contributing songs or singing harmonies for some of Canada’s finest (Willie P. Bennett, James Gordon, Valdy).
Tannis has a gift for engaging an audience with her voice and original songs. She loves collaboration and encourages listeners to add their voices to her many singalongable songs.
“…one of the most beautiful voices I have had the pleasure to listen to.” David Francey
“A breathtaking vocalist with a bright, angelic disposition, Slimmon is a favourite folk attraction whose harmonies are as warm as her smile.” – Exclaim (Oct/07)
