By Anne Jardine

There are some great performers booked for the July 6 Steamboat Mountain Music Festival in Edgewater. Their talent and energy are sure to spark a musical day to remember.

The Good Ol’ Goats are a high-energy young band from Cranbrook who burst on the scene last fall and were voted as runners-up in the nation-wide CBC Seachlight Talent Contest. They earned strong regional support that carried them through several elimination rounds to the finals.

Then to affirm their regional popularity, this spring the Goats won two Kootenay Music Awards, for best group and best song. They were recently featured on Grant Lawrence’s CBC Beetle Road Trip. Although their instrumentation is traditional with fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar and stand up bass, their style is wild and fresh and very infectious. Band members are Nolan Ackert, Julian Bueckert, Angus Liedtke, Angus MacDonald, Theo Moore, Alysha Serani, and Joelle Winkel – all attend Mt Baker Secondary School and most of them hope to go on in music. As Steamboat Festival goers will soon hear for themselves the Good Ol’Goats have made a great start.

Redgirl is a folksy trio who also hail from Cranbrook and Fernie. Mike Hepher, Anie Hepher and Steve Jones create beautiful harmonies and they play an array of original music. Mike’s song writing is very polished. His compositions are melodic and poetic, infused with warmth and humour. His mandolin is sweet, and the way he and Anie weave their vocals goes straight to the heart. Anie’s voice in itself is a beautiful instrument – and beyond that, she plays banjo and ukuelele. Steve Jones anchors the group with his strong stand‐up bass.

5 on a String is a traditional bluegrass band from Vancouver. Bringing a high level of musicianship to their good time music, this group includes Gary Stevenson on vocals and guitar, Gordie Sadler on vocals, banjo, and guitar, Hugh Ellenwood on fiddle, Dan Mornar on vocals, and upright bass, and Tim Eccles on mandolin, guitar, and banjo. Dan also writes some of the songs, with a bouncy humour that celebrates the human condition.

Stone of Nowhere is another very young group that loves to rock out. They especially enjoy blues, and they play it so well they were recently invited to open for renowned bluesman Colin James. Despite their tender age, the Stone has racked up some very impressive experience. They played this spring at the Calgary Lilac Festival, and earlier they appeared at the BluesCan Festival. This Calgary band features Mitchell Brady on guitar, Keon Friesen on bass, and Isaiah Stonehouse on drums. With their dynamic start, these three are sure to have a bright future ahead.

Fender Bender (who also perform around Calgary under the name of Black Snake Moan) will be bringing a mix of classic rock and sassy attitude. Vocalist Dawn von Arnim, guitar men Shane MCCrae and Lawrence Ball, and bass player Joelle Glass will get everyone up and dancing to the beats of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. They know their basics and they are not the least bit shy in sharing their enthusiasm.

Los Morenos come from Calgary, but their roots are firmly planted in Latin America. Mauricio Moreno on guitar, Marvin Kea on bass, and Toto and Luis Tovar on drums and percussion combine their talents to present a jazz‐funk, rumba, flamenco, Afro‐Cuban spicy salsa that is absolutely irresistible. Their international influences include the Gypsy Kings, Juan DeMarcos, and Carlos Santana, but they put it all together in their own compelling style.

The Line-up for the festival also includes local bands: L8, Smarty Pants, the Halfsacks, Marty and Eli Beingessner, and Edgewater’s own Dry Gulch Ramblers, and Mickey Maione (pictured). Other solo and duo performers include: Dos Equis, Maigan Jayde, Abby Wells, Paige Ellerton, Beard’s Creek, Leo Downey, Craig Ellis, and Jubilee Mountain.

The program for this year’s festival covers 10 solid hours of music. 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: Pip’s Country Store in Edgewater, Pynelogs Cultural Centre and Picture This Foto Source in Invermere, Windermere Family Pantry, Fairmont Pizza, Meet on Higher Ground Café in Radium, Brisco General Store, Parson General Store, and Moon River Gallery in Golden. On‐line PayPal tickets are linked through the website and additional information about the festival is posted there as well: www.steamboatmtnmusicfest.ca .

Lead image: Cranbrook’s Good Ol’ Goats perform for then Minister of Education Don McRae on the final day of voting for the CBC Searchlight Contest at Mount Baker Secondary School. Invermere-raised Evan Bueckert is the band’s music teacher and mentor, as well as father of Julian. Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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