Legendary singer-songwriter James Taylor thought a young B.C. musician乌鸦传媒檚 cover of his song 乌鸦传媒淪teamroller Blues乌鸦传媒� was so nice, he had to share it twice.
The five-time Grammy winner and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame spotted 11-year-old Malakai乌鸦传媒檚 video of 乌鸦传媒淪teamroller Blues乌鸦传媒� on Instagram and posted it to his own account on Nov. 21. But that wasn乌鸦传媒檛 enough. Nine days later, he shared the video again, adding an older clip of the Cowichan Valley resident performing Tom Waits乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒淢artha,乌鸦传媒� and tagging the gravelly voiced troubadour.
Both clips, with Malakai on vocals and piano, were recorded during live gigs at the Duncan Showroom.
Malakai had tagged Taylor in his initial post, noting that he has tickets to see Taylor and Bonnie Raitt in Victoria once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Taylor apparently did his own research on YouTube after that.
乌鸦传媒淣ot only is it good that he posted it,乌鸦传媒� said Showroom impresario Longevity John Falkner. 乌鸦传媒淭he fact he reposted it, that meant he went back and watched the whole show. Then when he added 乌鸦传媒楳artha,乌鸦传媒� that means he乌鸦传媒檚 looking through the Duncan Showroom archives.乌鸦传媒�
As of Dec. 1, Taylor乌鸦传媒檚 posts of Malakai乌鸦传媒檚 renditions had racked up more than 33,000 views, and counting. It乌鸦传媒檚 a boon not only for Malakai and the Showroom, but also for the Cowichan Valley and its arts community.
乌鸦传媒淣ow [33,000] people know that the Showroom exists,乌鸦传媒� Falkner said.
Taylor wasn乌鸦传媒檛 the only celebrity to hype the 乌鸦传媒淪teamroller Blues乌鸦传媒� video, as former Melrose Place star Daphne Zuniga reposted it from Taylor乌鸦传媒檚 account with the comment 乌鸦传媒淒ang boy!!!乌鸦传媒� and encouraged her fans to check out his other work.
The Oct. 29 show at which 乌鸦传媒淪teamroller Blues乌鸦传媒� was recorded was a milestone concert for Malakai, marking four years since his first appearance on the Showroom stage at the age of seven. The prodigy has performed at the Showroom and other Cowichan Valley venues many times, and can often be seen busking across the street from Duncan City Hall during the Farmers乌鸦传媒� Market on Saturdays.
The 70-year-old Falkner spotted Malakai乌鸦传媒檚 talent early on and can乌鸦传媒檛 wait to see where it takes him.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e known all along that Malakai was going to do something,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚 want to stick around another 20 years to see where this kid lands.乌鸦传媒�
Malakai乌鸦传媒檚 Instagram account can be found at . The Showroom乌鸦传媒檚 video archive is at
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