Headliners booked for the July 5 Steamboat Mountain Music Festival in Edgewater will appeal to all types of music lovers.

The line-up includes 20 acts, so this summary covers the visiting artists, while the next articles in this series will cover the local performers. Cousins cross over from local to exotic, so they are highlighted here.

Rick Scott (pictured above) is his own unique genre. Rooted in folk and blues, inspired by Broadway musicals, Pete Seeger, and Danny Kaye, Rick’s joyous mix of music, storytelling, and humour delights audiences from four generations. He has performed in nine countries, and released 18 award-winning recordings honoured with three Junos and a Canadian Folk Music Award. Singer, songwriter, and dulcimer ace, Rick , who hails from Nanaimo, currently serves as Goodwill Ambassador for the Downe Syndrome Research Foundation. He has recently released his musical story extravaganza and songbook, The Great Gazoon.

Cousins are Invermere guitar virtuoso John Cronin and his equally talented American cousin Mac Walter. Their two albums, ‘Cousins’ and ‘Second Cousins’ include several of John’s original compositions. In their live shows, Mac and John trade improvised riffs that never fail to amaze audiences. These seasoned musicians excel in country swing, traditional jazz, folk, pop, rock, calypso, salsa, and beyond. Not easily categorized, they love all kinds of music, and fearlessly venture wherever the muse leads them.

The Cumberland Brothers are a young duo from Cumberland, near Comox on Vancouver Island. Archie Pateman, co-founder of Vancouver roots band, The Breakmen, and fiddle sensation, Jack Roland specialize in brother style harmony. They surround their break-your-heart vocals with the simple but proficient support of guitar, banjo and fiddle. Their sets include a mix of old country songs, and original (but timeless) tunes penned by Pateman. They released their debut album in July of 2013. Though they are relatively new to the scene, their old-time roots and bluegrass roots go deep.

Static Shift appeared last year at Steamboat under the name Stone of Nowhere. Since then, Yamaha Music has sponsored them to tour and record their original tunes. Last winter, while producing their first CD, they decided to change their name to reflect their musical growth. This Calgary blues trio features sixteen and seventeen-year-olds: Mitchell Brady on guitar, Keon Friesen on bass, and Isaiah Stonehouse on drums. These young musicians have won loyal fans on both sides of the Great Divide.

Los Morenos draw their influences from the Gypsy Kings, Juan DeMarcos, and Carlos Santana. When they appeared on the Steamboat stage last year, their infectious world beat tunes impelled got everyone up dancing. Los Morenos come from Calgary, but their roots are firmly planted in Latin America. Mauricio Moreno on guitar, Richard Madrid on guitar and vocals, Henry Insell on bass, Juan Carlos Gonzalez on percussion and trumpet, Stephen Williams on sax and keys, and Luis Tovar on drums and percussion combine their talents to present a jazz-funk, Afro-Cuban spicy salsa that is irresistible.

Dick Damron & the Stoney Creek Band toured through western Canada with beloved Edgewater legend, the late Dennis LaRochelle. The fond memory of this connection brings Dick and his band to Steamboat. Dick has released over a dozen acclaimed albums over his long career. He has won countless awards for his music, including three Junos, and he has been named into both the US and Canadian Country Music Halls of Fame. Dick is a proud son of Bentley, Alberta, brought up in country traditions. From these rural roots, Dick’s compositions reach out to universal themes of love, spiritual longing, and celebration. Dick Damron ‘s authentic voice is a true Canadian treasure.

Local featured groups are Siofri, the Bruise Bros, The Halfsacks, and Combo Akimbo. Between the main featured acts, the festival line-up also includes tweeners – local bands: Beard’s Creek, Masters of Nun, Sheberdean, Selena & Emily, and the Pickerings; as well as Bill Cropper, Mickey Maione, Abby Wells, and Paige Ellerton.

Edgewater Elementary School field is the scenic venue with its vistas of the Columbia Wetlands and beloved local landmark Steamboat Mountain. Tickets are available at many community outlets and on line through the website. Additional information about the festival is posted there as well: www.steamboatmtnmusicfest.ca

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