Desirée Dawson
Desirée Dawson is a breath of fresh air in the music industry, with her powerful yet soothing voice, engaging lyricism and inspiring live performances. She is driven by a passion for collective liberation and that shows in her songwriting and her storytelling. She has been a part of a handful of songwriting camps over the years, working with many different writers and producers and thrives in almost any writing room of any genre. Dawson’s soulful folk-pop sound builds narrative worlds that feel so tactile and clear you can’t help but feel a part of them. Over the last few years, Desirée has been nominated for a JUNO Award, participated in two songwriting residencies, toured with Serena Ryder, won Best Music Video at SXSW, and received a nomination at the UK Music Video Awards. Whether an intimate venue playing solo or in harmony with her band, Desirée’s music carries a sentiment of care and compassion that lingers long after the final note. https://www.desireedawsonmusic.com
Jeremy Facknitz
A new arrival on the west coast and Canada, Jeremy Facknitz has been delighting audiences with his brand of high-energy theatrical folk-rock-jazz for nearly 30 years. He's a 3-time finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competition at Kerrville Folk Festival (Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle and Nanci Griffith are TWO time finalists), and he's been able to make performing his "day-job" for the last 10 years by taking his show on the road in the U.S. and Canada. Heavily influenced by Billy Joel, James Taylor, Elvis Costello and Ben Folds, his music is a "throwback" to when singer-songwriters weren't afraid to turn it up loud, look you in the eye and play more than the same tired four chords. He embodies the soul of an old-time troubadour, bitten by a radioactive rockstar. John Apice of American Highways says "This is all far above the ordinary... A good time is guaranteed for all" while John Barlass writes "Jeremy Facknitz is, indeed, a major talent – and, I can guarantee, like nothing you’ll have ever heard before."
Marin Patenaude
Marin Patenaude’s music is deeply honest, inspired by the wildness and free-spirit of nature, the messiness of human connection, and the overwhelming moments of existence. She’s from a very small town called Horsefly in Northern British Columbia, Canada - A place wrought with song fodder.
The daughter of musical parents, she was raised on folk, country, and classic rock and is very much at home with a piano, a guitar, and all the possible harmonies. Her compositions have classic country undertones with a modern indie twist, supported by the refinement of Classical and Jazz training. Her vocals are compelling and mighty, her guitar distinct, and her content meaningful. https://marinpatenaude.ca
HOST – Shari Ulrich
Starting out as a multi-instrumentalist, Shari began writing songs at the end of the reign of The Hometown Band in 1977. Her first song "Feel Good" was a hit and her solo career followed in 1978 with radio hits with "She Remembers", "Bad Bad Girl", "Romeo", "Every Road" and others. She has released 9 albums of original material along with another 16 with collaborations with UHF (Bill Henderson & Roy Forbes) and BTU (Barney Bentall & Tom Taylor) Her work has garnered two Juno Awards, an induction into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame, and a 2014 (CFMA) for English Songwriter of the Year. She has been a songwriting educator at UBC and Humber and has been a long-time champion for writers, hosting and producing Bluebird North and SongBird North for the Songwriters Association of Canada for 30 years. https://shariulrich.com
