FESTIVAL ARCHIVE
2000 Lineup
- Return to Past Performers
- Eric Bibb
-- New York City native Eric Bibb embraces the timeless sounds of southern folk and gospel. Eric moves seamlessly from bluesman to singer-songwriter with grace, integrity and impeccable taste.
- Blackie & The Rodeo Kings
started out as a side project for Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden, and Tom Wilson and has turned into an on-going career sidebar for the three musicians. In 1999 the trio joined forces again, releasing their double CD Kings of Love
- Blue Rodeo
-- Best known for their unique synthesis of country, rock and folk, Blue Rodeo transcends easy categorisation. This Juno Award-winning band makes a welcome return to the festival.
- Eric Bogle
-- Scottish born Eric emigrated to Australia and became an accountant. Fortunately, in his spare time he wrote songs. Songs such as And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda and No Mans Land earned him a reputation as a social commentator, which he says he has tried to live down ever since.
- ¡Bomba!
is a quintet dedicated to exploring modern Latin sounds. Much like current day Cuban artists ¡Bomba! fuses traditional Latin and funk beats to create irresistible dance rhythms.
- Bill Bourne, Lester Quitzau, Madagascar Slim (Tri Continental)
-- A triple guitar and songwriting extravaganza with a heavy emphasis on the blues.
- Jackson Browne
needs no introduction. His 1970's albums "The Pretender" and "Running on Empty" are considered classics, not to mention his self-titled debut in 1972, "For Everyman" and "Late For The Sky. " Rolling Stone Magazine named his 1986 release, "Lives In The Balance", one of the 100 best albums of the decade. In the mid-90's, he released the
masterpiece "I'm Alive", followed by "Looking East." He is not a "voice of a generation" but instead, a "voice of all generations."
- Les Bûcherons
-- Edmonton's own "lumberjacks" celebrate French Canadian traditions with guitar, fiddle, button accordion, rhythm bones, jaw harp, washboard, wooden spoons, and the saw.
- Kev Carmody
-- Using a combination of folk and country music, his hard-hitting lyrics deal with black deaths in custody, land rights and aboriginal pride and dignity in his native Australia.
- Mary Chapin Carpenter
-- Grammy winner and songwriter extraordinaire Mary Chapin Carpenter brings her warmth and insight to our stage for the first time. Blending genres of folk, country and soul, this inspirational and moving songwriter takes us on a journey and exhibits her talents as a gifted and accomplished artist.
- Bruce Cockburn
-- Throughout three decades, Bruce's songs have touched our hearts and our minds. With over 20 gold and platinum records, plus 10 Juno awards, Bruce returns, with band, in top form having captured his most recent Juno Award for "Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu".
- Shawn Colvin
is a multi-Grammy award winner. She picked up her first guitar at age 10 and as her family moved around Canada and the Midwest, music went with her. An excellent singer/songwriter, Shawn is also an actor, collaborator, and song interpreter.
- Mary Coughlan
wowed us at the 1993 festival. This year she will perform in an acoustic format along with Professor Peter O'Brien (piano) and Jimmy Faulkner (guitar).
- Catie Curtis
is a singer-songwriter from the US east coast folk music scene. Catie's direct and powerful lyrics often deal with life's dramatic complexities and difficult side steps, making each listening experience an intimate encounter.
- Danú
perform Irish traditional music with skill and sizzle. The Waterford-based band "make a most exciting and highly musical sound that stirs the blood and lifts the heart," according to Irish Music magazine, which named Danú the best overall traditional band of 1999.
- Dead Reckoners
-- Nashville's supergroup makes a welcome return to Edmonton. The "Dead" are Kevin Welch, Kieran Kane, Mike Henderson, Tammy Rogers, Harry Stinson, and Alison Prestwood.
- Dervish
hails from Sligo in the Northwest of Ireland and stand in the forefront of traditional Irish groups. A brilliant live band, fronted by vocalist Cathy Jordan.
- Steve Earle & the Dukes
-- Steve's debut album "Guitar Town" started him on the road to four Grammy nominations. One of the best songwriters in roots music returns, with a band, for a very special appearance.
- Lorne Elliott
armed with just his guitar and sense of humour, has been known to go "madly off in all directions."
- The Festival House Band
-- Amos Garrett (guitar) returns withKit Johnson (bass), Ron Casat (keys), Rusty Reed (harmonica), Michelle Josef (drums) and Dave Babcock (horns).
- Sue Foley
whips up a Texas hurricane with her fiery guitar riffs. Sue's powerful vocals and compelling songs are influenced by the gin joints of rural Mississipi and the back porches of Nashville.
- Steve Forbert
writes and sings about everyday loves, losses, regrets and hopes. He blends folk, country and R&B into his uniquely American sound.
- Lennie Gallant
is a native of Rustico, PEI, and draws from his Acadian and Celtic roots, infusing his songs with his own dynamic style. Lennie will perform with his five-piece band.
- Colin Hay
is the former frontman for multi-million selling "Men at Work" and makes a welcome return following his successful 1998 EFMF debut.
- Heartbreak Hill
is a young four-piece band that extends the roots tradition of bluegrass music into some new, high-energy areas that touch on the future as well as the past of country music.
- Jerusalem Ridge's
unique blend of bluegrass, country, swing and acoustic gospel music, inevitably laced with its member's genuine gift for improv entertaining has won a throng of fans across the country.
- Shannon Johnson
grew up as part of Edmonton's musical McDade family. She has made a name in the Alberta roots scene as an excellent fiddler, accompanist and producer.
- James Keelaghan & Oscar Lopez "Compadres"
need no introduction to EFMF audiences. Blending Celtic and Latin roots into "Celtino" this high-energy duo backed by their favourite musicians will set Gallagher Park alight.
- Luann Kowalek's
songs are windows looking out on small slices of life that tell us about ourselves. Chris Smith and Sherry-Lee Heschel will join Luann.
- Christine Lavin
is dubbed the funniest woman in folk. Her insightful songwriting keeps audiences thinking and laughing at the same time. She has just released her latest recording, "Getting in Touch with my Inner Bitch".
- Jenny Lester
is a rising star in the world of bluegrass music. Beginning onthe fiddle at age eight, Jenny has developed into a brilliant singer and willbe joined by John Reischman and Trisha Gagnon.
- Laura Love
-- Known for their lively and electric performances, Laura Love and her band have successfully wed African and Caribbean rhythms with traditional acoustic instruments and intriguing harmonies into a style known as Afro/Celtic.
- Lúnasa
(pronounced LOO-nasa) is one of Ireland's fastest rising new traditional bands. Not the "newcomers" they may appear to be, members of Lúnasa have brought their talents from other bands such as The Waterboys, The Sharon Shannon Band and Moving Cloud.
- Ellen McIlwaine's
unique style of slide guitar along with her powerfully moving vocals have earned her cult status.
- Mortal Coil
-- Vancouver's stilt walkers return with their special brandof magic and stunning costumes.
- Moxy Früvous
began at the dawn of the decade as buskers. In learning to engage the attention of self-absorbed city folk the band became very adept at street-level theatricality, humorous improvisation and singing in pristine four-part harmony
- Jimmy "T-99" Nelson
made his name with big R&B hits in the early 1950's including the song "T-99." Now in his early eighties, Jimmy is on the comeback trail and is nominated for several of the upcoming W.C. Handy Awards.
- Night Sun
is "what might happen if a bunch of Canadians played like a Greek wedding band at a Bar Mitzvah in Ireland." (Canadian Musician magazine) Originating in the NWT, Night Sun is now based in Ontario.
- Odetta
-- With over 50 years in show business, 27 albums and more awards than we can list, it is no wonder Odetta is nicknamed "The Queen of American Folk Music."
- Oh Susanna's
musical soul is the culmination of early Memphis rock, soulful Chicago blues and traditional roots music from the Appalachian mountains.
- Wilson Pickett
brings a truckload of classic songs (Mustang Sally, In the Midnight Hour, 634-5789) plus his highly acclaimed new recording "It's Harder Now ". This promises to be a power-packed performance of R&B and Soul Music.
- David Rea
is a consummate musician. For over 30 years his complex guitar style has graced albums by Gordon Lightfoot, Ian and Sylvia and Fairport Convention. He is a master of blues, and Celtic styles and enthrals audiences with his storytelling.
- Kimmie Rhodes
grew up in Lubbock, Texas. Blessed with a great voice she says, "writing just sort of sneaked up on me." Her songs have been recorded by Willie Nelson, Joe Ely and Waylon Jennings to name a few.
- Sonny Rhodes
is one of the few blues steel guitarists. He began playing the guitar seriously at age twelve, and lists as his guitar influences T-Bone Walker, Pee Wee Crayton and B.B. King among others.
- Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali
perform traditional Qawwali music of devotional praise and love songs based on classical Islam and Sufi texts.
- Garnet Rogers
-- With his smooth dark baritone, dramatic phrasing, and incredible range, Garnet sings extraordinary songs about ordinary people and the small victories of the everyday.
- Karen Savoca
-- Accompanied by Peter Heitzman on guitar, Karen's soulful voice, conga playing and uplifting songs guarantee a successful EFMF debut.
- Scrüj MacDuhk
-- Winnipeg troupe Scrüj MacDuhk is collectively rewriting and renewing traditional folk music entirely on its own terms. Good songs, good tunes, good hearts and good times exemplify the mixture of Appalachian, Celtic and Bluegrass sounds of this exciting young band.
- Silk Road's
music combines the traditional styles of the East with new influences picked up in the West. They play Chinese music with western techniques, in addition to jazz, folk and Irish music on Chinese instruments.
- Al Simmons
is a creative genius with the soul of a Vaudevillian. He is also a wizard of one-liners, quick costume changes, out of this world theatrical props, peculiar musical instruments and other assorted gadgets.
- Mark Sterling
-- Ex Hemingway Corner member, Mark is a multi instrumentalist and a singer songwriter in the blues, country and folk genres.
- Hans Theessink and Blue Groove
is a wholesome mix of blues, gospel, New Orleans shuffle, Mississippi Roots and funky rhythms spiced up with earthy vocals. Expect outstanding and inventive bottleneck guitar played with great style and feeling.
- Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Choir
-- California based, this multi-talented quintet sings gospel to traditional African-American music that combines a cappella and hand percussion styles.
- Rokia Traoré
has distinguished herself as the voice of the new generation of African artists. She is from Mali, a country known for its griots and the traditions of kora and balafon. Though her music is steeped in tradition, Rokia thoroughly integrates her songs into a contemporary sound.
- Ian Tyson's
long history as one of Canada's most important songwriters is old stuff by now. For all that, songs like Four Strong Winds, Someday Soon and Navajo Rug have become near anthems as folk festival fans know better than most.
- Wajjo
is a unique blend of traditional African drumming patterns with Scottish bagpipe tunes. With a strong focus on history, Wajjo is sure to be a festival hit.
- Wilco
is Jeff Tweedy, Jay Bennett, John Stirratt and Ken Coomer. Darlings with the critics for albums A.M., Being There and Summer Teeth they are also known for collaborations with Billy Bragg, Steve Forbert and many others.
- Dar Williams
is funny, communicative, powerful and a terrific performer. But more than that, she is a great writer. People believe Dar Williams because she tells the truth.
- Zubot and Dawson's
Juno-nominated sound is truly fresh and unique. Dubbed avant-garde bluegrass, Vancouver's Steve Dawson and Jesse Zubot tip their hats to blues, bluegrass, jazz and reggae to produce groove-based soundscapes.
