HEDDY SOROUR
Small but mighty the Pews in Merrickville is hosting legendary Canadian blues musician Colin Linden, a multiple Juno award winner. Linden will be stopping in Merrickville for one performance only on April 27 as part of his Ride on Tour.
This year Linden is celebrating 50 years of live performance. He has been nominated for 29 Junos and taken home nine. He has played on over 500 albums and produced 140, including his first-ever actual Grammy in 2020 for producing Keb Mo’s Oklahoma. A prolific songwriter and performer, Linden says he’s still connected to each and every one of his songs.
“I feel like the older I get, the more I am grateful for every one! But I think “Remedy” is pretty special to me. I wrote it with my friend Jim Weider and it was a hit for The Band in their 1990s iteration. They were always my favourite group, and having them sing that song was a great honour,” says Linden. His favourite song, that he did not write is Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael & Mitchell Parrish.
Linden, a solo artist as well as a member of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings has played in venues big and small and will be bringing his unique blues/rock/roots sound to the intimate setting of The Pews in Merrickville.
“I love playing small towns…. The audiences are usually filled with people who know one another and that friendly vibe usually extends to me! I love all venues that are filled with music lovers though,” Linden told Hometown News
Born in Toronto, Linden was a toddler when his family moved to White Plains, New York. By the age of 10, he was listening to the likes of Van Morrison, James Taylor, John Maya, Flying Burrito Brother and Taj Mahal in New York venues.
Back in Canada, the story goes, 11 years old Linden met his musical idol Howlin’ Wolf at a matinee show in Toronto. Still a kid, he was accompanied by his mother, who took a picture of him seated with the blues giant during a two-hour plus long conversation before the big man’s gig. Linden still caries that crumpled, faded photo with him.
Back then, Wolf told the impressionable young Linden that he was an old man and wouldn’t be around all that much longer, so it was up to Linden to carry on his musical legacy. Linden took those words very seriously and soon started out on his own musical journey.
“I started performing when I was 12. I had actually been playing guitar quite a bit longer than that. My brother Jay got a guitar when I was around 3, and ever since then, I’ve been in love with the guitar,” says Linden.
He says he always knew he wanted to be a musician and never wanted to be anything else. When asked what song best sums up his life’s journey so far he doesn’t hesitate.
“Muddy Waters’ song written by Willie Dixon I Live The Life I Love and I Love The Life I Live”, says Linden
Linden’s career has led him to accompany the likes of Bruce Cockburn (as his producer and touring musician) to Bob Dylan, Greg Allman, Rihannon Giddens, Pistol Annies, John Prine and more and he never stops learning.
“I’ve been playing with T Bone Burnett a lot these days-though we have worked together for over 30 years-and he constantly teaches me stuff I don’t know or I thought I knew but didn’t! And he is all about being open to accepting what the people around you have to contribute,” says Linden.
When George Tierney, musical director at the Pews heard that Linden currently on tours performing in Ottawa he immediately reached out to him.
“I first met Colin when he agreed to play on my ‘One Guitar, 100 Hands’ project, and we maintained contact, so when I heard he was playing in Ottawa I contacted Red Bird where he was playing and asked if I could approach him, and since I already knew Colin they were all over it,” says George Tierney artistic director at The Pews.
‘One Guitar One Hundred Hands’ is the celebration of a unique 1926 Gibson guitar with a fascinating history, that Tierney initiated. Players from all genres and backgrounds share their stories and music through video performances on YouTube as they play that Gibson.
Bringing artists of Linden’s pedigree fall perfectly into the long term plans for The Pews.
“This is exactly what we want to be doing, is connecting with venues in our area and bringing big name artists to our community and supporting the music scene,” concludes Anne Barr, chair of the board at The Pews.
This concert will be a two hour matinee on Saturday April 27, starting at 2:30 p.m at The Pews. Tickets are $49.26 on Eventbrite or $50 at the door and there will be a bar service provided by South Grenville Events.
