Ken Hamm

Friday, April 13, 8 to 10:30 p.m. St. John’s United Church, 10990 West Saanich Rd., North Saanich

Ken Hamm is a well-known acoustic solo musician based in Forget, SK. His playing is influenced by early blues recordings and a love of old-timey music resulting in a varied repertoire of original and traditional songs ranging from metal guitar driven hardedge blues workouts to softer dobro and banjo pieces. His main influences include Ry Cooder, Mississippi John Hurt, John Fahey and John Hartford.

Ken learned to play during the 1950s when guitar slingers like Elvis, Buddy Holly and the Ventures prevailed. In the 60s, music went through coffeehouse folk and electric rock and clues phases, and Ken was swept up by these influences, playing in blues based bands in Thunder Bay like Tundra and the Bay St. Blues Band, eventually going acoustic with the release on vinyl of Ken Hamm and Friends in 1978.

That LP led to a string of positive reviews and nominations in publications like Guitar Player magazine. A Juno award in 1991 was followed by the Great Canadian Blues Award in 2010. Hamm has recorded eight CDs to date, the most recent a double-disc live collection released in 2006. After some time in Calgary and 25 years living in coastal B.C., Ken moved to Forget, SK in 2007, and married his wife Heather in 2009. For nine years, they operated a small music store including teaching and instrument repairs.

Currently, Ken is back touring Western Canada, both solo and in combination with others such as Big Dave McLean. Guitar workshops are often included in touring plans.

Another combination began when Heather Peat-Hamm released Blue

Gramma, her first book of prairie poetry and drawings, and now they do some shows together.

Ken is currently involved in producing and recording projects close to home, including an upcoming new solo release slated for 2017.

Tickets are available at the door. deepcovefolk.ca