John Hewitt had a good crowd listening intently at the Lethbridge College Cave for a Lethbridge Folk Club show, Sunday, Jan 15 for approximately 60 people.
I missed opening act Cathy Hawley.
Edmonton based musician John Hewitt transcended a variety of genres, but mostly focused on original folk flavoured singer/songwriter material.
“ I arrived in the middle of “ River of Coal.”
He accompanied himself on guitar, told stories and got the audience singing along on a few songs including “ Won’t Let You Down This Time” that CKUA plays, a more straight ahead country song reminiscent of country icon Don Williams.
“Smoky Mountain Rain,” inspired by Jack Kerouac’s tome “Tristessa,” but putting the twisted characters in the mountains instead on Mexico City,” was one of my favourites.
I also enjoyed “Shot Him Down (She Was Only 17)” about living in Toronto.
He credited his wife for inspiring a few songs and played them including a Van Morrison inspired “ Chaos in Creation.”
He delved into a little Otis Redding inspired R and B and soul for a couple songs including “ In My Loving Arms.”
He expressed his love for major seventh chords before playing “Brand New Stetson.”
His second set included several songs from his latest album “Life Blood and Tears,” as well a lot from his 2020 album “ American Hotel,” which has a picture of that Hotel in Fort Macleod on the cover. “ Tel Aviv Nine ” was one of those highlights. “ Too Many People” also about living in Toronto was definitely a highlight.
He took advantage of the enraptured crowd to play a few songs that he hasn't recorded, and ended with a. slew of popular covers reflecting his influences including Neil Young’s “Helpless,” and an old Bob Dylan song “ She Belongs to me from his 1965 album “ Bringing it Back Home.”
He wound up his set with “Shine On,” which had the audience singing along, before they called him back for one more — “ Thank You For the Rose.”
— by Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor
