Richard Pepper's Recent Solo Gigs

Open Mic at The Foundry: Oct. 7/24

I sang three Dylan songs:

Man in the Long Black Coat, Highway 61 Revisited, and Make You Feel My Love.

Reviews: "I love me some harp playing." (or words to that effect) -- Host Tiina

"That was great!" - Adam (who seemed a touch tipsy, but hey ... )

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Oct. 3/24

My theme was songs covered by the Beatles in their early days:

Be-Bop-a-Lula (Vincent), 'Til There Was You (Willson), and I'm Going to Sit Right Down and Cry (Thomas/Biggs).

Review: "'Til There Was You" is one of my favourite songs. - Zach R

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Sept. 26/24

I sang all Dylan songs:

Man in the Long Black Coat, I Threw It All Away, Highway 61 Revisited, I Believe In You,
--------
Make You Feel My Love.

Highlight: The return of Stu.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Sept. 19/24

My theme was songs I had just learned:

Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World (U2), Mercy ( Chris Jonat), and Runaway Train/If You Could Read My Mind (Pirner/Lightfoot).

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Sept. 12/24

Because I was still recovering from a cold, I chose to sing short original songs:

Cowboy Lament, Bob From Nunavut, and The Biggest Toy.

Review: "Lovely" - Asha
Highlights: The return of Matteo,
A viola !,
John sang wedding song for Keri's birthday, despite the distraction of a strange guy who wanted to get up & jam with him.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Aug. 22/24

My theme was Beatles songs I sing in C, even though they weren't originally in that key:

I Will, Yesterday & Ob-la-di Ob-la-da.

Highlights: John P-W's daughters & niece singing "Flowers". The return of Bernie!!

Cambrian Players' Open House: Wed. Aug. 21/24

Along with others, I provided some background music:

Cal(i)purnia's Dreamin' (my parody) Three Little Birds/River of Babylon (Marley/Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton)), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), My Baby Loves a Bunch of Authors (Moxy Fruvous), Friends Theme/Smelly Cat, Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), Bird On the Wire (Cohen), Yesterday (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Idle), Farewell Shanty (verse 1).

Review: "My mother liked your music." - Cheryl S.

Photo by Thomas McDonald:

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Aug. 1/24

I sang 2 sets:

Campfire songs: Princess Pat, the Juicy Moose, & Kum Bay Ya.

2nd set: Best Day of My Life (American Authors), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), and Three Little Birds (Marley)/Rivers of Babylon.

Highlights: lots of former DBC campers there! But I sang Gitchigomee songs. One woman was singing and swaying to the Moose song.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: July 4

My theme was songs in a minor key played in 3rd position on harmonica (to prove to myself that I can, despite failing the previous two weeks):

Love Is Blindness (U2), Justice (Cockburn), and The Way (Scalzo).

Highlight: I succeeded.

Review: “I like your Phantom of the Opera cap.” - 2 women at 2 separate times.

The Heroes Unleashed event at The Brick: June 30/24

I sang:

Best Day of My Life (Barnett/Shelley/Sanchez/Rublin/Goodman/Accetta), Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), Wonderful Tonight (Clapton), Superman's Song (Roberts), With a Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney), Three Little Birds (Marley), The Rivers of Babylon (Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2), What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Arthur TV Theme (Henderson/de Villiers), Put a Little Love In Your Heart (De Shannon/Holiday/Myers), I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (Cook/Greenaway/Backer/Davis), and Stand By Me (King/Lieber/Stoller).

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: June 27/24

My theme was more "Day" songs:

Ruby Tuesday (Jagger/Richards), That'll Be the Day (Holly), and another attempt at The Way (Scalzo).

Highlight: We were on the patio. Better sound and atmosphere!

Lowlight: I still couldn't get the harmonica part right for The Way.

Another highlight was Cassidy taking a picture of David (Boy Roland) and me with an old-timey disposable camera. I can't show it here, because she'll have to take it to Film Factory & wait for a week.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: June 20/24

My theme was "Day":

A Hard Day's Night (Lennon/McCartney), A Routine Day (Woloschuk), and The Best Day of My Life (Barnett/Shelley/Sanchez/Rublin/Goodman /Accetta).
-------
Yesterday (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), and The Way (Salzo).

Highlight: Guy from Wisconsin pictured below with my guitar, said I had a great voice. Really?
Lowlights: I forgot to capo for The Way, and so my harmonica was the wrong key. I left my music binder behind. Another highlight: Today a PSW at Pioneer Ridge said she'd heard my song Free Stanley at open mic a while back, and really liked it! Wow. I didn't think people were listening!

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: June 13/24

My theme was love:

Put a Little Love in Your Heart (De Shannon/Holiday/Myers), I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (Cook/Greenaway/Backer/ Davis), and Wonderful Tonight (Clapton) by request for my brother visiting from Waterloo.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: June 6/24

I didn't have a theme:

The Way (Salzo), Superman's Song (Roberts), Complicated, (Lavigne/Christy/Spock/Edwards), and Theme From Arthur (Henderson/de Villiers).

Highlights: The Ken Song by John's niece! Two finales!!
Lowlight: I spilled my beer.

"Tour" With Pope John Paul 2nd School Choir: June 3/24

We performed at Pioneer Ridge Senior Home, and St. Martin's School.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: May 30/24

I sang:

St. James' Infirmary, Bob From Nunavut (Pepper), my Three Little Birds from Babylon Medley, and I’m Too Old (For the NHL) (Pepper). Later I sang With a Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney).

Review: I love that song. (A Little Help). - Zach

The Alzheimer's Society Walk For Memories: May 25/24

I sang (accompanied by Barb M on flute):

Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), Three Little Birds (Marley), The Rivers of Babylon (Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton), If I Had a Hammer (Hays/Seeger) With a Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney), Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), I'm Into Something Good (Goffin/King) I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) (Reid/Reid), Those Were the Days (Raskin), and The Hockey Song (Connors).

Review: "Here, have some pizza."

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: May 23/24

For Bob's birthday (the next day) I sang his song Señor.

Then I asked myself, "What would Bob want me to do?" Answer: sing my own songs.

So then I sang Acadia Dry, and Free Stanley.

Highlight: August leading sing-a-long "Part of Your World".

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer with Adrian: May 17/24

My theme was happy songs:

Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), We're Off You Know (Klaatu), Oxen & Wheelbarrows (Pepper), and Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney)

Photo by Sterling Finlayson:

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: May 9/24

I sang all-Dylan, all with harp (in 2 sets):

I Shall Be Released, Every Grain of Sand, Clothes Line Saga,
------------
One Too Many Mornings, and Rainy Day Women #12 & 35.

Highlights: The return of Stu, the return of Shan.

Review: "It's always nice to hear you perform." - Sara the Poet. Aw, shucks. Thanks.

Photo by Shan

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: May 2/24

My theme was Beer/Whisky:

Wasn't That a Party? (Paxton), Beer Glorious Beer/Here's to Good Ol' Whisky (Trad.?), and Tubthumping (Chumbawumba) accompanied by Kris.

Review: I liked your harmonica playing. - Paul (keyboardist in a group that played that night).

Sulkko Memorial Service at Gathering Table: Apr. 27/24

I was honoured to be asked to lead the music, mostly 60's folk songs:

If I Had a Hammer (Hays/Seeger), Blowin' In the Wind (Dylan), Amazing Grace (Newton), Anthem (Cohen), and We Shall Overcome (Ridley/Seeger).

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Apr. 18/24

My theme was "days gone by". I sang:

Yesterday (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), Delta Dawn (Larry Collins/Alex Harvey), and Those Were the Days (Gene Raskin).

Review: "That last one was fun!" - Mitch or Bernie or Matteo, I forget which.

Highlight: Nanaimo squares brought by Kris!!!

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Apr. 11/24

I sang three songs by Bruce Cockburn:

The Whole Night Sky, All the Ways I Want You, and Love Loves You Too.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Apr. 4/24

I sang Leonard Cohen songs:

Tower of Song, Everybody Knows, and Bird on the Wire.

Review: "Good performance." - Bobby

Highlight: Being called onstage by Rose to play harmonica on a jazzy song from the 30s. Diatonic C harp over C E7 A7 D7 G7, causing me to fear I'd hit clunkers over the accidentals. Just keep moving and it works.

Elizabeth Rex, play-reading at Cambrian Players: Mar. 30/24

I provided pre-show & interval music for Cambrian Players' Green Room reading of Elizabeth Rex. Songs are "Trad." unless otherwise stated:

Scarborough Fair, Greensleeves (Henricus Rex VIII?), Sigh! No More Ladies! (Shakespeare), Tiny Sparrow, How Should I Your True Love Know? (Shakspere), Where the Bee Sucks (Shaksper/Pepper), When That I Was And a Little Tiny Boy (Shakp), A Soalin', Barbara Allen, and Flout 'Em And Scout 'Em (Shakspear/Pepper).

FWIW I now have a tidy little set of Elizabethan-ish songs I can perform at your next Renaissance Party.

Manitoba Pioneer Camp Spring Celebration: Mar. 14 -16/24

Thu. Mar. 14 at St. Pierre Bible Fellowship I led In Christ Alone, and the next day at a similar event at Crossroads Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg during the offering I sang U2's I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, accompanying myself on the director's nylon string guitar.

Open Mic at Poetry Night at Branch 5 Legion: Sat. Mar. 9/24

I sang my original song Don't Be Afraid.

Review: "That song was just what I needed." - young lady who was very nervous about reading her poetry publicly.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Mar. 07/24

My theme was making songs count:

Count On Me (Mars), All Together Now (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), 1234 (Feist/Seltmann).

Bernie let me do one more. So I closed with One (U2).

Review: "Good set list." - guy at the bar. "You sounded fabulous!" - Zach's friend.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Feb. 29/24

My theme was "I Want You". I sang:

I Want You (Dylan), I Want You Back (Gordy/Perren/Mizell/Richards), and All I Want Is You (U2), closing with a fumbled instrumental quote from I Want You (She's So Heavy) (Lennon/McCartney).

Review: "I like your Homer Simpson jersey." -- several people.

This was the night that we had an early closing so that a young man could be taken home by his caregivers. He insisted on staying until it was over. So Bernie went from table to table and let us all know, he'd announce it was over, so they could take him home. Then we'd start again. However, John was singing at the time, and so he didn't get the memo, and was quite surprised.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Feb. 22/24

My theme was ... I forget:

I Forgot to Remember to Forget (Kesler/Feathers), Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone (Frew/Reid/Vallance), and Don’t You Forget About Me (Forsey/Schiff)

Review: "Great job, sir." - a guy who didn't look that much younger than me.

Note: I forgot the tune to the first song, on purpose, of course. ;)

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Feb. 16/24

My theme was "Call on, lean on, stand by me":

Lean On Me (Withers), You've Got a Friend (Carole King), and Stand By Me (Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger).

Review: "That was rad." - a guy at the bar.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Feb. 8/24

My theme was songs of dissatisfaction in E (major or minor)*:

Satisfaction (Jagger/Richards), Rocking In the Free World (Young), and We're Not Gonna Take It (Snyder).

* joined by Bernie on the cajón.

Highlight (for me): Sam playing Ghost Riders In the Sky.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Jan. 25/24

I sang:

My Old Friend the Blues (Earle), I'm Into Something Good (Mann/Weill), Doo Wah Diddy Doesn't Remind Me of Anything (Barry/Greenwich/Audioslave), Video Killed the Radio Star (Horn/Downes/Woolley), and Always Look On the Bright Side of Life (Idle).

Highlight: BGVs during Video Killed.

Also the fact that I knew 3 young people there from their times with me at 3 different summer camps.

Open Mic at Lakehead Beer: Jan. 11/24

My theme was (mostly) basic finger-picking:

Don't Let Me Down (LENNON/McCartney), Superman's Song (Roberts), Monsters In the Sky (Pepper), and Now and Then (Lennon).

Review: "You killed it." - random young guy (he might have been drunk).

Thu. Jan. 4/24: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang:

Piggies (Harrison), Now and Then (Lennon)*, Christmas Vacation (Mann, Weil)**, TV Show "Arthur" Theme (Henderson/de Villiers), and The Urban Spaceman (Innes).

* I usually do oldies, but this is a recent #1 !!

** At its end, I quoted Cousin Eddie, but no one seemed to get it

Tue. Dec. 19/23: Advent Mass For Pope John Paul II School at St. Pat's Cathedral

Taken by the school photographer from approximately where I stand to accompany the choir.

Thu. Dec. 14/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was Christmas:

Christmas Is All Around Me (from Love Actually), It's Christmas At Ground Zero (Yankovic), and The 12 Days of Christmas (McKenzie version).

Review: Not much applause for ... Ground Zero. Perhaps they were actually listening to the words.

Now I know why the McKenzies say their 12 Days ranks up there with Stairway to Heaven. They are both so freakin' long!

Thu. Nov. 9/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was Remembrance:

I'll Remember You (Dylan), Justice (Cockburn), Rosie the Riveter (Evans/Loeb), and Peace On Earth (U2).

This was taken by Shan R. who tried to get a good shot of me, and then gave up.

Thu. Nov. 9/23: Remembrance Day Service at Pope John Paul II School

I play guitar for the Pope John Paul II Senior Elementary School. For this service we did O Canada, Let It Be (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), You've Got a Friend (King), Count On Me (Mars), Rosie the Riveter (Evans/Loeb), and If I Had a Hammer (Seeger etc.).

Thu. Nov. 2/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was Clowns:

Send In the Clowns (Sondheim), Mr. Tambourine Man (Dylan), You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (LENNON/McCartney), I'll Be There For You (Willis/Crane/Kauffman/Solem/Wilde/Jay)*, Three Little Birds/Rivers of Babylon (Marley/Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton), and Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Lennon/MCCARTNEY).

Review: "Thank you for letting me use your music stand." - Zoe of Kyle & Zoe.

*In Memoriam Matthew Perry

Thu. Oct. 26/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was spooky/magical things:

Scooby-Doo/Buffy Themes Medley, Love Potion #9/The Witch Doctor (Lieber/Stoller/Bagdasarian), and Werewolves of London (Zevon/Marinell/Wachtel).

Review: "Your spooky tunes were awesome." - a young woman.

Highlights: When the crowd actually recognized my "campfire" version of "Buffy".

Shan & Sterling duets.

Thu. Oct. 19/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

Again my theme was songs we used to sing in the LU Agora from the little brown book(pictured):

Both Sides Now (Mitchell), Leaving On a Jet Plane (Denver), and Sunshine On My Shoulders (Denver/Kniss/Taylor).

Leaving... sounded good when John and Kris were singing along.

Thu. Oct. 12/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was songs we used to sing in LU Agora in the 70s from a little brown book:

Rich Man's Spiritual (Lightfoot), Mr. Bojangles (Walker), and Grandma's Feather Bed (Connor).

Review: "Great job" -- youngish couple as they were leaving.

Thu. Oct. 5/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang songs from the White Album ("The Beatles"): I Will (Paul), Revolution #9 (Excerpt) (John, some George & Yoko), Rocky Raccoon (Paul), The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill* (John), Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Paul, intro by John).

* A masterpiece up there with Strawberry Fields and Imagine.

I was going to be bring a copy of The White Album, but I showed them a picture instead.

Thu. Sept. 28/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang some originals:

Hurting Song, Peter Hart, Bob From Nunavut, and I'm Too Old (For the NHL).

Review: "Good show, man!" - some relatively young guy when I was on my way to get my free beverage.

Highlights: Bernie invited me to play harp in his set.

I invited myself to play harp in John's set (Copperhead Road), Two harp players (Shan and myself) in the finale, and "Blu Lemon", an instrumental blues/jazz/rock group.

Thu. Sept. 21/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang:

My Back Pages (Dylan), Wild Horses (Jagger/Richards), Superman's Song (Roberts), and Yesterday (Lennon/MCCARTNEY).

Review re. Superman's Song: "Any dummy can play that song." (No one said this, but someone should have.)

Thu. Sept. 7/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

There were not many performers, and so Bernie allowed me to sing six songs, out of desperation:

Seventy-Six Trombones (Willson), Over the Rainbow (Harburg/Arlen), The Light of the World (Schwartz/Schwartz), This Wheel's On Fire (Dylan/Danko), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), and Norwegian Wood (LENNON/McCartney).

Highlights: Frank who actually knows how to play harmonica,
New stage lights!

Sat. Sept. 3/23: Campfire at the Tonkens House

I came straight from improv (after 2100h), partway through the jam.

I sang:

The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Linda/Weiss), Three Little Birds/Rivers of Babylon (Marley/Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton), and Threw It All Away (Dylan).

Photo by Sterling before I arrived:

Highlight (for me): During the Lion/Babylon medley, John beside me was holding down the Reggae backbeat, and singing harmony, while Jules was drumming on the box, allowing me to really get into the singing.

Thu. Aug. 31/23: "Cheer's Open Mic" at Lakehead Beer

I sang:

Feed the Birds (Sherman/Sherman), Edelweiss (Rodgers/Hammerstein), and Every Grain of Sand (Dylan).

Thu. Aug. 24/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang 3 Dylan songs:

You Ain't Going Nowhere, Make You Feel My Love, and Forever Young.

Review: "That was dope." - a young lady in the audience re. my off-stage harmonica playing during Clay Breiland's set. I believe dope is a good thing, that is, the word is.

Thu. Aug. 3/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I saw this "long-haired freaky person" actually paying attention as I sang. It turned out to be Stu MacLean whom I knew when he was a staff-kid at Camp Gitchigomee. He performed an impressive set, including two originals featuring finger-picking.

I sang 3 Dylan songs:

I'll Remember You, All I Really Want to Do, and Threw It All Away.

But then my cheat-notes were blowin' in the wind, and so I sang from memory What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele).

Highlights: Stu.
Frank, a harp player who blows me away.
Various other new-to-me performers whose names I've forgotten.
The little boy who wanted to be part of every act, starting with John.

Sat. July 15/23: Campfire at the Tonkens House

I sang:

The Witch Doctor (Seville), Count On Me (Mars), Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Dylan), and Three Little Birds/Rivers of Babylon (Marley/ Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton).

Thu. July 6/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was originals:

Blowtorch Cat Blues, Caffeine (parody), Monsters in the Sky, and Before Dawn.

Highlights:
A one-eyed dog on their way to Toronto to start their own CBC show (apparently,
The return of Sterling, and
Jules on drums (making his Mom cry).

Thu. June 29/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was originals:

Laughter Heard Through the Wall, Underneath This Tree, Bob From Nunavut, and Don't Be Afraid.

Highlights: Bernie plays piano!
Debut of Jules and Maeve,
The young couple who sang oldies (including Dylan) with finger-picking,
Matteo had me play harmonica on Handle With Care,
Matteo's rendition of Oh, Pretty Woman*, and
Two harmonicists (see photo) on The Weight.

* Yes, you file it under O, not P.

Thu. June 22/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang (or attempted to):

Heart of Glass (Harry/Stein), Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Michael),* Karma Chameleon (O'Dowd/Hay/Craig/Moss/Pickett), and Istanbul Not Constantinople (Kennedy/Simon).

* I did not "hit that high".

Highlight: The return of Matteo.

Thu. June 15/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang a medley of excerpts of songs (in D):

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Love Me Tender, Don't Be Cruel, Where Is Your Heart?, If I Had a Hammer, Bad Moon Rising, and With a Little Help From My Friends.

Reviews:
One guy started clapping partway through, presumably meaning "This is great! Keep on singing!"
"Nice medley" - Bernie

Highlight: hug from drunk lady who bumped into me accidentally.

Thu. June 8/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I missed most of the event, as I was at Dress Rehearsal for the 10x10 Play Festival. However, they did let me play harmonica on the Finale (The Weight).

Unfortunately, I missed Katelin Middaugh's debut, but I was glad to have caught Tina Flack's set.

Thu. June 1/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was (mostly) folk songs (which are usually about death):

Danny Boy (Weatherly), John Henry (Trad.), I Can't Help Falling In Love With You* (Creatore/Weiss), and St. James Infirmary (Trad.)

* by request, and with BGVs.

Sat. May 27/23: The Alzheimer's Society Walk For Memories at Prince Arthur's Landing

I sang:

If You Could Read My Mind (Lightfoot), The End of the Line (The Traveling Wilburys), Karma Chameleon (O'Down/Hay/Craig/Moss/Pickett), Vincent (McLean), Medley in D: -- Three Little Birds (Marley), -- By the Rivers of Babylon ((Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton), -- What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), -- Don't Be Cruel (Blackwell), -- Love Me Tender (Darby/Poulton), -- The Lion Sleeps Tonight (The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Linda/Weiss), -- All I Want Is You (U2) -- With a Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney).

Thu. May 25/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

Because of Bob's birthday the day before, I sang all Dylan:

Love Minus Zero/No Limit, In the Summer Time, Subterranean Homesick Blues, I'll Remember You, Absolutely Sweet Marie, Simple Twist of Fate, and Rainy Day Women #12 & 35.

Sat. May 20/23: Open Mic Gang's Campfire at the Tonkens House

I sang:

When the Ship Comes In (Dylan), Echo Beach (Gane), and The End of the Line (Traveling Wilburys).

Highlight: AMPW singing "Flowers".

Thu. May 18/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was The Traveling Wilburys (who are mostly dead):

Handle With Care, Congratulations, Tweeter and the Monkey Man, and The End of the Line.

I was also invited to use my new harmonicas on "I Shall Be Released" by two hairy guys with guitars, and the Finale "The Weight" (E and A respectively).

Highlight: harmonicas that are not flat.

Thu. May 11/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was sad songs:

If You Could Read My Mind (Lightfoot), Softly Every Day (Pepper), and Vincent (McLean).

Highlights: Bernie's anniversary song.
Jenn's first time on-stage at this venue.

Thu. May 4/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was (mostly) Gordon Lightfoot songs:

Did She Mention My Name?, Black Day in July, and Rich Man's Spiritual.

2nd Set by "popular" request*:

Sundown, In the Early Morning Rain, and Puff the Magic Dragon (Lipton/Yarrow).

Review: *"We want Pepper!" -- Big John.

Photo by John P-W. "Richard in a nutshell":

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

Thu. Apr. 27/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang:

The Theme From Friends (Willis/Crane/Kauffman/Solem/Wilde/Jay), Sweet Caroline (Diamond), and Tubthumping (Chumbawumba).

Review: Half the room cleared out while I sang Sweet Caroline, including people I know.

Thu. Apr. 20/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang:

As Tears Go By (Jagger/Richards), Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), If I Had a Hammer (Hays/Seeger), and What a Wonderful World (Cooke).

2nd Set!!:

Her Majesty (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), Bob From Nunavut (Pepper), For What It's Worth (Stills), Edelweiss (Rodgers/Hammerstein), and Que Sera Sera (Livingston/Evans).

I also joined in the Finale: The Weight on harmonica, which went better than I expected.

Review: "Ba ba ba ba." Andrea D. during Happy Together.

Thu. Apr. 13/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

I sang:

Smelly Cat (Chase/Borns/Kudrow), Rock and Roll Song (Valdy), We're Not Going to Take It (Snyder), and Medley: Three Little Birds (Marley)/ Rivers of Babylon (Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton)/ The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Linda/Weiss).

Open Mic Tip: How to play 6 songs -- include a medley.

Sat. Apr. 8/23: Gathering Table Easter Vigil

I led the singing. We started outside the building & moved inside gradually turning on the lights as we entered. Then I took my place and led the songs.

Thu. Apr. 6/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was songs I sing at Senior Homes:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), I Can't Help Falling in Love With You (Creatore/Weiss), and (believe it or not) Satisfaction (Jagger/Richards).

Highlights: "The Jordanaires" sang along. Olivia on violin.

My closing comment: Keith also plays his guitar out of tune.

Thu. Mar. 30/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was songs by Bruce Cockburn that I can actually play:

Justice, Anything Can Happen, and Tie Me At the Crossroads When I Die.

Review: Hey, may I borrow your guitar? (See collage by Kris.)

Thu. Mar. 23/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was my birthday (later that week). I sang:

When I'm 64 (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), Birthday (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), and In My Life (LENNON/McCartney).

Review: Nice job -- a guy passing by.

Thu. Mar. 9/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was songs by U2:

Love Is Blindness, All I Want Is You, and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.

Highlight: Sterling singing I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It.

Photo by Kris.

Sun. Mar. 5/23: Gathering Table Church Service

As substitute preacher for Gathering Table, I included two of my songs: The Man Who Died For You, and Micah 6:8.

Thu. Feb. 23/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was songs by Leonard Cohen:

Bird On the Wire, Tower of Song, Anthem, So Long Marianne, and Dance Me to the End of Love.

And NOT Hallelujah!

In honour of Leonard deigned to wear a Montreal jersey.

Tue. Feb. 21/23: Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper For Gathering Table Church

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Brimhall/Weiss/Theile), Que Sera Sera ( ), Bird On the Wire (Cohen), Anthem (Cohen), Love Rescue Me (U2), Put a Little Love in Your Heart (De Shannon/Holiday/Myers), All You Need Is Love (LENNON/McCartney), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), and Tower of Song (Cohen).

Set 2:

Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), The Big Bang Theory (BNL), Norwegian Wood (LENNON/McCartney), Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), and Both Sides Now (Mitchell).

Review: No one "stood up and walked out on me".

Thu. Feb. 16/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was love:

Love Rescue Me (U2), Put a Little Love in Your Heart (De Shannon/Holiday/Myers), and All You Need Is Love (LENNON/McCartney),

Highlight: My Cheers Gang horn section during "All You Need Is Love".

Thu. Feb. 9/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was songs that are to make you laugh at me:

Gimme Some Money (Spinal Tap), Cowboy Lament (Pepper), and (Always Look On) The Bright Side of Life (Idle).

Review: You look like Valdy - Bernie.

Thu. Feb. 2/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme this week was original Pepper songs:

Laughter Heard Through the Wall, I'm Too Old (For the NHL), and Don't Be Afraid.

Photo by Melissa's sister, Miranda of F#m during "Don't Be Afraid":

Jan. 19/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was the 90s:

In the Garage (Cuomo), All-Star (Camp), and Make You Feel My Love (Dylan).

Review: "Good set." - Matteo

Photos by KC Westfort.

Jan. 26/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was Beatles songs sung by Ringo:

With a Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney), I Wanna Be Your Man (Lennon/McCartney), Don’t Pass Me By (Starkey), and Yellow Submarine (Lennon/McCartney).

Review: "Great job." - Some guy who looked way younger than a Boomer.

Highlight: The return of John #1.

Photo by KC Westfort:

Jan. 12/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was hockey:

The Hockey Song (Connors), Free Stanley (Pepper), I Wanna Drive the Zamboni (Gear Daddies), and Nobody Talks (Pepper).

Jan. 5/23: Open Mic at Lakehead Beer

My theme was TV:

Scooby-Dooby-Doo/Scooby-Scooby-Doo/Buffy Medley, Hey Hey We're the Monkees! (Boyce/Hart), The Big Bang Theory (BNL), and "Encore": Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney).

Highlight: The return of Kris's voice.

Lowlight: I flubbed the lyrics to Eight Days, but no one could hear me over all the screaming girls anyway.

Thu. Dec. 1/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang at Lakehead Beer Open Mic Night

I sang:

Caffeine (parody of JJ Cale's Cocaine), Blowtorch Cat Blues (Pepper), Bob From Nunavut (Pepper), and Clothes Line Saga (Bob).

My theme was Blues in E.

Highlight: Return to live open mic.
Lowlight: Kris, our leader, had lost her voice.

Tue. Nov. 22/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam

I sang:

Motorpsycho Nitemare - this week's lesser-known Bob song, You're So Vain (Simon), Joy to the World (Axton), I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Whitfield/Strong), Taking Care of Business (Bachman), and Big Wind (Terry/McGhee).

Tue. Nov. 8/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam

I sang:

Subterranean Homesick Blues* - this week's lesser-known Bob song, Werewolves of London (Zevon/Marinell/Wachtel), (Ghost) Riders in the Sky (Stan Jones), Karma Chameleon (O'Dowd/Hay/Craig/Moss/Pickett), El Condor Pasa (Simon), and You Are the Light of the World (Schwartz).

*I might have fumbled some of the words.

Sat. Sept. 17/22: Alzheimer's Society Duck Race* at Trowbridge Falls

* no race due to high/fast water; so the winning ducks were just drawn.

I sang:

A Hard Day's Night (Lennon/McCartney) with Jim 'n' I*, Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), Put a Little Love in Your Heart (De Shannon/Holiday/Myers), Scooby Doo/Buffy Medley, Hey Hey We're the Monkees (Boyce/Hart), I'm a Believer (Diamond), With a Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney), Blowin' in the Wind (Dylan), and What a Wonderful World (Brimhall/Weiss/Theile).

Review: No one "stood up and walked out on me".

* or with Jim 'n' Me if you prefer to be grammatically correct.

Mon. Sept. 12/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang (2 of us) Campfire

I sang:

Open the Door, Homer* - this week's lesser-known Bob song, The Phony King of England (Harris), Let It Rain (Clapton/Bramlett), Peter Hart (Pepper), Underneath This Tree (Pepper), Refugee (Petty/Campbell), Empty Places (Pepper), and There Goes a Cigar Smoking a Man (Gary S. Paxton).

*Dylan & The Band actually sing "Richard", not "Homer".

Highlight: Kris sang several of her own early songs, which I've never heard before.

Pic by Kris.

Mon., Sept. 5/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Campfire

I sang:

Tell Me That It Isn't True - this week's lesser-known Bob song, 9 to 5 (Parton), Back in the USSR (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), Spanish Is the Loving Tongue (Charles Badger Clark), We Shall Overcome (Tindley/Seeger), and Good Night (Lennon/McCartney).

Review: A string broke during "Back in the USSR". A sign?

Vid by Kris.

Mon. Aug. 29/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Campfire Sans Fire

I sang:

You Ain't Going Nowhere - this week's lesser-known Bob song, In the Summertime - another even-lesser-known Bob song, I Wanna Be Your Man (Lennon/McCartney), Rocking in the Free World (Young), and Satisfaction (Jagger/Richards).

Review: "Here. Have some cucumbers." - Kris (Thank you.)

Photo by Kris (obviously):

Sun. July 24/22: for Gathering Table (Camp Sunday)

For some reason the video starts partway throug the opening song, and then ends halfway through the service.

I led:

Pre-Service: The Steadfast Love of the LORD (Daniel) -- not seen, Lord, I Lift Your Name on High (Founds), Jesus Loves Me (alt.) (Warner), Man Gave Names to All the Animals (Dylan) -- not seen, You Are My All in All (Jernigan) -- not seen, and Day Is Done (Horace Lorenzo Trim) -- not seen.

Tue. July 12/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Campfire

I sang:

Just Like Tom Thumb Blues - this week's lesser-known Bob song, Called Me Back (Cockburn), Get Back (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), My Old Friend the Blues (Earle), I'll Remember You (Dylan), and The Safety Dance (Doroschuk).

And at some point I sang Blueberry Hill (Domino).

Highlight: First-time performance by a new participant.

Sun. July 10/22: Song-Leading for Gathering Table

Tue., July 5/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Campfire

I sang:

Do Right To Me, Baby - this week's lesser-known Bob song, Strength (The Alarm), Complicated (Lavigne), Congratulations (DYLAN/Harrison/Lynne/Orbison/Petty), Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), and Feed the Birds (Sherman/Sherman).

Mon., June 20/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Campfire

I sang:

What Was It You Wanted? - this week's lesser-known Bob song, I Will Survive (Fekaris/Pemen), Cal(i)purina Dreamin' (Pepper Parody), Best Day of My Life (Barnett/Shelley/Sanchez/Rublin/Goodman/Accetta), Helter Skelter (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), and As Tears Go By (Jagger/Richards).

Review: "Woo woo woo" - Kris, during Best Day of My Life.

Performer pix from vid by Kris. I took the one of the audience.

Thu., June 16/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Campfire

I sang:

Tombstone Blues - this week's lesser-known Bob song, Sweet Caroline (Diamond), True Colours (Steinberg/Kelly), and Hava Nagila (Trad.).

Highlight: Four Bob songs were sung: Tombstone Blues, Down Along the Cove, Forever Young, and Wagon Wheel (the chorus).

Sat. June 11/22: Wedding of Melissa (Tempelman) and Michael Hinsperger @ Urban Abbey

I was honoured to accompany Austen Finlay in Lean On Me (Withers), and Maranda Dumas in I Get to Love You (Ruelle).

Photo by Greg Ribotto.

Mon., June 6/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Campfire

I sang:

Shelter From the Storm - this week's lesser-known Bob song, Que Sera Sera (Livingston/Evans), Ring of Fire (Carter/Kilgore), With a Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney), Monsters in the Sky (Pepper), Three Little Birds/The Rivers of Babylon (Marley/Dowe/Farian/Reyam/McNaughton), Handle With Care (Harrison/Dylan/Petty/Lynne/Orbison), and Hallelujah (Cohen).

Highlight: Ice cream sammiches!!

Photo by Kris Tonkens:

Wed., May 11/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam ... on the Back Deck!!

I sang:

Everything Is Broken - this week's lesser-known Bob song, My Baby Loves a Bunch of Authors (Moxy Fruvous), Purple Haze (Hendrix), Down on the Corner (Fogerty), and So Long Marianne (Cohen).

Highlight: Mushroom tacos by Kris!!

Thu., Apr. 28/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam

I sang:

Lenny Bruce - this week's lesser-known Bob song, Beds Are Burning (Garrett/Moginie/Hirst), You Can't Always Get What You Want (Jagger/Richards), and Goodnight Irene (Ledbetter).

Highlight: Choir voices on the keyboards during YCAGWYW.

Thu., Apr. 21/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam:

I sang:

All Along the Watchtower - this week's well-known Bob song, often misattributed to Jimi. Wonderful Tonight (Clapton), A Routine Day (Woloschuk), and The Drinking Song (Moxy Fruvous).

Highlight: "What song is this?" - SF (You had to be there.)

Sun. April 10/22: Song-Leading for Gathering Table's Palm Sunday:

Guitar is sometimes too loud.

Wed. Apr. 6/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam

I sang:

I Don't Believe You - this week's lesser-known Bob song, Unchained (Johnstone), Caldonia (Jordan), Wasn't That a Party! (Paxton), and Bright Side of Life (Idle).

Thu. Mar. 31/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam

I sang:

Heart of Mine - this week's lesser-known Bob song, When the Night Feels My Song (Malinowski/Pengelly/Sinclair), and Lean on Me (Withers).

Highlight: When John 2 Rick-rolled us.

Thu. Mar. 24/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam

I sang:

Heart of MineWith God On Our Side - this week's lesser-known Bob song, Heart of MineI Never Cry (Cooper), Heart of MinePeggy Sue (Holly), Heart of MineSpiders and Snakes (Stafford), and Doin' It Right (Powder Blues Band).

Highlight: Wings and pizza thanks to KC!!

Tue. Mar. 8/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Jam

I sang:

It Takes a Lot to Laugh; It Takes a Train to Cry (Dylan), We're Off You Know (Woloschuk/Long), The End of the Line (Traveling Wilburys), and You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (LENNON/McCartney).

Wed., Feb. 2/22: Cheer's Gang On-Line Open Mic

I sang:

Pledging My Time - this week’s lesser known Bob song, Love Is Blindness (U2), Wake Me Up Before You Go Go (Michael), Speak Softly Love (Kusik/Rosa), and Farewell to Nova Scotia (Trad.).

Highlight: John Jr. played all his songs on the kalimba.

Tue., Jan. 25/22: Cheer's Open Mic Gang On-Line Jam

I sang:

Cold (Pepper), Flip Flop and Fly (Turner), The Wanderer (Maresca), Things Have Changed - This week’s lesser known Bob song, and Love Rescue Me (U2).

Tue., Jan. 18/22: The Cheer’s Gang Back on-Line Again Open Mic

I sang:

One (U2), Love Stinks (Geils), As Tears Go By (Jagger/Richards), and Hwy 61 Revisited (Dylan).

Tip: At an open mic, remember to “open” your mic.

Sun., Jan. 2/22: Lessons and Carols at Gathering Table

I sang the carols, accompanying myself on guitar.

Wed., Dec. 22/21: Alzheimers Society Christmas Social on Zoom

I sang:

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Trad.), Jingle Bell Rock (Lanning/Beale/Boothe), The Christmas Song (Torme), White Christmas (Berlin), I'll Be Home For Christmas (Gannon/Kent/Ram), Stille Nacht/Silent Night (Mohr/Grueber), The Little Drummer Boy (Orante/Simeone), Please Come Home For Christmas (Brown), Blue Christmas (Hayes/Johnson), Cantique de Noel (De Roquemaure/Dwight/Adam),* Good King Wenceslas (Svoboda/Neale/Trad.),* Deck the Halls (Trad.), Angels We Have Heard On High (Trad.), O Little Town of Bethlehem (Brooks/Redner), Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Martin/Blane), and We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Me a Figgy Pudding (Trad.).

* by request.

Review: "Fantastic" (Someone in the Zoom chat).

I had fun, but I did not get any figgy pudding.Then it began to rain.

Tue. Dec. 14/21: Cheer's Open Mic Gang Indoor Distanced Campfire Jam Sans Campfire

I sang:

Must Be Santa (Moore/Fredericks), Surfing Safari (Wilson), The One After 909 (Lennon/McCartney), The Christmas Song (Torme), and I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day (Longfellow/Marks).

Highlight: Jules' drumming on Dance Monkey.

Tue. Dec. 14/21: Pope John Paul II School's Advent Play

I played guitar for these recording sessions over a period of lunch hours at Pope John Paul II School

Tue., Dec. 22, 2020: Cheer's Open Mic Jam at Kris's

Please note that this jam as all the others below in the Green, Yellow, or Orange stages followed the Covid protocols (big space, distancing, fewer than 10, sometimes fewer than 5, hand san, pre & post cleaning of the room).

I sang Snoopy's Christmas (Weiss/Creatore/Peretti), Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (Marks), Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Martin/Blane), Stille Nacht/Silent Night (Mohr/Grueber), I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Marks), Cry of a Tiny Babe (Cockburn), Coventry Carol (Trad.), and Jingle Bell Rock (Lanning/Beal/Boothe).

Group Jams: Happy Xmas/War Is Over (Lennon/Ono), and Country Roads (Denver).

Well, because all 4 of us did Winter/Christmas songs, they were pretty much all jams.

Tue., Dec. 15, 2020: Cheer's Open Mic Jam at Kris's

I sang Christmas Is All Around (Reg Presley/Curtis), Man in the Long Black Coat (Dylan), Things We Said Today (Lennon/McCartney), All I Want Is You (U2), "Campfire: Version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Theme (Nerfherder), All I Really Want to Do (Dylan), and Gabriel's Message (Trad.).

Group Jams: Happy Xmas/War Is Over (Lennon/Ono), and Country Roads (Denver).

Dec. 12/20: Jam With Friends

Not really a gig, just a jam session in Urban Abbey's basement with Brian Dunn, Darren Foulds, Robin Harbron, and Tim Lappala.

I led us in the following:

Man in the Long Black Coat (Dylan), What Do You Think of Me, Jesus? (Pepper), and Laughter Heard Through the Wall (Pepper).

This was also a late birthday party for Brian (and his new grandson).

Review: "Shut up and play the song!" -- Shroom.

Tue., Dec. 8, 2020: Cheer's Open Mic Jam at Kris's

The Fortieth Anniversary of John Lennon's death.

I sang Strawberry Fields Forever (LENNON/McCartney), The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (Dylan), Tower of Song (Cohen), The Hockey Song (Connors), and Revolution (LENNON/McCartney).

Group Jams: The Stage (Tonkens), Happy Xmas/War Is Over (Lennon/Ono), and Country Roads (Denver).

Tue., Dec. 8, 2020: "Should I Stay Because of Snow?"

My contribution to the "Come Play With Me TBay" 12 Days Countdown to Christmas:

Tue., Feb. 25, 2020: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic & Song-Writing Contest

Collage by Kris Tonkens

Congratulations to Emily who was the well-deserved winner of the Cheer's Song-Writing Contest on Tuesday. I played my entry Cold on the piano!

As part of the Open Mic I sang my songs Bob From Nunavut, Acadia Dry, Free Stanley, and (by request) Nobody (and I mean Nobody) Talks During Coaches Corner.

Review: "You must have been told before that you sound like Randy Bachman." [!!!] - a patron *

Collage by Kris Tonkens

*or did he say Burton Cummings?

Tue., Feb. 18, 2020: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

Photo by Kris Tonkens

I sang Laughter Heard Through the Wall (Pepper), I'm Too Old (For the NHL) (Pepper), Life Is Good (Pepper), and What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele).

Later I sang The Hockey Song (Connors), Gimme Some Money (Spinal Tap), I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Lennon/MCCARTNEY). and Yesterday (Lennon/MCCARTNEY)

Later I sang I'll Remember You (Dylan), I Shall Be Released (Dylan), Dance Me to the End of Love (Cohen), Bird on a Wire (Cohen), and Mothers of the Disappeared/40/Still Haven't Found... (U2).

Then Kris and I closed the evening with Let It Be (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), and Country Roads (Denver).

Sat., Feb. 15, 2019: Open Mic Comedy Night & Weird Al Karaoke Night @ The Fastlane

I was asked to be the closer, and so I sang my Sound Check Song, Caffeine, Calpurnia Dreamin', You're In Love (With Your Smart Phone), and Bob From Nunavut.

Review - "Please scratch me behind my ears." - Karen*

- "Sing some Ed Sheeran" - Crystal**

* Carole's chihuahua
** someone yelling from the bar.

Tue., Feb. 11, 2020: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

Collage by Kris Tonkens

I sang Lennon McCartney's Eight Days a Week, Yellow Submarine, and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.

Later I sang my own Bob From Nunavut, Hurting Song, and (yes) Love Makes Me Barf.

Review: "Me, too." - Emily (re. Loves Make Me Barf).

Collage by Kris Tonkens

Tue., Feb. 4, 2020: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

Collage by Kris Tonkens

I sang from the 90s (the 1890s): The Band Played On (Palmer/Ward), The Sidewalks of New York (Blake/Lawlor), and In My Merry Oldsmobile (Bryan/Edwards), and then my own Right Side of the Grass.

Later I sang Lennon/McCartney's Girl, Michelle, and Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, and You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (with "Hey"s by John & Larry in the crowd).

Review: "Good job with the Beatles songs. - Henry (whose parents were from Liverpool).

Collage by Kris Tonkens

Tue., Jan. 28, 2020: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

Collage by Kris Tonkens

I sang Caffeine, A (Relatively) True Story, and Old Man (Young).

Later I sang 3 Dylan songs: Every Grain of Sand, Forever Young, and Make You Feel My Love.

Review: "'Old Man' needs work." - me.

Collage by Kris Tonkens

Tue., Jan. 21, 2020: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

Collage by Kris Tonkens

I sang Acadia Dry, Anglo Saxon, and Right Side of the Grass.

Later I sang St. James Infirmary (Trad.), I Threw It All Away (Dylan), For No One (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), and Monsters in the Sky.

Finally I sang With a Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney), All I Want Is You (U2), and Across the Universe (LENNON/McCartney).

Review: "Whoo!" - someone in the crowd.

Tue., Jan. 14, 2020: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

Collage by Kris Tonkens

I sang Cowboy Lament (Pepper), The Urban Spaceman (by the "recently late" Neil Innes), and The Biggest Toy.

Later I sang Integrity, Before Dawn, Mothers of the Disappeared (U2), and Let It Be (Lennon/MCCARTNEY).

Tue., Jan. 7, 2020: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

Collage by Kris Tonkens

I sang You're In Love (With Your Smart Phone) (Pepper), I'm Too Old For the NHL (Pepper), and Tower of Song (Cohen).

I didn't stay long because I was getting sick, and I ached in the places where I used to play.

Tue., Dec. 24, 2019: Christmas Eve at Gathering Table

I sang Bruce Cockburn's Cry of a Tiny Babe. (In this picture I am actually singing a stanza of the self-contradictory Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence).

Mon., Dec. 23, 2019: Surprise Mini Concert in Wal*Mart

At the Sally Anne kettle, Don was taking a break, and invited me to use his guitar. I played Deck the Halls, Rudolph, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Joy to the World, Silent Night, and Jingle Bells.

Sat., Dec. 21, 2019: Open Mic Comedy Night & Variety Show @ The Fastlane

I sang It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Easter and my parody of Let It Go. I know the tune to the latter was "approximate" -- so as to avoid trouble with those scary Disney lawyers. ;)

Review: "It's time for Karaoke!!!!" (while I sang).

Tue., Dec. 17, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I sang my parodies: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Easter, Let It Grow, and Check the Malls, followed by Don't Be Afraid.

Later I sang It's a Wonderful World (Thiele/Weiss), Bird on a Wire (Cohen), Cry of a Tiny Babe (Cockburn), and When I'm Sixty-Four (Lennon/MCCARTNEY).

Then I joined Kris in Happy Xmas/War Is Over (Lennon/Ono), I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas (John Rox), Silent Night (Mohr/Grueber), Auld Lang Syne (Burns), and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Martin/Blane).

Review: "You have a wonderful voice." - Stan (to Kris).

Tue., Dec. 10, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I sang Bob From Nunavut, Give It 110%, and my mashup of Should I Stay or Should I Go? with Let It Snow.

Review: "Hey, remember that week you sang all those Beatles songs? That was good. :) " - K.C.

Tue., Dec. 3, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I sang Caffeine, The Blowtorch Cat Blues, and NOBODY Talks During Coaches Corner (with epilogue). Later I sang Lennon/McCartney's Things We Said Today, and I Will, and joined in (on harmonica) the finale: Country Roads (Denver).

Review: "You didn't write that Coaches Corner song, did you?" - Steve.

Tue., Nov. 26, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I sang 3 Dylan songs: When the Ship Comes In, This Wheel's On Fire, and Make You Feel My Love. I also sang (with much harmony from the crowd) Lennon/McCartney's With a Little Help From My Friends, and Yesterday.

Tue., Nov. 19, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I wasn't able to sing, as my voice hadn't recovered yet from my cold, but I did join Kris and her dad, Ian (visiting from Oakville) on harmonica for a couple of songs.

Tue., Oct. 29, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I sang My Sound Check Song, Caffeine, Bob From Nunavut, Nobody Talks (During Coaches Corner), You're In Love (With Your Smart Phone), I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/McCartney), and Girl (Lennon/McCartney).

Later I sang: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For* (U2), The Blowtorch Cat Blues, Norwegian Wood (LENNON/McCartney), '69 - '74, Let It Be* (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), and Country Roads* (Denver).

* along with Kris.

Review: "You did an awesome job." - Hipster Dude

Tue., Oct. 22, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I sang Nobody Talks (During Coaches Corner), Black Fly (Hemsworth), and my new Closing Song. Later I sang three Beatles' songs sung &/or written by Ringo Starr: With a Little Help From My Friends, Octopus's Garden, and Yellow Submarine -- and finally There's a Tavern/Beer Barrel Polka for Stan.

Tue., Oct. 15, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I sang I'm Too Old (For the NHL), You're in Love With Your Smart Phone, and Nobody Talks During Coaches Corner. Then I sang three Beatles' songs: Across the Universe, Norwegian Wood, and Yesterday. Finally I sang a U2 Medley: 40, I Still Haven't Found..., and All I Want is You.

Review: I could hear the choir in your voice. - KCDC (during Across the Universe? The Phil Spector Wall of Sound?)

Tue., Oct. 8, 2019: Cheer's The Village Pub Open Mic

I sang Caffeine, Free Stanley, and Nobody Talks (During Coaches Corner). Then I sang some Lennon/McCartney: I�ve Just Seen a Face, Things We Said Today, and I Will for John because he likes them, but he wasn�t there.

Not THAT John.

Sat., Oct. 5, 2019: Comedy Open Mic @ the Fastlane

I sang Sound Check Song, Nobody Talks (During Coaches Corner), and Free Stanley.

Review: one of the women in the bachelorette party laughed the first time I sang the line �Don't ever talk during Coaches Corner".

Mon. July 16, 2018: R.S.V.P at West Thunder Rec Centre

I sang my new(ish) songs The Biggest Toy and What Do You Think of Me Jesus?.

Review: "I really liked your sound check song." - Val Miller (professional musician).

During registration time I sang What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), What a Wonderful World (Cooke), Can't Help Falling In Love With You (Peretti/Creatore/Weiss), Edelweiss (Rodgers/Hammerstein), Don't Be Cruel (Blackwell), If I Had a Hammer (Hays/Seeger), Mellow Yellow (Donovan), Bird on a Wire (Cohen), Monsters in the Sky (Pepper), Don't Be Afraid (Pepper), Cowboy Lament (Pepper), Bob From Nunavut (Pepper), Caffeine (Parody of JJ Cale), One More Cup of Coffee (Dylan), Van Diemen's Land (U2), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), For What It's Worth (Stills), Both Sides Now (Mitchell), Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), and I Will (Lennon/MCCARTNEY).

During the walk I busked by the path: Hallelujah (Cohen), The Rivers of Babylon (Dowe/Farian/Reyam, McNaughton), Three Little Birds (Marley), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), Gimme Some Money (Spinal Tap), At This Moment (Vera), Can't Help Falling In Love With You (Peretti/Creatore/Weiss), My Back Pages (Dylan), and I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/MCCARTNEY).

The order of songs is approximate.

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), Three Little Birds (Marley), The House of the Rising Sun (Trad.)*, I'm a Believer (Diamond), For What It's Worth (Stills), Don't Be Afraid (Pepper), Girl (LENNON/McCartney), The Hockey Song (Connors), Both Sides Now (Mitchell), Saving Grace (Dylan), Happy Together (Bonner/Gordon), I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), What a Wonderful World (Cooke), King of the Road (Miller), Little Sister (Pomus/Shuman), Let It Be (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), I'll Remember You (Dylan), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), The Unicorn Song (Silverstein), Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Lennon/MCCARTNEY), Annie's Song (Denver/Tchaikovsky), Country Roads (Denver), Follow Me (Denver), Leaving on a Jet Plane (Denver)**, and Van Diemen's Land (U2).

Review: "May I play your guitar?" - Brayden

* Yes, I did tack on a verse of Amazing Grace.
** Yes, I did sing "heaving" in the final chorus.

As part of the Brodie St. Library's "Shetland Tea Murder Mystery" (written by Ann Cleeves), I (as young stoner "Andy Hay") sang Loch Lomond, In Heaven There'll Oonly Bae Bagpipes, and Cowboy Lament.

I sang:

Mainstage (as people registered):

Folsom Prison Blues (Cash), [sound check while train passed], You're In Love (Pepper), Cowboy Lament (Pepper), Caffeine (my parody of JJ Cale's "Cocaine"), Calpurnia Dreaming (my parody of Mamas & Papas' "California..."), I'm Too Old for the NHL (Pepper), What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), If I Had a Hammer (Hays/Seeger), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), Hurting Song (Pepper), In Heaven There'll Only Bae Bagpipes (Pepper), Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Lennon/McCartney), Bob From Nunavut (Pepper), Monsters in the Sky (Pepper), I'll Remember You (Dylan), and Don't Be Afraid (Pepper).

Busking During the Walk:

Things We Said Today (Lennon/McCartney), Jambalaya (Williams), Hallelujah (Cohen), Blowing in the Wind (Dylan), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), All I Want Is You (U2), and Let It Be (Lennon/McCartney).

Review: "We have Richard Pepper AND some excellent musicians." The M.C.

Photo by Lisa Klymenko

I sang:

Integrity (Pepper), Tower of Song (Cohen), and Little One (Pepper).

It was great to see friends, Bedford Level Experiment, and Neil Burke perform as well.

I sang:

Caffeine, You're In Love, I'm Too Old (For the NHL), Monsters in the Sky, and Benediction.

I also played guitar for a young lady who sang House of the Rising Sun. Afterwards, I thought maybe I could be the House band.

As a guest of "Country Rose" I sang my songs: Psalm 92 and With All My Heart.

Review: "Lovely" (One of the ladies).

I sang Psalm 92.

Review: "That will never be found in any hymn or chorus book." - Larry Mutcher, the Chairman that morning.

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Yellow Submarine (Lennon/McCartney) Dance Me to the End of Love (Cohen), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), Leaving on a Jet Plane (Denver), I Threw It All Away (Dylan), At This Moment (Vera), You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (Lennon/McCartney), and I'm Gonna Be (Proclaimers).

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Mystery (Cockburn), Tie Me at the Crossroads (Cockburn), and All I Want Is You (U2).

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Jam Session: Folsom Prison Blues (Cash), Further On Up the Road, and Three Little Birds (Marley).

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Three Little Birds (Marley), Blowing in the Wind (Dylan), Let It Be (Lennon/McCartney), Route 66 (Troup), If I Had a Hammer (Hays/Seeger), and Dance Me to the End of Love (Cohen),

(Break for Spaghetti and Meatballs)

All I Want Is You (U2), For No One (Lennon/McCartney), Yellow Submarine (Lennon/McCartney), Man Gave Names to All the Animals (Dylan), Just a Closer Walk With Thee (Anon), Tie Me at the Crossroads (Cockburn), and Bird on a Wire (Cohen).

Review: I don't know if toddler Katy liked it or not. She came up close to listen, but then took my pick & wouldn't give it back.

I sang Benediction.

Review: "That was too short." - "Aunt Vivian" (I'd rather hear that than the opposite.)

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Country Roads (Denver), This Wheel's on Fire (Dylan/Danko), When the Ship Comes In (Dylan), Annie's Song (Denver/Tchaikovsky), Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Dylan), Saving Grace (Dylan), Take It Easy (Browne/Frey), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), and Dance Me to the End of Love (Cohen).

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Jambalaya (Williams), Dance Me to the End of Love (Cohen), If It Be Your Will (Cohen), Like a Bird on a Wire (Cohen), Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Lennon/McCartney), Drive My Car (Lennon/McCartney), I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/McCartney), El Shaddai (Thompson/Card). Country Roads (Denver), Leaving on a Jet Plane (Denver).

(Break for Soup)

Forever Young (Dylan), Folsom Prison Blues (Cash), Let It Be (Lennon/McCartney),

Review: "Sing some John Denver!" - Donna

I sang:

Angels We Have Heard on High, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Early on One Christmas Morn, Silent Night (Stille Nacht), A Holly Jolly Christmas, What Child Is This?, O Come, All Ye Faithful, Go Tell It on the Mountain, Jingle Bells, White Christmas, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, The Twelve Days of Christmas, So Many Years Ago (Pepper), Deck the Halls, The Christmas Song (Chestnuts...), Away in a Manger, The Angel Gabriel, In the Bleak Midwinter, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

As a guest of "Country Rose", I sang So Many Years Ago and The Man Who Died For You.

Review: "Come, join us for pizza!" (Country Rose)

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Three Little Birds (Marley), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), Folsom Prison Blues (Cash), Let It Be (Lennon/McCartney), I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/McCartney), I'm Gonna Be (The Proclaimers), Teach Your Children Well (CSN&Y), The Hockey Song (Connors), Jingle Bells (Pierpont), and Silent Night/Stille Nacht (Mohr/Grueber).

(Break for Turkey a la King)

For Brian & Donna: El Shaddai (Thompson/Card).

Review: [tears] (Donna). (Was it that bad!?)

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Three Little Birds (Marley), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), Country Roads (Denver), Leaving on a Jet Plane (Denver), Each One Lost (Cockburn), Try a Little Kindness (Sapaugh/Austin), Forever Young (Dylan), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), Drive My Car (Lennon/McCartney), Jambalaya (Hank Williams Sr.), Man Gave Names to All the Animals (Dylan).

(Break for soup)

Medley of Older Hymns: What a Fellowship, Power in the Blood, How Great Thou Art, Rock of Ages, and God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again.

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Four Strong Winds (Tyson), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), Three Little Birds (Marley), Johnny B. Goode (Berry), Jambalaya (Hank Williams Sr.), Folsom Prison Blues (Cash)

(Break for soup & grilled cheese)

I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/McCartney), Puff the Magic Dragon (Stookey), and Michelle (Lennon/McCartney).

Review: "Here. Have two grilled cheese sandwiches." -- Rev. Doug

I sang a song I wrote in the early 80s: You Can Hold Only What You Let Go".

You can hold only what you let go
And I can 't see and you don't know
If I shall reap and you shall sow
'Cause only God can see life's future mystery.

Living my life in my own shoes,
So many precious things I would choose,
But if I grasp them, I would lose.
I've got to let them go.

Precious is fragile, not meant to hold.
Fingerprints can tarnish the brightest gold.
You gotta take a risk, spend a night in the cold.
You've got to let them go.

Life is crucial; it brings some pain.
Let it whisper to your heart in the summer rain.
He's given life. He asks it back again.
I've got to let it go.

I sang:

Folsom Prison Blues (Cash), What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Teach Your Children Well (CSN&Y), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), If I Had a Hammer (Seeger), Hallelujah (Cohen), Leaving on a Jet Plane (Denver), El Shaddai (Thompson, Card), Tie Me at the Crossroads When I Die (Cockburn), and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2).

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Country Roads (Denver), In the Early Morning Rain (Lightfoot), Don't Think Twice It's Alright (Dylan), Puff, the Magic Dragon (Stookey), The Man Who Died For You (Pepper). and Don't Be Afraid (Pepper).

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Teach Your Children Well (CSN&Y), Hey Good Looking (Williams), You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (Lennon/McCartney), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), Try a Little Kindness (Sapaugh/Austin), Hallelujah (Cohen), All I Want Is You (U2), I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2), I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/McCartney), Country Roads (Denver), and In the Early Morning Rain (Lightfoot).

(Break for soup)

At This Moment (Vera), and El Shaddai (Thompson, Card).

Review: "The music was nice." -- one of the volunteers.

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), Little Boxes (Reynolds), Let It Be (Lennon/McCartney), Try a Little Kindness (Sapaugh/Austin), Route 66 (Troup), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), I've Just Seen a Face (Lennon/McCartney), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), The Man Who Died For You (Pepper), At This Moment (Vera), Don't Be Afraid (Pepper), I'm Gonna Be (The Proclaimers), Can't Help Falling in Love (Peretti, Creatore, Weiss).

(Break for soup)

Every Grain of Sand (Dylan), Integrity (Pepper), El Shaddai (Thompson, Card), Leaving on a Jet Plane (Denver), Those Were the Days (Raskin), and Country Roads (Denver).

Review: "Did you just sing 'when I get drunk'?" -- Rev. Doug (This may not actually have happened.)

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), If I Had a Hammer (Seeger), Country Roads (Denver), Let It Be (Lennon/McCartney), 40/All I Want Is You (U2), Unchained (Jude Johnstone), Try a Little Kindness (Sapaugh/Austin), Little Boxes (Reynolds), When the Ship Comes In (Dylan), Don't Be Afraid (Pepper), Puff, the Magic Dragon (Stookey), Blowin' in the Wind (Dylan), and Each One Lost (Cockburn).

I sang:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), If I Had a Hammer (Seeger), For I Know - Jer. 29:11, The Hockey Song (Connors), All I Want Is You (U2), Country Roads (Denver), Unchained (Jude Johnstone), Little Boxes (Reynolds), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), Try a Little Kindness (Sapaugh/Austin), The Man Who Died For You (Pepper), Don't Be Afraid (Pepper), At This Moment (Vera), Michelle (Lennon/McCartney), Johnny B. Goode (Berry) (or McFly?), and Hallelujah (Cohen).

Review: "Thank you for your music" -- Elderly Woman (during "Hallelujah")

"Thank you, Leonard." - RPepper

I sang:

Today at St. Thomas' Community Lunch I sang the following:

What a Wonderful World (Weiss/Thiele), I'll Remember You (Dylan), The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Solomon Linda), Blue Skies (Berlin), Let It Be (Beatles), Michelle (Beatles), Puff, the Magic Dragon (Stookey), Folsom Prison Blues (Cash), Route 66 (Troup), Country Roads (Denver), You've Got a Friend (King), El Shaddai (Thompson, Card), If I Had a Hammer (Seeger), Don't Be Afraid (Pepper), Gloria (Pepper), I've Just Seen a Face (Beatles), When I'm Sixty-Four (Beatles), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), and Mystery (Cockburn).

Review: "Nice." (re. "Don't Be Afraid") -- Rusty?

I sang:

What a Wonderful World, Michelle (Beatles), I'll Remember You (Dylan), Folsom Prison Blues (Cash), Four Strong Winds (Tyson), Eight Days a Week (Beatles), 40/I Want You (U2)

(Break for pancakes & sausages)

Country Roads (Denver), El Shaddai (Thompson, Card) Leaving On a Jet Plane (Denver), The Man Who Died For You (Pepper), Forever Young (Dylan), Lord, Protect My Child (Dylan), If It Be Your Will (Cohen), Those Were The Days (Raskin), and Tie Me at the Crossroads (Cockburn).

Original creations by members of a Facebook Group dedicated to recording cover songs. Huh?

These songs were supposed to involve the creative co-operation of a family member.

I got carried away & recorded several. Those which didn't really meet the criteria are tacked on at the end.

I sang:

What a Wonderful World, The Hockey Song (Connors), I'll Remember You (Dylan), Hallelujah (Cohen), Teach Your Children Well (CSN&Y), The Man Who Died For You (Pepper), The Coventry Carol, Little Drummer Boy, Do You Hear What I Hear?, When the Ship Comes In (Dylan), El Shaddai (Thompson, Card), So Many Years Ago (Pepper), In the Bleak Midwinter, Let It Be (Beatles), and Michelle (Beatles) (until I forgot how).

Then I joined in with Eric the Caroller again.

As a special guest with Country Rose, I sang:

So Many Years Ago (Pepper), and The Coventry Carol.

I sang:

What a Wonderful World, El Shaddai (Thompson, Card), So Many Years Ago (Pepper), The Coventry Carol, Hey Good Looking (Williams), Happy Xmas/War Is Over (Lennon/Ono), Country Roads (Denver), Hallelujah (Cohen), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), Leaving On a Jet Plane (Denver), and The Man Who Died For You (Pepper).

Happy Xmas/War Is Over was a request from the floor. I kinda butchered it.

But I like to think that I wasn't worse than Yoko.

After this, a man named Eric led us all in Christmas/Winter songs & (once I'd finished my lunch), I played along with him.

Review: "God bless you." (One of the guests)

I sang:

What a Wonderful World, What a Fellowship/Power in the Blood, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (Beatles), Hey Good Looking (Williams), Let It Be (Beatles), The Coventry Carol, Blowin' in the Wind (Dylan), The Man Who Died For You (Pepper), Don't Think Twice It's Alright (Dylan), I've Just Seen a Face (Beatles), and For No One (Beatles).

Because I was still fighting a cold, I tuned my guitar down half a step, and avoided songs with a wide range, such as When I'm Sixty-Four.

As a special guest with Country Rose, I sang:

Wonderful Words of Life, and It Is No Secret.

I sang:

What a Wonderful World, El Shaddai (Thompson, Card), Don't Think Twice It's Alright (Dylan), The Man Who Died For You (Pepper), Eight Days a Week, and Leaving on a Jet Plane (Denver).

Then I ate my soup & bannock. I had arrived late, because I had been teaching ukulele to homeschool kids. Plinky plinky plink.

I sang a song of mine, written in the 80's, The Man Who Died For You.

Review: "That was a real 70's-sounding chord progression." (Robin Harbron)

I sang:

What a Wonderful World, Four Strong Winds, Jamaica Farewell, Blowin' in the Wind, Make You Feel My Love, Eight Days a Week, Hallelujah (Cohen), Country Roads, When I'm Sixty-Four, Jambalaya, Folsom Prison Blues, Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, and I've Just Seen a Face.

Review: "Would you like some soup?" (Rev. Doug McLure)

This time I sang Integrity, a song I wrote c. 1980, and of which I've never made a satisfactory recording.

As mentioned before, I sometimes sing background music at this event every second week. I had taken the summer off, but returned this time to sing the following: Leaving on a Jet Plane, Country Roads, Hey Good Looking, '69 - '74 (Pepper), When I'm Sixty-Four, Michelle, Don't Be Cruel, Eight Days a Week, I've Just Seen a Face, What a Wonderful World, Smile (Though Your Heart Is Breaking), You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, I Threw It All Away, Hallelujah (Cohen), and Goodnight (Beatles).

As part of the open mic portion of the launch of Douglas Livingston's poetry book Kata Hodos, I sang Caffeine, Cal(i)purnia's Dreaming, Monsters in the Sky and Don't Be Afraid.

The Prostate Network Canada held a free PSA testing day at the 55 Plus Centre on Sept. 28. Once again R & R Harbron accompanied me as we performed a medley of songs about hockey, Free Stanley, Nobody Talks, I'm Too Old (for the NHL), The Good Ol' DRE, Eight Days a Week, Caffeine, Laughter Heard Through the Wall, You're in Love and the debut of The Right Side of the Grass.

Here is a playlist of highlights:

Songs included What a Wonderful World, my Hockey Medley, Laughter Heard Through the Wall, Free Stanley, I'm Too Old For the NHL, Don't Be Afraid, Tie Me at the Crossroads When I Die (Cockburn), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), I Threw It All Away (Dylan), Eight Days a Week, Blowin' in the Wind, Gimme Some Money (Spinal Tap), and Caffeine (my parody of JJ Cale's "Cocaine").

This time I sang I Believe, my adaptation of The Apostles Creed.

As part of the fundraiser for Douglas Livingston's poetry book Kata Hodos, held at the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship Hall, I sang You're In Love, '69 - '74, and Benediction.

Songs included What a Wonderful World, What a Fellowship, , Power in the Blood, When the Ship Comes In (Dylan), A Blessing in Disguise (Lost Dogs), It Is No Secret, Every Grain of Sand (Dylan), 40 & All I Want Is You (U2), Nobody Talks (Pepper), Don't Be Afraid (Pepper), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), Eight Days a Week, and Tie Me at the Crossroads When I Die (Cockburn)

I provided some background music for the meal which followed the ceremony. I don't recall what I sang, and I don't expect anyone else does either.

A group of friends & I covered 1984's Do They Know It's Christmas? singing/playing in Thunder Bay, Saskatoon and on the Interwebs.

I phoned in a medley of 2 songs for CBC Thunder Bay's 40th Anniversary, which they aired at c. 0720h on Sept. 25.

Here's a video version:

The Prostate Network Canada held a free PSA testing day at the 55 Plus Centre on Sept. 15. R & R Harbron accompanied me as we performed Nobody Talks, Free Stanley, I'm Too Old (for the NHL), Caffeine and a medley of songs about hockey (and a monkey). I closed with the debut of The Good Ol' DRE with which the Harbrons had no involvement!

Here is a playlist of highlights:

I was one of the buskers at this fund-raiser for The Alzheimer's Society. (The money I received went to them.)

I sang I'll Remember You (Dylan), Lord, Protect My Child (Dylan), 40 (U2), Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2), All I Want Is You (U2), Make You Feel My Love (Dylan), I Threw It All Away (Dylan), Nobody Talks & Free Stanley (Pepper), Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney), For No One (Lennon/McCartney), Oh! Darling (Lennon/McCartney), At This Moment (Billy Vera), Words (Neil Young), Let It Be (Lennon/McCartney), and Tie Me at the Crossroads When I Die (Cockburn).

I recorded this song originally in F# (playing in G tuned down half a step). When I performed it that way live (in G), I realized that the verses were too low and the chorus was too high. It seemed best to rerecord it in C, since that way the bass player (live) would just have to shift everything a string.

Yes, the "video" is pretty boring.

I sang my Sound Check Song, Caffeine, Free Stanley, Nobody Talks and Don't Be Afraid.

Robin accompanied me on bass as I sang several old hymns.

I sang my Sound Check Song, Free Stanley, I'm Too Old for the NHL, Nobody Talks and Caffeine.

I sang Caffeine, Free Stanley, Integrity and Benediction.

Robin, Darren and I performed A Certain Love (Lost Dogs), Don't Take Your Guns to Town, Rusty Cage (Soundgarden/Cash), If I Had a Hammer (Seeger/Hays), 40 (U2), How Great is Your Love (Altrogge).

I sang hymns from my ragged old blue book, as I do in the Senior Homes.

Songs performed:
Psalm 92, Integrity, Healer of Our Spirits, The Man Who Died For You, In the Garden, Amazing Grace and Happy Birthday.

Review: Well, they did give me a meal.

I phoned this in to Talkback as a commentary on the bizarre results of CBC's "Seven Wonders of Canada" campaign:

This was a fundraiser for Cambrian Players' production of "Much Ado About Nothing" in which I, as Balthazar, would sing each night "Sigh No More, Ladies" (or was that "Sigh. No More Ladies"?)

Songs Performed (with Robin Harbron on Bass): U2 Medley (40/Still Haven't Found/I Want You), , Beautiful Scandalous Night (Hindalong, Daugherty) and Hallelujah (Cohen).

Second Set (after 3 St. Thomas' kids' performances: My Soundcheck Song, I Know That My Redeemer Lives, Bird on a Wire (Cohen), Tie Me at the Crossroads When I Die (Cockburn).

Review by Rick Smith:
"There is a lot of talent in the room." (General praise)
"I can tell that your bass player has played with you for a long time." (Praise of the guy right next to me).

I sang Beautiful Scandalous Night (Hindalong, Daugherty) and some verses of I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Mark Heard style).

On Easter Sunday I sang some more verses and He's Alive (Don Francisco).

As a solo "anthem" I sang my song Integrity.

Songs Performed: Eric Bailey the FN Hockey Star, Forever Young (Dylan) and Time Tears Us Apart.

Review: I think Eric made a joke about his song, but I'm not sure.

Song Performed: I Shall Be Released with Gord Ellis Jr.

I sang background music and supplied puzzles and games to distract the guests from the background music.

Songs Performed: Free Stanley, U2's All I Want is You (with Sylvia Griffiths), Bob Dylan's I'll Remember You and Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah (with Sylvia).

Review: "Can we go play 'Star Wars Life' now?" -- Derek and Kolton.

Songs Performed: Peter Hart and Healer of Our Spirits.

Review: "Sounds good." -- Joel Kuper (re. the sound check)

Songs Performed: God Hates (Country Music) and Time Tears Us Apart.

Review: (Re. "God Hates") "Amen, brother! Amen! Amen! Amen!" -- Troy Hodgson (of Calgary)
(or did I imagine that?)

Songs Performed (along with Robin Harbron on guitar): (Another) Song of Myself and Integrity.

Song Performed: Healer of Our Spirits

Review: Muttered amens and noises of approval

As part of the open-mike segment at the end of the evening: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/Oh! Darling and Taxman/Drive My Car.

Highlight: "Blackbird" performed by somebody Lee and his father.