Interested in going back to school for music? Check out our wonderful sponsor, Pick n Sticks. They have incredible music lessons.
For more (mostly adult) education, we recommend the St. Charles Centre (our blogger's day job) who offer high school credit courses, ESL, computer workshops, career programs and more, Also FREE language classes for elementary school children.
We try our best to make sure these listings are as accurate as possible. If you spot any errors or omissions, please email us at blueshamilton@gmail.com.
From their site: Hope for People-Fodivha Inc, is a Canadian Non-Profit Organization partnering with Fodivha Orphanage and School in Thomaseau, Haiti. We work to fund the building of the infrastructure necessary to give children a safe, nurturing environment to live and learn in. Funding also supports a nutritious feeding programme. Currently, 35 orphaned children live at Fodivha and another 300 come to school everyday. It is the only free school in the area, servicing the most marginalized and needy, in this very poor area of Haiti.
100% of your donation to Hope for People – Fodivha goes directly to support the ongoing construction projects at the orphanage and school and to the purchase of food for the children.
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.
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.
From their website: Arts After School Kids (AASK) is a Unique Free not for profit charitable organization that offers an arts based program that develops self esteem and confidence and sparkling potential in youth 11-14 in our community.
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.
It is with sadness that we report the recent passing of Toronto musician Craig Martin. He was also the co-founder of the hugely successful Classic Albums Live series. We will add more details to this page when we learn them. Our condolences to his family, friends and fans.
It is with a collective sadness that we announce the passing of our friend & founder: Craig Martin.
Classic Albums Live was created in 2003 by Craig, and thanks to his bold personality & unwavering passion, it has grown into a renowned live music experience that continues to thrill loyal & mighty audiences, today.
He was immensely proud of his family & friends and made no secret of his belief in them. In turn, we all believed in Craig and shared in his incredible pursuit of connecting people through the music that we all love.
He was a true original, a born leader, and an undeniable force of energy. His vision of bringing people together through iconic sounds will live on in the hands of his family & the musicians he loved.
We vow to honour Craig with years of great performances to come.
Frank Koren (Dundas musician who performs with Classic Albums Live)
He’s been one of my music bosses since 2018. He was always fair, funny and ferocious in his vision. We did a few tours too so I even got to share some great stages with this human. You’re forever in my heart.
The event will feature performances by a select number of nominated artists and special guests, and is open to all Folk Canada Conference attendees. Still to be announced are the Estelle Klein Award recipients, the Laureate for the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award and Culture in Climate Award.
Established in 1987 and now in its 39th year, the Folk Canada Conference (previously the Folk Music Ontario Conference and Ontario Council of Folk Festivals) will take place October 14-18 in Hamilton, Ontario and welcomes attendees from across the country to the event. To learn more, Folk Canada invites interested parties to visit their website and sign up for their newsletter.
“The Ontario Folk Music Awards are an opportunity to celebrate the incredible talent and creativity found across the province,” says Rosalyn Dennett, Executive Director of Folk Canada. “We’re proud to recognize this year’s nominees and bring the folk community together in Hamilton to celebrate their work.” Rosalyn Dennett is available for interviews, and select artists are available for interviews and performances in advance of the event.
Below is a complete list of nominees. Local artists are bolded.
From their website: Hamilton Food Share's purpose is to increase our community's capacity to reduce hunger. We do this by supplying much needed food supplies and short-term storage to food banks and hot meal programs. Additionally, our organization establishes community partnerships, donor relations and fundraising activities that support our food recovery operation.
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.
Update: This album is not available on streaming services and is now hard to find on CD.
Spectator reporter and musician, Mark McNeil recently released his third recording: Greetings from Hamilton.
The six songs on the EP showcase Mark's expressive voice, and his amazing talent with various instruments: guitar (acoustic, electric, Hawaiian, slide), bass, ukulele, banjo and mandolin.
The music is an incredible combination of folk, country, pop and many other styles. There is even a little reggae-esque feeling on the first track, Early Bird.
Lyrically, the album is a wonderful look at the many facets of Hamilton. Mark writes about his experiences in his adopted city (he's originally from Ottawa but has lived here for over 25 years).
"It's kind of a postcard to friends from long ago - to say I'm having a good time and I don't think I'll be moving back to Ottawa any time soon." Mark wrote in the the liner notes.
From their website: Food for Life holds a unique niche among Canadian food relief charities in that we focus on redistributing fresh, nutritious food as opposed to traditional food bank fare such as canned goods. Our clients tell us that they are often not able to afford fresh food and that having access to this healthy food allows them to focus on obtaining other life essentials as they work towards no longer relying on our services.
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.
Bill Durst, our 2026 winner of the Mel Brown Award, and always an audience favourite, is a Canadian Blues- Rock- Roots guitarist, singer, songwriter, entertainer who has written and recorded over 125 songs on 12 albums with 7 national radio chart hits. Bill has opened for or shared the stage with Rush, Aerosmith, BTO, Yardbirds, John Mayall, Savoy Brown, Bobby Rush, Little Feat, George Thorogood, Bad Company, Loverboy, Edgar Winter Group, Jeff Healey, Burton Cummings, Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Jack de Keyser, April Wine, L.A. Guns, David Wilcox, Bob Seger, Sly And The Family Stone and more. Mr. Durst has toured across North America and in Europe and tours extensively in Canada.
As a kid growing up in Wingham and then London, Ontario (which is halfway between Toronto and Detroit), Bill was heavily influenced by Motown, R&B, Toronto Psychedelic Soul music as well as the British Blues Invasion and Jimi Hendrix.
Bill’s entrance on the national/international stage was with his classic rock band Thundermug formed from London R&B groups in 1969. By the summer of 1972 the band had a number one hit and a fan following in Eastern Canada. The band went on to record a total of 5 albums, (3 albums in the early/mid 1970s and two CDs in the mid 1990s) releasing records in the US and Europe. Bill put out his first two solo releases in the mid eighties but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Durst got some real career momentum. In 2004 he proclaimed his intention to start up a “little, fuzzy, psychedelic blues band” and since then Bill and his co-writer Joe DeAngelis have produced 5 full length CDs: The Wharncliffe Sessions (’05), The Great Willy Mammoth (’09), Bill Durst Live (‘12) and Hard And Heavy (’13) Good Good Lovin ('15).
Mini-Review: Expressive vocals and great songwriting permeate the latest relase from Hamilton's Dunlop Brothers. Vol. 2 picks up where they left off on their splendid debut. It's roots meets alternative wrapped in striking production.
Guitars were raised high after a performance of Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water at the Festival of Friends on August 8, 2009. Hamilton musician Christopher Charles and his band were joined by a legion of guitarists scattered across Gage Park.
From their website: Our objective is to accumulate capital, earn investment income and use this income to make charitable donations in Norfolk County.
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.
Mini-Review: I've you've had the pleasure of listening to the incredible local singer/songwriter Rob Lamothe, you know about his unforgettable voice and inspired songwriting. His recent album, Live at St. Pancras Old Church lays everything bare. With mainly his voice and an acoustic guitar, Rob's vocals and lyrics take centre stage and have room to breathe. His daughter Rose Lamothe also lends her equally unique voice to two tracks.
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