Saturday, January 31, 2026

Black History Month Videos ft John Ellison, Jackie Washington, Sharon Musgrave, Viola Desmond

Update of 2021 Post

Historical Bits

  • John Ellison is the writer of the world-famous song Some Kind of Wonderful which he first recorded as part of the Soul Brothers Six.
  • John moved from the States to Canada. He became a Canadian citizen in 2006.
  • He currently resides in Dundas.

Links: John EllisonMore John Ellison StoriesVideo above courtesy of John Ellison - Topic

Historical Bits:

  • Jackie spent most of his life in Hamilton, Ontario.
  • In 1948, Jackie became the first Canadian black disc jockey when he was hired by Hamilton's CHML
  • Jackie was a major force in the Canadian blues scene for decades.
  • He passed away in 2009.

Links: Jackie WashingtonMore Jackie Washington StoriesVideo above courtesy of Jackie Washington - Topic


Historical Bits:



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Sunday, January 25, 2026

Please Support Local Charities




Please Support Local Charities


The Brian Lee Griffith Guitar Bursary is intended to support a different, talented, deserving guitar student each year. In honour of the late, great Hamilton guitarist Brian Griffith.

The Hamilton Blues Lovers (HBL) want to showcase a deserving local charity every week.  HBL is not affiliated with these charities nor does it fund raise for them.



Thursday, January 22, 2026

Smyle Bassist Peter Rhibany Passes

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of bassist Peter Rhibany.  He was best known as the bassist for Burlington's Smyle. Peter passed away on December 24, 2025. Our condolences to his family, friends and fans.

From his obituary:

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter O'Neill Joseph Rihbany. Peter passed away surrounded by his family at St. Joseph's Hospital in Hamilton on December 24, 2025, at the age of 76.

Peter will be missed by his sister, Margo, brother, David, brother-in-law, Greg, niece, Devon, and nephew, Jordan.

Peter lived in Hamilton for most of his adult life. He was passionate about music and played in many bands throughout his career. The band he was best for was Smyle, with whom he recorded an album and had a song on the CHUM charts.

Peter was also a substitute teacher at various schools throughout Hamilton and had a passion for history.

Peter loved his cats; Sam, Dave, Bill and Tommie, and if desired memorial donations can be made to the Hamilton Burlington SPCA.

Cremation has taken place. Arrangements entrusted to SMITH'S FUNERAL HOME, BURLINGTON, 905-632-3333 www.smithsfh.com

 

Video above courtesy of emBLICko


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Ken Wallis is an amazing local music supporter. He has a great radio show

Tuesdays: 4-5:30pm: Blues Source Canada w Ken Wallis @ INDI 101.5 FM 





Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Throwback Thursday: McMaster Honours Bruce Cockburn & Juno Sculptor Shirley Elford (2009)

Original Post (part of June 6, 2009 post)

Updated Post: January 22, 2026

Canadian folk legend, Bruce Cockburn (currently signed to Waterdown's True North Records) was recognized by Hamilton's own McMaster University on June 8, 2009.

Cockburn joined local glass sculptor (she designed Juno award statuettes) Shirley Elford at the ceremony, where she also received the same honour.

Below is the Spectator article fron June 9, 2009. Click the picture to make it bigger.




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Sunday, January 18, 2026

Support Local Charities


From their siteOur goal is not only to help meet the needs of our clients in the short term, but also to help clients become self-sufficient and gain and maintain self-worth / esteem to eventually stand on their own with little or no help.

The Hamilton Blues Lovers (HBL) want to showcase a deserving local charity every week.  HBL is not affiliated with these charities nor does it fund raise for them.



Winners of the 2026 International Blues Challenge + Canadian Content


Unfortunately, only a few Canadians acts took part in the 2026 International Blues Challenge (January 13 to 17, 2026 in Memphis).

Canadians in Self-Produced CD Semi-Finals

Canadian Participants (Performance Competition)

Complete List of Winners

Band: 

Thursday, January 15, 2026

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Please Support Our Wonderful Sponsors


To enable you to make good housing decisions call us or email us: www.judymarsales.com
PROUD SUPPORTER OF HAMILTON BLUES LOVERS



Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Throwback Thursday: King Biscuit Boy's Brother Remembers Him in Spectator Story

Original post (Part of June 6, 2009)

Updated post (January 15, 2026)


Pictured: Muddy Water (left) with Richard "King Biscuit Boy" Newell

In a special to the Hamilton Spectator on June 6, 2009, King Biscuit Boy's brother, Waller R. Newell, wrote about his legendary sibling's life. Waller offered insights into the music man's career: meeting members of the Beatles, working with Aretha Franklin, and more. He also discussed his brother's intellectual side.

Click the picture below to see the full-size article (you may still need to zoom to read)


Links: King Biscuit BoyMore KBB Stories, Video above courtesy of King Biscuit Boy with The Ronnie Hawkins Band - Topic


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Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Get the Hamilton Blues Lovers E-Mail Newsletter


Want to be kept up to date with what's going on in the local area (Hamilton/Halton/Brant/Niagara/Waterloo/Norfolk/Haldimand)? Then get all the Blues News You Can Use with our new weekly e-mail newsletter.

Every Wednesday or Thursday night, the Hamilton Blues Lovers send out an e-mail blast with the latest happenings in the local Blues/Folk/Jazz/Roots/Country scene. Find out about new music releases, upcoming shows, our exclusive videos and much more. 

To get this amazing newsletter, please please go to our MailChimp page and enter your email address. https://mailchi.mp/f5df63ee5f8b/blueshamilton

We also welcome any ideas you may have to help improve the newsletter.

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Please Support Local Charities




Please Support Local Charities

From their website: Since 1966, the poverty of loneliness and exclusion has been overcome with friendship and compassion at Welcome Inn Community Centre, where people from all walks of life work together to alleviate poverty in the North End and across Hamilton.

The Hamilton Blues Lovers (HBL) want to showcase a deserving local charity every week.  HBL is not affiliated with these charities nor does it fund raise for them.



Saturday, January 10, 2026

Rare 1969 Folk Album from Hamilton's Stefan Gnys Gets New Lease on Life


Hamilton's Stefan Gnys only made 12 copies of his album Horizoning when he first released it in 1969. Thanks to some YouTube exposure, a record company is now making it much less rare.

Below is a January 9, 2025 Hamilton Spectator article about the recoding's revival. Click the picture below to make it bigger.


Available on: Bandcamp, YouTubeSpotify, Amazon Music

Personnel:

Stream the album below


Links: Stefan GnysAlbum above courtesy of BandcampMore Releases

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Friday, January 9, 2026

Hamilton's Superstar Crush Receive Rave Review in New Yorker

Hamilton's Superstar Crush received a rave review for their debut album, Way Too Much in the December 18, 2025 edition of the prestigious New Yorker magazine.

Here's the great review.


The Hamilton Spectator reported on this wonderful honour. On January 9, 2025. Click the picture below to make it bigger.


Available on: The band's website (including Vinyl)Bandcamp, YouTubeSpotifyApple Music

Personnel:

Stream the album below



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Thursday, January 8, 2026

Order of Canada Appointees for December 2025 Including a Few Musicians


On December 31, 2025, 80 individuals were appointed to the Order of Canada, including a few musicians.

Below is a video the complete ceremony

Links: Order of CanadaMore Order of Canada StoriesVideo above courtesy of Rogers tv

Below is a complete list of appointees. Musicians and winners from the local area are bolded.

Click here for more detailed descriptions

Companions

  • Raffi Cavoukian, C.C., O.B.C. (Salt Spring Island, British Columbia) - Children's Singer/Songwriter



    Links: Raffi Video above courtesy of Raffi

  • The Honourable Rosalie Silberman Abella, C.C. (Toronto, Ontario) - Supreme Court, Professor
  • Simon Brault, C.C., O.Q. (Saint-Jean-de-Matha, Quebec) - Director of the Canada Council for the Arts
  • Shaf Keshavjee, C.C., O.Ont. (Toronto, Ontario) - Thoracic surgeon-scientist, educator, hospital administrator
  • The Honourable Michael James Moldaver, C.C., K.C. (Ottawa, Ontario) Supreme Court, Lawyer
  • D. Lorne J. Tyrrell, C.C., A.O.E. (Edmonton, Alberta) - Professor and clinician-scientist

Officers

  • Mandy Rennehan, O.C. (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario) - Entrepreneur, philanthropist and TV personality
  • Donald Lawrence Triggs, O.C. (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario) - Vincor International (Winemakers)
  • John Cameron Bell, O.C. (Ottawa, Ontario) - Helped develop oncolytic virotherapy treatments. Education
  • The Honourable Janice Charette, P.C., O.C. (Ottawa, Ontario) - Clerk of the Privy Council
  • Bert Cecil Crowfoot, O.C. (Edmonton, Alberta)  - Journalist, acclaimed photographer, founder and CEO of the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta
  • Adele Diamond, O.C. (Vancouver, British Columbia) - Researcher and co-founder of the field of developmental cognitive neuroscience
  • Janice J. Eng, O.C. (Vancouver, British Columbia) - Neurological rehabilitation
  • Judy Illes, O.C. (Vancouver, British Columbia) - University scholar and director of Neuroethics Canada
  • Praveen Jain, O.C. (Kingston, Ontario) -  Inventor in electrical energy processing
  • Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, O.C. (Montréal, Quebec) - Molecular oncology
  • J. Curtis Nickel, O.C. (Sydenham, Ontario) -  Urologist
  • Federico Rosei, O.C., C.Q. (Quebec) - Nanotechnology specialist
  • Roseann Runte, O.C. (Ottawa, Ontario) - President of Carleton University
  • Chandrakant Padamshi Shah, O.C., O.Ont. (Mississauga, Ontario) - Professor emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health 
  • Marina Andrea Graefin von Keyserlingk, O.C. (North Vancouver, British Columbia) - UBC professor

Members

  • Terri Clark, C.M. (London, Ontario and Nashville, Tennessee) - Country musician



    Links: Terri Clark, More Terri Clark StoriesVideo above courtesy of Terri Clark

  • Nardwuar the Human Serviette, C.M. (West Vancouver, British Columbia) - Music journalism, musician



    Links: Nardwuar, Sabrina CarpenterVideo above courtesy of NardwuarServiette

  • Barry Truax, C.M. (Vancouver, British Columbia) - Authority in acoustic communication and electroacoustic music, composer, original member of the World Soundscape Project



    Links: Barry TruaxVideo above courtesy of Barry Truax

  • Muzammal Nawaz, C.M. (Burlington, Ontario) - Kickboxing, established the first-ever national federation
  • Mary Ann Edwards, C.M. (St. Catharines, Ontario) - Founder and long-time volunteer director of the Rankin Cancer Run
  • A. Peter Annan, C.M.(Mississauga, Ontario) - near-surface geophysics
  • Phyllis A. Arnold, C.M. (Edmonton, Alberta) - Educator, writer, publisher
  • Stephen Beckta, C.M. (Ottawa, Ontario) - Entrepreneur, board member and former chair of the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa
  • Elsabeth Black, C.M., O.N.S. (Halifax, Nova Scotia) - Gymnast 
  • Mark S. Bonham, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Financial services, ]2SLGBTQI+ advocate, champion of post-secondary education
  • Kim Ruth Brooks, C.M. (Halifax, Nova Scotia) - Tax lawyer, professor and human rights advocate
  • Wayne Richard Brownlee, C.M., S.O.M. (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) - Business and philanthropy, CFO of PotashCorp
  • Rosanna Caira, C.M. (Woodbridge, Ontario)  -  Journalist, podcast host, editor and publisher of Foodservice and Hospitality and Hotelier magazines
  • The Honourable Richard J. F. Chartier, C.M. (Winnipeg, Manitoba) - Chief Justice
  • Penny Dorothy Collenette, C.M., O.Ont. (Ottawa, Ontario) - Educator, lawyer and commentator
  • Patrick George Croskerry, C.M. (Halifax, Nova Scotia) - Emergency medicine
  • Jane Laurine Darville, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - health care administrator and community health specialist
  • Andre De Grasse, C.M., O.Ont. (Markham, Ontario) - Seven-time Olympic medallist 
  • Mark Dobbin, C.M. (Portugal Cove–St. Philip’s, Newfoundland and Labrador) - Founder of Killick Capital Inc., is a dedicated investor, mentor and entrepreneurship advocate
  • Chris Dodd, C.M. (Edmonton, Alberta) - Deaf performing artist, playwright and accessibility advocate
  • Sheila Dawn Early, C.M. (Surrey, British Columbia) - Forensic nursing
  • Kathleen Fox, C.M. (Gatineau, Québec) - Aviator,  chair of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada
  • Michelle Frances Good, C.M. (Maple Creek, Saskatchewan) Indigenous activist, lawyer and storyteller.
  • Elly Gotz, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Holocaust survivor and educator
  • Gerald W. Grandey, C.M., S.O.M. (Denver, Colorado) - Former CEO of Cameco
  • Reesa Greenberg, C.M. (Ottawa, Ontario) - Art history and museology, feminist and exhibition studies
  • Hans-Jürgen Greif, C.M. (Québec, Quebec) - Professor, author, multilingualism promoter
  • James C. Hathaway, C.M. (Vancouver, British Columbia) - Scholar of public international law
  • James William Hewitt, C.M. (Dorval, Quebec) - Hewitt Equipment Limited, philanthropist
  • Charles A. Hopkins, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Educator in sustainable development
  • Ian Ihor Orest Ihnatowycz, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Philanthropy, Ihnatowycz Family Foundation
  • Eddy Isaacs, C.M. (Edmonton, Alberta) - Energy research
  • Alfred Morris Kwinter, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Personal injury, property loss and insurance lawyer, director of the Advocates’ Society
  • Gillian Kydd, C.M. (Roberts Creek, British Columbia) - Educator, co-founder of the Open Minds/Beyond the Classroom Network
  • Martha Langford, C.M. (Montréal, Quebec) - Art historian and scholar in the field of photographic arts
  • Roger J. Lewis, C.M. (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia) - Mi'kmaq historian and archaeologist
  • William Joseph Logan, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Pediatric neurology
  • Elizabeth MacLeod, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario)  - Children’s author
  • Allison Joan McGeer, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Epidemiological policy advisor
  • Irene Y. McNeill, C.M. (Aurora, Ontario) -  Helped develop the sport of sailing in Canada
  • Rassi Nashalik, C.M. (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories) - Inaugural host of CBC’s Igalaaq, the first Inuktitut-language daily television newscast
  • Pamela Joan Newall, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Forensic science
  • Brenda Okorogba, C.M. (Ottawa, Ontario) - Champions equitable access to education and workforce opportunities for diverse communities
  • Patricia O’Malley, C.M. (Stratford, Ontario) - Chartered professional accountant
  • Brendan John Paddick, C.M. (Freeport, Bahamas and Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador) - Entrepreneur and executive,  co-founder of the Dollar A Day Foundation
  • Susan Phillips, C.M. (Ottawa, Ontario) - Professor, founded Canada’s only graduate program in philanthropy
  • Alamin Proton Rahman, C.M., O.N.L.(St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador) - Genomics expert, professor
  • James Retallack, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Scholar of modern German history
  • Jean Robert, C.M. (Québec, Quebec) - Educator and community leader, advocate for English‑language services in Quebec
  • Whitney Michelle Rockley, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Co-founder of McRock Capital, first woman to chair the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association
  • Leonard Schein, C.M. (Vancouver, British Columbia) - founded Festival Cinemas, the Vancouver International Film Festival, and Alliance Atlantis Cinemas
  • Walter John Schroeder, C.M. and Maria Schroeder, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario) - Philanthropists 
  • Cindy Schwartz, C.M. (Montréal, Quebec) - Founder, artistic and general director of Les Muses, Canada’s first full-time professional performing arts training program for neurodivergent adults
  • Karl Tomm, C.M. (Calgary, Alberta) - Psychiatrist, university professor and founder of the Calgary Family Therapy Centre
  • Ziya Tong, C.M. (Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia) - Broadcaster, author, science journalist and filmmaker
  • Michael Jon Villeneuve, C.M. (Mountain, Ontario) - CEO of the Canadian Nurses Association
  • Della Wilkinson, C.M. (Ottawa, Ontario) - RCMP research scientist
  • John Mark Willinsky, C.M. (Vancouver, British Columbia and San Francisco, California) - Founder of Public Knowledge Project


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Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Throwback Thursday: Koko Taylor Passes

American Blues legend, Koko Taylor passed away on June 3, 2009.

Below is the article that ran in the June 4, 2009 edition of the Hamilton Spectator. Click the image to Make it bigger.


Links: Koko Taylor, More Koko Taylor Stories/CoversVideo above courtesy of Celia Anahin


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Sunday, January 4, 2026

Support Local Charities


From their website: Begun in the 1980's out of a desire to help one family with a terminally ill child, the TENDER WISHES FOUNDATION has grown to seek out and grant wishes to children in the Niagara Region who suffer from a potentially life-threatening illness.

The Hamilton Blues Lovers (HBL) want to showcase a deserving local charity every week.  HBL is not affiliated with these charities nor does it fund raise for them.



Bird Day Videos by Wax Mannequin, Colin Linden, Fry Truck, Paul Sage

Update of 2021 Post


Links: Wax MannequinMore Wax Mannequin StoriesVideo above courtesy of Wax Mannequin - Topic

Links: Colin LindenMore Colin Linden Stories, More Beatles Covers/StoriesVideo above courtesy of MrBeatlesCovers

Links: Fry TruckMore Fry Truck StoriesVideo above courtesy of meejoebee

Links: Paul SageMore Paul Sage StoriesVideo above courtesy of Hamilton Blues Lovers


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Friday, January 2, 2026

Mike Trebilcock's Music to be Featured in Local, Upcoming, Puppet Horror Film


Hamilton musician Mike Trebilcock (Killjoys, Monday Nuns) was featured in the December 31, 2025 edition of the Hamilton Spectator. The interesting story was about his work in scoring the upcoming, local puppet horror movie, Kylgor in the Grisly Abyss.

You can read the article below. Click it to make it bigger.




Below is an example of Mike's previous film work.



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Thursday, January 1, 2026

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