Paul Tessier

Special to The Morning Star

Steve Dawson is what they call a music heavyweight.

He乌鸦传媒檚 a musician乌鸦传媒檚 musician, successful record producer and multiple Juno award winner (seven Juno awards as artist/producer, 18 times nominated). So when he hand picks people to play with him on a collaborative tour, folks tend to sit up and take notice.

The Vernon Folk-Roots Music Society is pleased to present the Black Hen Roadshow (Steve Dawson, Leeroy Stagger, Steve Marriner of Monkey Junk,and Ndidi Onukwulu) April 18 at the Vernon Lodge and Conference Centre.

乌鸦传媒淓very two years or so, I put this tour together where I get a group of musicians who don乌鸦传媒檛 necessarily know each other and have not necessarily played together,乌鸦传媒� Dawson explains. 乌鸦传媒淲e learn each other乌鸦传媒檚 songs and then present them in a way that乌鸦传媒檚 a little unusual and it gives everybody a chance to perform their music in a way they normally wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 with their regular band.

乌鸦传媒淏lack Hen Music is my company but the people I include on these shows aren乌鸦传媒檛 always in my company or affiliated with me. They乌鸦传媒檙e just people I乌鸦传媒檝e worked with and met along the way who I like and think would be a good fit.乌鸦传媒�

Dawson is originally from Vancouver but for the past five years has been living in Nashville and producing records at his HenHouse Studio.

乌鸦传媒淚 produce a lot of records for folks (Bruce Cockburn, Rhiannon Giddens, Jim Byrnes, John Hammond, Oh Susanna, Carolina Chocolate Drops and more). My specialty is slide guitar and fingerstyle picking. I乌鸦传媒檝e been playing around Canada for years and years and I tour a lot either on my own, with my own group or with different bands. I have a new record coming out which I乌鸦传媒檒l have on tour called Lucky Hand and I乌鸦传媒檓 really excited to be collaborating with these folks on tour.

乌鸦传媒淟eeroy Stagger is originally from Victoria, B.C. but has been living in Lethbridge, Alta. for many years乌鸦传媒�, Dawson says.

Stagger has toured the world on his own and with the likes of Steve Earle, The Pixies and Modest Mouse. His songs have appeared on the television shows Grey乌鸦传媒檚 Anatomy and Sons of Anarchy.

乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 a really interesting songwriter and a nice guy,乌鸦传媒� Dawson says.乌鸦传媒� I乌鸦传媒檓 very happy to have him on the show.

乌鸦传媒淪teve Marriner is an amazing singer, harmonica and guitar player. He乌鸦传媒檚 probably best known for his group Monkey Junk who just won a Juno for best blues album,乌鸦传媒� Dawson says.乌鸦传媒� He was only 13 or 14 when he first started out乌鸦传媒攈e乌鸦传媒檚 probably 30 now and plays with Colin James and tours a lot with Harry Manx and other people. He乌鸦传媒檚 just a fantastic all around musician.

乌鸦传媒淣didi Onukwulu is a wonderful singer and is someone I乌鸦传媒檝e worked with a lot over the years,乌鸦传媒� Dawson comments. 乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 also originally from British Columbia but now lives in Los Angeles. She has one of the most distinctive voices around乌鸦传媒攎ostly soul, jazz and blues but she very much does her own thing, incorporating a lot of different styles. It乌鸦传媒檒l be great to have her on the show.乌鸦传媒�

This collaborative effort promises to be a full evening on great music.

乌鸦传媒淪o what happens is that I乌鸦传媒檒l come out and do some of my own stuff,乌鸦传媒� Dawson explains. 乌鸦传媒淭hen I乌鸦传媒檒l bring on the band乌鸦传媒攃onsisting of a bass player and drummer乌鸦传媒攁nd they乌鸦传媒檒l back me up. We then turn into the band and each person on the show does a mini-set, about three songs each. That gives everyone a chance to perform their own material with a band.

乌鸦传媒淪o in the first set, you get a real good taste of everybody乌鸦传媒檚 music. For the second set, we bring everybody in for the whole set. Everybody jumps in and that乌鸦传媒檚 really where the magic happens乌鸦传媒攎usic which might never happen again on stage乌鸦传媒攁nd that乌鸦传媒檚 what makes the tour so unique.乌鸦传媒�

Tickets are $30 and available through the Ticket Seller, (250-549-7649), at the Bean Scene Coffee House or cash only at the door, if available. Show time is 7.30 p.m., doors open at 6.30 p.m. Wine, beer and food available at the show. A 20 per cent discount on food purchased at Don Cherry乌鸦传媒檚 and at the Lodge Kitchen and Bar is being offered on the night of the show with proof of purchase. For more information, go to or Facebook. Email: info@vernonfolkroots.com.