Black Fly Jam to host Stephen Fearing at The Loft

Black Fly Jam will host Canadian musician Stephen Fearing at The Loft, located at the Algoma Conservatory of Music, on Monday, May 1. Show time is 8 p.m.

Tickets for this performance are $35 (including all fees) and may be purchased by phone at 705-971-4197 or online.

In addition to his own solo career – collaborating with other artists such as Margo Timmons, Bruce Cockburn, and Sarah McLachlan – Fearing has made a name for himself as a producer, and in 1996 co-founded Blackie and the Rodeo Kings with Tom Wilson (who performed in the Sault last summer) and Colin Linden (who also played The Loft on March 19 of this year).

Further information can be found in the news release below issued by the Algoma Conservatory of Music:

Stephen has played for Black Fly Jam before, and we can't wait to finally treat him to the well deserved and beautiful-sounding room at The Loft!

And of course, treat you, his wonderful and always appreciative audience!

Stephen Fearing was born in 1963 in Vancouver, B.C. and grew up in Dublin, Ireland where his schoolmates included future members of U2.

By 1984, after a stint in the music scene in Minneapolis, he was back in Vancouver, determined to become a professional musician. In the years since, he’s been named as one of the finest songwriters in Canada and has built a national – and international – audience for his music, doing it old school through countless performances at intimate venues and on the concert stages of festivals and theatres across Canada, the US, the UK, and Europe, with appearances at major events like the Reading Festival and WOMAD, to name just a few.

Fearing has released ten albums as a solo artist, featuring musical guests including: Bruce Cockburn, Margo Timmons, Rose Cousins, Richard Thompson, Shawn Colvin, and Sarah McLachlan. When not working behind the microphone, he spends time producing records including Suzie Vinnick’s JUNO Award-nominated album Happy Here. “I really enjoy collaborating with other artists. It’s a blast and, as a bonus, gives me a chance to learn and expand my skill set.”

In 1996 he co-founded Blackie and the Rodeo Kings with Colin Linden and Tom Wilson. Originally intended to be a one-off collaboration to record a tribute album of songs written by Canadian folk music legend Willie P. Bennett, the collaboration took off like a house on fire! More than 22 years later, with nine albums and a JUNO award to their credit, the band has become one of the most respected names in North American roots-rock. Their musical collaborators are many, but to name a few – Emmy Lou Harris, Nick Lowe, City and Colour, Keb’ Mo’, Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Cockburn, Sam Phillips, Pam Tillis, Vince Gill, Cassandra Wilson, Serena Ryder, Holy Cole, and Mary Margaret O’Hara.

“Fearing’s music crackles with ideas and collaborative energy…masterful guitar work from acoustic rock rhythm to elegant finger style.” - Acoustic Guitar Magazine

Like the guests on his albums, the many awards and nominations that have come his way speak to the respect he has earned among his peers, presenters, and critics. His abiding love for his craft and ability to delight audiences are further reflected in multiple JUNO and Canadian Folk Music Awards nominations and awards and an ever-expanding touring circuit throughout North America, the UK, and Europe. For his album Every Soul’s a Sailor he was awarded the 2017 Worldwide Album of the Year by Blues & Roots Radio and named 2017 Contemporary Singer of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

Through a life of many relocations and countless months on the road performing, Fearing has become a gifted storyteller and true musical nomad with the ability to enthrall audiences of all sizes and attitudes. “Getting on stage is the fun part, especially when the adrenaline kicks in,” he says, with a broad smile. “People want to escape and be taken on a journey. I build my shows so they do just that.”

“A master of the finely-turned phrase and the perfectly-pitched line.” - Maverick Magazine

“…a king amongst minstrels.” - Halifax Chronicle Herald