What better way to kick off a Golden summer than with the popular Summer Kicks program and Canadian musical icon Valdy!
A member of the Order of Canada, the multiple Juno award winner singer/songwriter and accomplished guitar player delights audiences across North America.
Just off his “Write a Song – Make a Fortune” tour, Valdy will perform Wednesday, June 14 at 7 p.m. at Keith King Memorial Park. Valdy’s songs offer relief from the stresses of life and look toward better tomorrows.
“In my case, the fortune is not financial, it is what someone would wish to advance towards in their life –peace in the world, beds for the homeless, health for ill people and relief for overstretched hospitals,” he says.
Local band School of Rock’s Noise Pollution will perform in between Valdy’s two sets.
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Elizabeth Shepherd, considered to be a jazz virtuoso, creatively blurs the line between jazz, R&B, pop and hip hop and will perform June 28. Also appearing as a “tweener” between sets is songstress Mellie Jane.
On July 12, a 2018 Salmon Arm Roots and Blues fave, Russell de Carle will win the crowd with his eclectic mix of songs that tell of heart-aching blues, songs for people who don’t fit in and how little that matters, and other tunes about life’s many challenges.
deCarle was the lead vocalist and bassist of the iconic Canadian country roots band Prairie Oyster. He is no stranger to awards and accolades — his “Oyster years” were rewarded with six Juno Awards, more than a dozen Canadian Country Music Awards and enough gold and platinum records and #1 singles to fill a living room wall. Carl Trinkwon & The Masters of Nun will perform between DeCarle’s two sets.
Tap your toes and sing along to familiar old country favourites by Patsy Cline, Buck Owens, The Dixie Chicks and more on July 19 when Alberta’s Carolines perform. With clever arrangements, incredible harmonies and infectious humour, this trio bewitches new life into old songs. Katie, Martha and the Other Guys will perform between sets.
Next up on July 26, it’s Cousin Harley, a.k.a. guitar star Paul Pigat, Keith Picot, and Jesse Cahill. This trio has been rocking international audiences for 20 years, delivering classic honky tonk and cow punk rippers, western swing and classic jump blues. The Jumping Rodents will swarm the stage between sets.who leads a rockabilly trio that blasts the
The following Wednesday, Aug. 2, will feature the Afro-funk-Latin-soul fusion of Coco Jafro, performing an evening of infectious world rhythms. Fonted by Montreal-born and raised vocalist Karina Morin, the band was nominated for a 2016 Western Canadian Music Award for Urban Artist of the Year, and continues to wow audiences with its unique sound and international perspective. The group’s collective perspective comes naturally by way of bandmates who were born in exotic locales, including Morocco, France, Mozambique, and Quebec.
The local A-Muse troupe will entertain between Coco Jafro’s two sets.
Nominated for three 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards, the Juno award-winning McDades, will close the Summer Kicks season on Wednesday, Aug. 9.
At the heart of the Juno-Award winning group are siblings Shannon, Solon and Jeremiah, whose Celtic-rooted music fuses the spontaneity of jazz improvisation and infectious global rhythms Their ground-breaking compositions an innovative arrangements feature both energetic instrumentals and moving vocals performed in English and French.
Golden musician Eric Larocque will perform in between sets.
Plan to spend summer evenings enjoying great Summer Kicks music from 7 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday from June 14 to August 9 at Keith King Memorial Park. Take a chair or blanket and a picnic. Food and refreshment trucks are often on site.
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