Ken Hamm is so talented, he usually makes my want to burn my guitar, and his Lethbridge visits are rare, so I was glad to catch a second set from the Forget, Saskatchewan based blues and folk musician at the Lethbridge College Cave, winding down the Lethbridge Folk Club’s season, Saturday, April 27.
 I missed the Karen Romanchuk 3’s set and with the freak blizzard blowing in, I was sure no other show would be as good as this one was.

 Hamm grinned as he sat perched on a bar stool, as he worked his way through a set of gorgeous fingerpicked blues, folk and instrumental music on a National Steel Guitar, a banjo and acoustic guitar. He played some Robert Johnson,  Pete Seeger and lots more, leaving the 80 some people  with their jaws on the floor. At least mine was.

 He played a lot from his latest CD “Mokomon.” His version of the instrumental “Anji” was beautiful as was his cover of J.S. Bach’s ”Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring,” which he played on banjo.  He had the audience singing along with Barbados musician Eric Minns’  “You Ain’t Hurryin Me.”

 I especially enjoyed the heartfelt version of “ Tell Old Bill,” which caused a few goosebumps after really listening to the lyrics.

 He always sings brilliant renditions of blues classics. He covered Robert Johnson’s “Walking Blues,” and a great version of “Rolling and Tumbling” and an exceptional version of Leadbelly’s “Relax your Mind.”
 Of course he was called back for an encore of a new instrumental featuring some hot finger picking. While I didn’t burn my guitar, after hearing that I too humbled to play for three days.