The 19th anniversary of Ken Whiteley’s Sunday Gospel Matinee @ Hugh’s Room Live on January 19th will be special indeed. With Juno award winning vocalist and founder of the Faith Chorale Sharon Riley, award winning Americana-Bluegrass musician Claire Lynch, FMO Songs from the Heart winner Gathering Sparks and bassist extraordinaire Gord Mowat, the first show of 2020 will bring together an incredible afternoon of music.
Sharon Riley is truly one of Canada’s pre-eminent African Canadian gospel singers and long time leader and soloist with the Faith Chorale. She has an incredibly rich and powerful voice that comes from a very deep place. With Faith Chorale Sharon has won 2 Juno awards, appeared in feature films, television shows and stage musicals.
Claire Lynch is a pioneer who continually pushes the boundaries of the bluegrass genre. She’s been decorated with 3 GRAMMY nominations, 7 International Bluegrass Music Association awards and the prestigious United States Artists Walker Fellowship. “One of the sweetest, purest and best lead voices in the music business today.”—Dolly Parton
Gathering Sparks is the graceful collision of Eve Goldberg and Jane Lewis. They blend tight harmonies, write finely crafted songs, and share a love of participatory singing to create an intimate and uplifting experience. Their inclusive approach embraces folk, pop, blues and gospel influences tastefully played on acoustic guitar, piano, accordion, and ukulele.
Gord Mowat plays string bassist with Ken Whiteley and the Beulah Band among many others. Gord’s own band Skeleton Crew plays his original compositions for 3 horns, bass, and drums. Gord has the technique of a great jazzer and the feel of a solid roots player with a composer’s sense of harmonic interplay.