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26 bands! 10 nights! It’s the Fifth Annual O-Town Hoedown!

The O-Town Hoedown is a concert series, which will take place in five different venues in Ottawa  (The Rainbow Bistro, Irene’s Pub, The Manx, Elmdale House Tavern, and Zaphod Beeblebrox), and will showcase the diversity of the Canadian alt-country scene. Musical genres on offer will range from rockabilly to cowpunk to folk-rock to bluegrass and everything in between. This year’s musical acts will include: Brothers Through The Hill, Silver Creek, Joey Only Outlaw Band, Ginger Saint James, The Woody Allens, Lynne Hanson, Brock Zeman, The Dusty Drifters, Morgan Friend, The Sick Sick Sicks, Marie-Josée Houle, The Kingmakers, and many more.

The O-Town Hoedown is organised by local country music impresario, Lefty McRighty, in association with CHUO 89.1FM, CKCU 93.1FM, Compact Music and Steamwhistle.

Spokesperson Lefty McRighty said:

“The party’s not over yet – the REAL Hoedown doesn’t start until September 23rd! It’s O-Town Hoedown 2011!!! If you’d like a sampling of the music featured at the Hoedown, or if you’re on the radio and are looking for some tunes to play, check out
otownhoedown.com/music  for free mp3 downloads from a selection of this year’s Hoedown roster. And don’t forget to check out www.otownhoedown.com for complete listings, and here for our great promotional video!”

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Lynne Hanson: “All For Nothing” raising funds for home renos

On Saturday June 25th at 9:00pm award-winning singer-songwriter Lynne Hanson and 
her band will perform a fund raising concert at the Branch Restaurant in Kemptville, 
Ontario as part of the W Network television show, All For Nothing.
Hanson is a contestant in the reality TV renovation show which pits two home owners 
against one another in a competition to ready their neglected homes for sale. The catch 
is that they have to attempt to do it all for nothing. At stake is the opportunity to win the 
commission-free listing services of top real estate agent and host, Paul Rushforth.

Homeowners are allowed to raise funds using any LEGAL means possible. For Hanson that
 means using her skills as a musician to play a fund raising concert in an effort to beat out
 the competition.
Hanson has been nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award (new / emerging artist), a 
finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk competition, and a winner of the 2010 Colleen
 Peterson Songwriting Award. She had toured extensively in Canada, the United States and
 Europe.

“Lynne’s songs have a beautiful, haunting feeling, into which you can sink and be
 enveloped.” - Ontario Arts Council jury

Canadian songbird, Lynne Hanson is yet another from her homeland making an impression
on the Americana roots scene. She looks set to be around for the long haul. - Maverick
Magazine (UK) Feature
All For Nothing is produced by Mountain Road Productions Ltd. (MRP), an award 
winning Ottawa company that has produced critically acclaimed programs that have aired 
on a number networks in Canada and around the world. Selected productions include
 Lofty Ideas (HGTV Canada, HGTV US, and internationally), Gemini Award winning Broken
 House Chronicles (HGTV Canada, Discovery Home US, and internationally); Gemini Award
 nominated Me, My House & I with Brigitte Gall (W Network and internationally), Design U
(HGTV Canada, Discovery Home USA, ION USA and internationally) and The Restaurant
 Adventures of Caroline & Dave (W Network).

What: Lynne Hanson trio

Where: The Branch Restaurant, Kemptville, Ontario

When: Saturday, June 25, 2011

Time: 9:00pm

Cost: $8.00

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The February Bluebird North Series – Artists sharing stories and songs

It’s commonly said that the sad songs are the best and I doubt you would have found any argument at the NAC’s fourth stage during Ottawa’s  February Bluebird North show. This being my first Bluebird concert I didn’t know really what to expect.

Matthew de Zoete, Kelly Prescott, Steve Marriner

Played in by new host and local songstress Amanda Rheaume, folk and blues artists Lynne Hanson, Kelly Prescott, Matt De Zoete and Steve Marriner took to the stage and gave the crowd a wonderful acoustic set of their work.

Amanda Rheaume, all photos by Bryson Masse

The musicians performed one after another, each taking time to say a few words about the song and its inspiration. As in all good folk stories, the topics meandered from tragic to hilarious and often the two overlapped. The evening was put on by the Songwriter’s Association of Canada, so there was an emphasis on the “talky parts”. But, since I like that kind of stuff, it never took away from the show. Each of the musicians explained how they found motivation in their travels and relationships.

Of the idea behind her song More of the Same, Hanson told the story of her adopted grandfather and the loss of his wife to Alzheimer’s disease. The amazing raw imagery in the lyrics really grabbed me.

De Zoete looked to the past and his Dutch heritage, Prescott wrote about her relationships and Marriner even fit in an amusingly scathing song about a woman so bad he didn’t even have to date her. The take away message was clearly that if you want to keep a clean reputation, don’t piss off a musician.

I really dug the informal format. The full stage allowed the performers to converse and share jokes. While the theme of the music that night seemed to border more on the depressing, the laughs didn’t stop. It didn’t have the rehearsed feeling stage banter often has when you’re watching a group that you know has done this fifty times before.

If I could ask for more, all I would need would be more of the artists playing with each other’s songs. As when it happened, it was fantastic.

The night was special and unique and this is what will bring me back to future Bluebird North performances.

Kelly Prescott

Matt De Zoete

Lynne Hanson

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