Established guitarist and singer Tim Williams knows the Powell River area well. The Calgary-based musician, who has been playing roots and blues since the ’60s when he was in his teens, now has a son and three grandchildren living here.
“I have played in Powell River several times over the years,” says Williams. “It was nice to see signs of a renewed downtown the last time I was there.”
Williams got his start in music in Southern California, learning from legendary blues musician Lightnin’ Hopkins and songwriter and actor Hoyt Axton, among others. Touring small and large towns in North America, Europe, North Africa, Mexico, Cuba and Australia over the years, Williams says he has seen many different music scenes and believes it is not always the size of a town that matters.
“Small centres can also have thriving music scenes,” he says. “It’s usually dependent on the presence in the community of some experienced mentors and some dedicated promoters.”
Williams’ upcoming appearance in Powell River at Cranberry Community Hall will be complemented by an afternoon guitar workshop where attendees can learn from the master himself.
“The workshop will cover some fingerpicking, open tunings and slide,” he says, adding that the evening concert will highlight songs from his most recent two albums, 2013’s The Blue Highway and 2015’s So Low.
Tickets for the workshop and/or concert are available at the Peak office or at the door. A discount is being offered for those who attend both the afternoon workshop and evening concert.
Williams says those who are not that familiar with the roots and blues genre may be surprised at what they hear at his show, including some of his early influences of Mexican and Hawaiian music.
“There are more people playing what is referred to as roots and blues than when I started out,” says Williams, “and the definition, for a lot of people, has broadened considerably.”
Tim Williams
When: 7:30 pm, Saturday, September 17 (workshop 2-4 pm)
Where: Cranberry Community Hall
Price: $20/$30 workshop and concert
Information: starbuckna.com
