Category: Fensala Hall

Above: Promotional photo from the Rault Brothers bio

Rault Brothers Band at Fensala Hall on Saturday, November 12, 2022

The Rault Brothers have had a major impact on the Edmonton blues scene over the last 50 years and remain sought after musicians to this day. In the early 1970s the Rault Brothers not only had one of the best bands around Edmonton, but were the core members of the outstanding band, Pontiac.

A singer-guitarist-songwriter in the folk-blues-roots genre since 1969, Lionel was the first active performer to be inducted into The Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame.
With a wide range of concert, nightclub, television, radio and festival appearances to his credit, he has shared stages with John Hiatt, Willie Dixon, John Hammond, Ruthie Foster, Jesse Winchester, Taj Mahal, Eric Bibb, Eric Burdon, David Francey, Rick Holmstrom, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, the Staple Singers, ZZ Top, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and many other artists.

His five albums are the independent releases: Killin’ Time (1980), Been So Long (1989), No Tell Hotel (1992), Lionel Rault (2004) and The Further Adventures of… (2007).
These days, when not working on his own music, he plays mainly in the folk-roots-blues genre with his brother, Ron, in The Rault Brothers Band.

Ron Rault is an excellent tunesmith, songwriter and a first-call bass player for recording sessions and tours for diverse headliners that include a Western Canada tour with the great John Lee Hooker. He played bass on Johnny Shines’ album “Too Wet to Plow” in 1975 along with Sugar Blue and Louisiana Red. Ron’s writing skills are seen in “Jump Up”, a song he wrote for the Powder Blues Band out of Vancouver. For a number of years he has worked as a core member of two Peter North productions Come In My Kitchen and most recently Front Porch Roots Revue that has travelled extensively across the Prairies.

The Rault Brothers Band have been one of Alberta’s favourite folk-roots musicians for over 50 years and have shared the stage with performers including The Pointer Sisters, The Who, John Mayall, John Hiatt, Taj Mahal, J.J. Cale, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, the Staple Singers and more.
Ron and his brother, Lionel, were inducted into the Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame in June of 2014.

Above: Promotional photo of Marcus Trummer submitted by the artist

“Fensala Hall Concert Series kicks off on September 17th, 2022 in Markerville! Doors open at 7 pm with the show starting at 7:30. Stefan Palm from Sylvan Lake will be opening the show. The main performance is Marcus Trummer Band. If you don’t have your tickets yet, visit the Historic Markerville website to purchase!”
— Facebook post from September 17, 2022

Photos submitted

Dubbed “a precocious guitarist whose vocals possess a wise-beyond-his-years weariness” by the Calgary Herald, Marcus Trummer’s eclectic sound encompassing roots, blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll, is a modern yet familiar take on the sounds of past decades. The 21-year-old songwriter and performer from Calgary, Alberta has shared stages with Canadian blues heavyweights MonkeyJunk and Jim Byrnes.

In 2019, Trummer was the recipient of the Calgary International Blues Festival’s Randy Ouston Scholarship and was recognized with the Prophets of Music Emerging Artist Award at Calgary’s YYC Music Awards. The following year, Trummer and his band released their debut EP These Roads, receiving support from CBC Radio One and CKUA. Trummer and his band were also invited to perform as part of the National Music Centre’s 2020 gala, alongside a lineup that included the likes of Jann Arden and Corb Lund.

Trummer is currently spending time between Calgary and Toronto, working on his debut solo offering, a full length album to be released in 2023.

Sponsored in part by Red Deer County and Alberta Foundation for the Arts!

Above: Promotional photo from the artist’s website

KAYLA WILLIAMS BAND with guest CHARLIE JACOBSON
March 12th, 2022 at Fensala Hall, 24 Main Avenue, Markerville, AB

Calgary’s powerhouse vocalist, Kayla Williams, is a rising talent making waves in the world of yacht-pop music. Inspired by the smooth sounds of late ‘70s legendary artists such as TOTO, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, and the Doobie Brothers, the songstress breathes new life into the genre. With her soulful vocals and contemporary production style, she brings a fresh perspective infused with feminine flair.

Williams’ talent has not gone unnoticed. She is nominated for Pop Artist of the Year for the 2024 Western Canadian Music Awards, she won the 2021 Red Deer Emerging Artist award and she was commissioned to write a song for the 2019 Canada Winter Games (performing it to an audience of over 8,000 people and on TSN). A seasoned musician and 10-year vocal coach, she has performed at many festivals throughout Western Canada. Her soulfully dynamic vocals and fearless femininity have even earned her praise from Beach Boy Brian Wilson himself (“You’ve got the voice!”).

With her undeniably upbeat and feel-good energy, Williams offers a refreshing and modern take on the retro-inspired genre. The glittery yacht-pop revival is here, and Kayla Williams is leading the charge!

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Special guest Charlie “Blue” Jacobson is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born in Red Deer, Alberta. He has backed up and been backed up by some of the Canadian blues giants: Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Russell Jackson, David Vest and Donald Ray Johnson, to name a few.

Sponsored in part by Red Deer County and Alberta Foundation for the Arts!

Above: Promotional photo of Allen and Arnell

On Saturday February 12, 2022 in Markerville, feature artists Jane Allan & Lance Arnell were joined by four members of Pure Country for the third event in the 2021/2022 Fensala Hall Concert Series. The concert had been originally scheduled for Sept. 25, 2021 but was postponed until the new year.

Saturday, February 12, 2022 was a wonderful evening of old time music at Fensala Hall. The opening act of Pure Country (minus 4) played music that took you back to the family dances of one’s youth.
Allan and Arnell delighted the audience with covers of old time favourites and inspirational tunes written by Jane Allan. They were backed up by two fine musicians: Rhonda Shippy on bass and Jarred Albright on fiddle. It was well worth the wait to have Allan and Arnell perform as they had two previous concert dates postponed, one due to weather and the other due to COVID-19 in Sept. 2021.

Sponsored in part by Red Deer County and Alberta Foundation for the Arts!

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Opening for Allan & Arnell on Feb. 12 at the Fensala Hall Concert Series were four of the members of Pure Country: Gary Giesbrecht on fiddle, Bill Lamport on guitar and vocals, Jerry Hall on guitar, and Dean Sandham on banjo.

The group of eight who make up the band have played together for ten years at venues that include Calgary Stampede, Irricana, and Airdire; including events, parades and various Old Time Dances. For this appearance at the Concert Series they have dubbed themselves “Pure Country (minus 4)”

Above: Photo of T Buckley supplied for promotional material

The Friday, January 28, 2022 show in the Fensala Hall Concert Series features T. Buckley, who lists the upcoming show on his website as “… a super fun gig we hope you can join us for. I’ll be joined by musical pals Jesse Dollimont and Mitch Jay and there will be an opening set by Sarah Hiltz!”

Award-winning songwriter T. Buckley stands quietly among a disappearing ilk of true craftsmen. Shadowed by his Western roots, his soul and voice are unmistakably genuine, and the result is a class of songsmith long revered and scarcely achieved.

With influences stemming from the ’60s Laurel Canyon and New York Cafe scenes, he tells stories embedded with detail, empathy and heart. Buckley’s dedication to his art has seen him on renowned showcase and festival stages throughout North America. Buckley’s most recent album, “Frame by Frame,” has been recognized through Canadian Folk Music Award and Western Canadian Music Award nominations, as well as a Calgary Music Award for best folk recording.

Versatility as a songwriter and musician have T. Buckley on the road in a variety of arrangements, rolling solo, collaborating with fellow Alberta songsmith John Wort Hannam as The Woodshed and performing with sibling songstress, Mariel Buckley. Perhaps the perfect vehicle to deliver Buckley’s evocative narratives though, is his acoustic trio, whose tight harmonies and intricate arrangements captivate audiences wherever they perform.

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Sarah Hiltz is a contemporary folk artist based in Toronto. Her current project has her researching the ways Canadians experience, express and suppress anger in modern society, especially women, and creating a song cycle in response.

Sarah’s last album, Beauty In The Blue, compiled songs and stories culled from her multiple journeys across Canada as a travelling musician on VIARail’s passenger train, “The Canadian”. Beauty in the Blue features lush, nuanced vocals and jazz-influenced songwriting.

Sponsored in part by Red Deer County and Alberta Foundation for the Arts!