Eaglesmith/Bennett influce felt, despite absence

Eaglesmith/Bennett influence felt despite their absence

By Richard McGuire

(This article is based on a posting to the Fred Eaglesmith Digest).

Unlike the 1998 Ottawa Folk Festival, Fred Eaglesmith and Willie P. Bennett were not present at this year’s festival. Instead, they’ll be making a separate appearance near the national capital at the Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield, Québec, September 3 and 4. (See pictures & review)

The powerful songwriting influence of these two, however, was evident with a number of the performers at the Ottawa Folk Festival, which ran from August 27 to 29.

Colin Linden, Stephen Fearing and Tom Wilson cover Willie P. Bennett's songs

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings

Even before the festival began, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings gave a free noon-hour street concert outside the HMV store on Sparks Street Mall. This Canadian supergroup consists of Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden, and Tom Wilson, all accomplished solo singer-songwriters. They were brought together several years ago by a love for the music of Willie P. Bennett, a Canadian folk musician and songwriter who also plays mandolin with Eaglesmith. The name "Blackie and the Rodeo Kings" is taken from a Bennett song, and the trio do a number of Bennett covers.

Their admiration of Eaglesmith is also evident. Leading off their performance at the festival was a version of Eaglesmith’s "49 Tons," which is also the first song on their recent Kings of Love CD. The song, says Fearing in the liner notes, "seemed tailor made for this band."

Bennett songs on Kings of Love include: "Patience of a Working Man," "Summer Dreams Winter Sleep," "Red Dress," "The Lucky Ones," "Andrew’s Waltz," and "If You Have to Choose." Bennett himself plays on several tracks, as does Bruce Cockburn, whose "You Don’t Have to Play the Horses" is also covered.

The double-CD for the price of a single also includes a number of songs written by Fearing, Linden and Wilson. For Eaglesmith/Bennett fans, Kings of Love is a MUST BUY.

More pictures of Blackie & the Rodeo Kings

Lynn Miles (left) backs up Dar Williams on Eaglesmith's "Wilder than Her"

Dar Williams and Cry Cry Cry

Speaking of cover bands consisting of three accomplished solo singer/songwriters – Cry Cry Cry also fits the bill. This American trio consists of Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Shindell. While most of the songs they cover are by other Americans they admire, they do a haunting version of Canadian James Keelaghan’s "Cold Missouri Waters."

Williams, who also admires Eaglesmith, does a version of his "Wilder than Her," which she performed at the festival during a solo concert. Eaglesmith often jokes that Williams performs "the lesbian version" because she sings it without changing gender in the lyrics. Lynn Miles, who backed up Eaglesmith in the original recording on Drive-In Movie, just happened to be in the audience when Williams started singing, so came up and joined her on back-up vocals.

More pictures of Cry Cry Cry

Lynn Miles

As well as performing on Eaglesmith’s Drive-In Movie, Lynn Miles also does back-up vocals on his Lipstick Lies & Gasoline. The Ottawa musician is an accomplished solo performer, and she gave a Friday-night mainstage performance as well as a number of workshop appearances, doing material from her recent Night in a Strange Town CD.

Another picture of Lynn Miles

Grievous Angels

Though they don’t cover Eaglesmith/Bennett material to my knowledge, Northern Ontario’s Grievous Angels do have several links. Not only do they share a producer, Scott Merritt, but the Angels performed at this summer’s Eaglesmith Picnic.

Chuck Angus, like Eaglesmith, writes brilliant lyrics reflecting trailer parks, mining towns, and those who have been left behind by "the new economy." Angus’s lyrics about the hardship of northern mining are reminiscent of Eaglesmith’s early material about the hardships of southern farming.

Another picture of Grievous Angels