Valemount’s Raghu Lokanathan will be performing at the village’s Anglican United Church on Nov. 18, along with two other prominent Canadian folk musicians.
Prince Edward Island’s Catherine MacLellan, the Yukon’s Kim Barlow and Lokanathan will be touring together throughout November, in various towns and cities from Whitehorse to Edmonton. The three will be performing material from their respective albums, in a tour entitled “Wise and Weathered.”
“Three seems a nice number of songwriters to have,” says Lokanathan. “It’s nice to have some company on the road.”
The three singers will be collaborating onstage performing songs from their respective albums and covers of what Lokanathan calls “fellow obscure Canadian songwriters.”
Kim Barlow, a two-time Juno nominee, has played guitar and banjo or many years, including on her newest record, “Saplings.” She also plays cello and bass and her new album includes trumpet, ukulele and vocals from other musicians. Her writing is what Lokanathan describes as “fantastical.” Her songs are like fairy tales and she is adventurous with the sounds she uses, he says.
“Water in the Ground” is Catherine MacLellan’s third record, and features other roots musicians from around Canada. Last year, it won Folk Recording of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards. “She has a really lovely, rich voice,” says Lokanathan of MacLellan’s work.
Lokanathan’s new album, “Blue Girl,” includes music reflecting on his past years of song writing and singing. He recently returned to Valemount after a tour in Ontario with musician Corin Raymond of the Undesirables. “I’m always tinkering around with something,” says Lokanathan. He goes through phases of being inspired and not, but he’s usually writing something whenever he has a stretch of time, he says.
“It’s really difficult until it’s not, and then you have a song.”
The Nov. 18 Wise and Weathered show begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at Infinity on 5th Avenue.
