NEWS RELEASE
MARIPOSA FOLK FOUNDATION
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The last concert of the Mariposa in Concert (MIC) 2018-19 season will feature Betty and The Bobs, a group of seven talented artists providing an entertaining, fun-filled night of great music!
“Betty and The Bobs were a favourite at the 2000 Mariposa Folk Festival, which was the first year of the festival’s return to Orillia,” explained MIC Chairman Robert Rountree. “This year marks the 20th consecutive Mariposa Folk Festival in Orillia and we’re ecstatic to have this talented group perform for us once again.”
Betty and The Bobs formed as an extracurricular vehicle for a group of well-known musicians and friends who work together in various combinations. Their repertoire includes a bunch of tunes from a wide variety of genres, including country, blues, R&B, Beatles, jazz and some of their own wacky songs.
Tickets are $30 advance (all fees and taxes included) and are available online at mariposafolk.com or at the Mariposa Foundation office, 10 Peter St. S., Orillia. Tickets at the door will be $35.
The show is on Saturday, March 30 at the Best Western Mariposa Inn, 400 Memorial Ave., Orillia. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Betty and The Bobs, in alphabetical order, includes: Wendell Ferguson, Rich Greenspoon, David Matheson, Soozi Schlanger, Suzie Vinnick, Katherine Wheatley and David Woodhead.
Wendell Ferguson (vocals, guitar) is the six-time Canadian Country Music Association Guitar Player of the Year and has traveled the globe accompanying a who's who in both the country field (George Fox, Shania Twain, The Dixie Chicks) and the folk arena (Quartette, Bob Snider, Cindy Church). As for his own hilarious tunes, well - when the band has a "Wendell moment", everything stops for a sideways look at the world.
Rich Greenspoon (drums) has played drums with Oliver Schroer's Stewed Tomatoes, Njacko Backo, and Rare Air as well as on recordings in many contemporary styles, including world music and jazz. He's an esteemed drum teacher and has been busy in the last few years producing albums for other artists.
David Matheson (piano, vocals and more) is a guitar, dobro and banjo picking, accordion/keyboard playing, singer/songwriter and one-quarter of the former Canadian folk group, Moxy Früvous - is the newest Bob. His songs are original, moving, quirky and perfect for this band.
Soozi Schlanger (vocals, fiddle) is best known as the voice and fiddle that drives “Swamperella,” a traditional Cajun band with a devoted following and a strong CD offering. As one of the Betties, she sings old-time country and forties jazz with unstoppable conviction.
Suzie Vinnick (vocals, bass, guitar, and mandolin) is a multiple award-winner (for bass playing, songwriting and singing) including ten Maple Blues Awards, the 2011 Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Vocalist of the Year and a three-time JUNO nominee. With Betty and the Bobs, this talented multi-instrumentalist can play anyone’s part, but it’s her voice, a voice of spun honey and gold, and her original rendering of classic songs that knocks peoples’ socks off.
Katherine Wheatley (vocals, guitar) plays at folk clubs across Canada and in Europe and has released three CDs. Hailed by critics as “a truly Canadian original” and a songwriter with “an uncanny depth of observation”, she always comes up with gems for the band to perform and for the audience to sing along with.
David Woodhead (vocals, bass, mandolin) is best known for his creative instrumental work in the folk world, including recordings and/or performances with Perth County Conspiracy, Stan Rogers, Brent Titcomb, Valdy and Loreena McKennitt. In addition to producing albums and writing music for film and television, he’s released his own CD, Sweets and Conundrums. In Betty and the Bobs, David gets to expose a roots-ier side and do some lead vocals.
The Mariposa Folk Foundation’s 2018-19 Concert Series is sponsored by Alleycats Music & Art, Apple Annie’s Café, Bell Chiropractic and Soft Tissue Centre, Cathy Cleary Design, Dapper Depot, Dentistry on West, Downtown Computers, Hog ‘n Penny Pub, Lavender Hills Farm, Mariposa Market, The Bird House Nature Company; Tim Lauer, Sales Representative, Royal LePage Real Quest Realty; Wes Trinier and Wildflower Farm.
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