| RONNIE HAWKINS - AN AMERICANADIAN ICON |
| "Have you known the pleasures of giving for the sake of getting nothing, loving for the sake of knowing pleasure, knowing for the sake of teaching others, finding ways to spend your hidden treasures." * I first heard the term "Americanadian" on a Perth County Conspiracy album in 1966. The phrase just sort of popped into my head while I was pondering my overall impression of the Ronnie Hawkins & Friends Benefit Concert on the lower level of Hamilton's Copps Coliseum. I believe he has done more than any politician ever could to blend the best qualities of two somewhat different cultures and unify them into a single, more powerful entity. The numerous fund-raisers for the U.S.A. that have taken place in Canada in the last month or so, and which continue, is a testament to our respect and compassion for North America as a whole. And I'm absolutely confident that our American "cousins" would reciprocate in kind, were the tables turned. We are definitely a continent of people worth emulating on a global basis! Considering that the majority of performers, ranging from little/lesser-known to internationally acclaimed, donated their evening to what amounted, in some cases, to mere sound bites says a lot about their sincerity towards helping the families of firefighters and police who lost their lives in the WTC tragedy, as well as their admiration for "Rompin' Ronnie, a.k.a. The Hawk". Although not all of the tentatively scheduled performers were able to participate, there was more than enough talent on hand to put on a tremendously entertaining show. It was also very professionally organized, and I was delighted to encounter an old friend of mine, Mark Wolfe, from Toronto's NXNE Music Festival working on the technical aspects of the scene. I'd also like to thank Janet Vandehaar and Gabe Macaluso, Managing Director and CEO of the Coliseum, for the gracious hospitality extended to me to share in this event. There were quite a few performers whom I had heard of but never previously had the chance of experiencing 'live" - Tom Wilson (Junkhouse, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings); Rob Lamothe, excellently accompanied by Jamie Oakes (Tom Cochrane, Holly Cole, etc.), Paul Intson and Dan Lockwood; Rita Chiarelli (Canada's version of Bonnie Raitt); John Allan Cameron (performing a very popular "Lord of the Dance"); Peter Sabourin (SAB); and renowned but under-exposed poet Reg Bovaird, who recited his very first poem, "In the Palm of My Hand". Reg commented to me that writing this poem had literally saved his life but that if it weren't for the rhyming, it would be too painful for him to recite publicly. Previously unknown to me but equally impressive was the Mike Lynch Band from St. Catharines (www.lynchrecords.com), also comprised of percussionist Jay Peterson (Peterborough's Silverhearts) on washboard and spoons and Darren Beaton on lead guitar for a "hoedown" version of AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long". If you like Blue Rodeo or the Northern Pikes, you'd enjoy this band. Multi-award-winning country music artist, Jamie Warren ("Words You Can't Take Back"), also performed an acoustic set, but without his band. Both acts are managed by Jamie's wife, Beth Warren (who also won an award for Manager of the Year - 2000), and have released CDs, as have most of the performers there that evening. Sales from the CDs on display were also partially donated to the cause. The Stuart Wilson Band also appealed to me, especially with their version of Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild". |
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