By Times Chronicle Staff
Folk and blues fans should take note that Juno Award winning Jim Byrnes will be coming to Venables Theatre for one show next week.
While many might consider Byrnes a Canadian son, he was actually born in St. Louis, Missouri – which surely speaks to his blues cred – although he’s been living in Vancouver since the mid-1970s.
Living and breathing music over a fifty year career, he’s crooned, drawled, belted, hollered and sweet talked more songs into a microphone than most people ever get to hear in a single lifetime.
His evocative, smoky vocals are found in a truth that doesn’t come overnight. The sheer joy you can hear in the music he creates is a reason to celebrate Jim Byrnes as a living musical treasure.
By age thirteen Byrnes was already singing and playing blues guitar. His first professional gig was in 1964. Over the years, he has had the great good fortune to appear with a virtual who’s who of the blues.
From Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker to Taj Mahal and Robert Cray, Jim has been motoring down the blues highway his whole career.
Byrnes moved to Vancouver, BC in the mid-70s after years of drifting, working odd jobs and playing music.
He’s been a mainstay on both the music and screen scenes ever since.
On top of his music awards, Byrnes was recently awarded the Order of Canada, acknowledging the impact he has had on the Canadian arts scene as well as for his philanthropic work.
And if legendary music status isn’t enough, his fame as an actor is on par. From his numerous TV and movie roles, highlights include the Wiseguy and Highlander series, and his national variety show, The Jim Byrnes Show.
With many award winning albums to his credit (Maple Blues Awards, WCMAs, Junos, Canadian Folk Music Awards), Jim Byrnes is that artist who will light up the stage with songs and stories, tried and true.
Byrnes will be joined on stage by Simon Kendall (Doug & The Slugs) on keys and Eric Reed on guitars and mandolin.
Jim Byrnes will be performing at Venables Theatre, 6100 Gala St., Oliver on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $39. Contact the theatre at 250-498-1626 for more information.
