This week, Fort MacLeod singer/ songwriter John Wort Hannam is putting on two special fundraisers to help fight Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS in memory of his childhood friend Ken Rouleau.
In addition to a Feb. 12 show in Calgary, the second annual Songs for Ken features Hannam and his friends Brooke Wylie, Amy Thiessen, Dave McCann, Karla Adolphe and MC Allison Brock performing at the Empress Theatre in Fort MacLeod, Feb. 13.
Tickets cost $25 for the show, which begins at 7:30 p.m.
Hannam said plans for the show are going well as word is spreading.
“Last year we had a promoter Vic Close from the Fish Creek Concerts.
The Calgary line up will feature John Wort Hannam,, Karla Adolphe, Randall Wiebe, Maria Dunn, John Rutherford, Amy Bishop and The Polyjesters.
The Fort MacLeod show features Hannam, Dave McCann, Amy Bishop, John Rutherford and Maria Dunn from Edmonton.
“Maria is one of the people who contacted me after last year’s show. A beloved sound man from Edmonton passed away from ALS the same year Ken did, in 2012, so she asked if she could be involved,” he said.
He said the performers are all in the singer songwriter vein. John Rutherford is known as a blues musician, while Maria Dunn dabbles in Celtic music, Amy Thiessen, Dave McCann are well known country/ folk and alt country singer songwriters
He noted expanding the show to Calgary just made sense.
“Calgary is where Ken and I used to bum around and Ken’s family, even those who moved away, moved to Calgary,” he said, adding he hopes word of Songs For Ken will spread.
“Not that I have to play every one, but if people in Edmonton or Grande Prairie or Medicine Hat wanted to hold a songs for Ken, that would be great,” he said, noting last year they raised an even $10,00 for the ALS Society of Alberta.
“The more money we can give to ALS the better. And 10 K is a nice round number,” he said, adding he has already received calls from musicians interested in playing Songs For Ken in 2017.
Like last year, there is also a visual art component to the show.
“Last year we had artists on stage painting, which was pretty cool. They could paint whatever they wanted. It was mostly floral and we auctioned the paintings off at the end of the show. This year it will be a little different. We have an artist from Rosebud, Randall Wiebe, who paints portraits. He can paint a portrait in 15 minutes. So we’re going to raffle that off. An audience member or whoever they choose can get their portrait painted. He doesn’t have time to practice on them either,” Hannam said.
“The more money we can send to ALS the better. Every little bit we can raise is great,” he emphasized.
ALS, which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neuromuscular disease in which nerve cells die and leave voluntary muscles paralyzed. There is no cure for the disease which usually kills the victim within three to five years.
Tickets cost $25 and can be had by phoning 403.553.4404 or online at macleodempress.com
