Paul Tessier

Special to The Morning Star

Steve Dawson is what they call a music heavyweight.

He鈥檚 a musician鈥檚 musician, successful record producer and multiple Juno award winner (seven Juno awards as artist/producer, 18 times nominated). So when he hand picks people to play with him on a collaborative tour, folks tend to sit up and take notice.

The Vernon Folk-Roots Music Society is pleased to present the Black Hen Roadshow (Steve Dawson, Leeroy Stagger, Steve Marriner of Monkey Junk,and Ndidi Onukwulu) April 18 at the Vernon Lodge and Conference Centre.

鈥淓very two years or so, I put this tour together where I get a group of musicians who don鈥檛 necessarily know each other and have not necessarily played together,鈥� Dawson explains. 鈥淲e learn each other鈥檚 songs and then present them in a way that鈥檚 a little unusual and it gives everybody a chance to perform their music in a way they normally wouldn鈥檛 with their regular band.

鈥淏lack Hen Music is my company but the people I include on these shows aren鈥檛 always in my company or affiliated with me. They鈥檙e just people I鈥檝e worked with and met along the way who I like and think would be a good fit.鈥�

Dawson is originally from Vancouver but for the past five years has been living in Nashville and producing records at his HenHouse Studio.

鈥淚 produce a lot of records for folks (Bruce Cockburn, Rhiannon Giddens, Jim Byrnes, John Hammond, Oh Susanna, Carolina Chocolate Drops and more). My specialty is slide guitar and fingerstyle picking. I鈥檝e been playing around Canada for years and years and I tour a lot either on my own, with my own group or with different bands. I have a new record coming out which I鈥檒l have on tour called Lucky Hand and I鈥檓 really excited to be collaborating with these folks on tour.

鈥淟eeroy Stagger is originally from Victoria, B.C. but has been living in Lethbridge, Alta. for many years鈥�, Dawson says.

Stagger has toured the world on his own and with the likes of Steve Earle, The Pixies and Modest Mouse. His songs have appeared on the television shows Grey鈥檚 Anatomy and Sons of Anarchy.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a really interesting songwriter and a nice guy,鈥� Dawson says.鈥� I鈥檓 very happy to have him on the show.

鈥淪teve Marriner is an amazing singer, harmonica and guitar player. He鈥檚 probably best known for his group Monkey Junk who just won a Juno for best blues album,鈥� Dawson says.鈥� He was only 13 or 14 when he first started out鈥攈e鈥檚 probably 30 now and plays with Colin James and tours a lot with Harry Manx and other people. He鈥檚 just a fantastic all around musician.

鈥淣didi Onukwulu is a wonderful singer and is someone I鈥檝e worked with a lot over the years,鈥� Dawson comments. 鈥淪he鈥檚 also originally from British Columbia but now lives in Los Angeles. She has one of the most distinctive voices around鈥攎ostly soul, jazz and blues but she very much does her own thing, incorporating a lot of different styles. It鈥檒l be great to have her on the show.鈥�

This collaborative effort promises to be a full evening on great music.

鈥淪o what happens is that I鈥檒l come out and do some of my own stuff,鈥� Dawson explains. 鈥淭hen I鈥檒l bring on the band鈥攃onsisting of a bass player and drummer鈥攁nd they鈥檒l back me up. We then turn into the band and each person on the show does a mini-set, about three songs each. That gives everyone a chance to perform their own material with a band.

鈥淪o in the first set, you get a real good taste of everybody鈥檚 music. For the second set, we bring everybody in for the whole set. Everybody jumps in and that鈥檚 really where the magic happens鈥攎usic which might never happen again on stage鈥攁nd that鈥檚 what makes the tour so unique.鈥�

Tickets are $30 and available through the Ticket Seller, (250-549-7649), at the Bean Scene Coffee House or cash only at the door, if available. Show time is 7.30 p.m., doors open at 6.30 p.m. Wine, beer and food available at the show. A 20 per cent discount on food purchased at Don Cherry鈥檚 and at the Lodge Kitchen and Bar is being offered on the night of the show with proof of purchase. For more information, go to or Facebook. Email: info@vernonfolkroots.com.