Multi-instrumentalist Steve Dawson returns with his band to the Comox Valley next Friday to Strings to showcase his latest work.
Dawson is an accomplished Canadian guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. Specializing in slide and fingerstyle guitar, pedal steel, lap steel, banjo and other stringed instruments, he is in-demand as a live performer, session musician, and producer.
Steve grew up in Vancouver, where he began to get into music in his early teens, playing in local venues with numerous bands. After a short time playing the guitar, Steve picked up the bottleneck slide guitar, citing Duane Allman and Ry Cooder as his earliest influences.
Steve鈥檚 solo career continued and 2005 saw the release of the Juno Award鈥搉ominated We Belong to the Gold Coast, which further explored Steve鈥檚 love of antique and modern sounds, mixing traditional blues and Hawaiian music with Steve鈥檚 original songs.
His work as producer and musician has resulted in numerous accolades over the years, including five Juno Awards and 11 nominations, eight Western Canadian Music Awards, and 22 nominations, and a Maple Blues award.
Over the past decade or so, Dawson has become such an indelible fixture on the Canadian musical landscape that it鈥檚 tempting to take him for granted. One of the drawbacks of being so talented is that Dawson makes everything he does sound so effortless.
The music that continually flows out of him is so natural and unforced that it鈥檚 possible to forget all of the toil that went into producing it. Behind the organic, flowing guitar work, the crisp arrangements and the laconic singing voice, resides one of the brightest, hardest-working musicians the country has ever produced.
Tickets are at Bop City, the Waverley or by phone 250-336-8322. Doors open at 9:30 p.m.
鈥� Cumberland Village Works
