Greg Keelor to headline

Posted By ELIZABETH BOWER

Posted 15 days ago

GAINEY CONCERT:Blue Rodeo singer was raised in Montreal

Concert facts

What: Gainey Family and Friends Concert

When: March 15. Show starts at 7 p. m. sharp; run time about three hours.

Where: Showplace Peterborough, 290 George St. N.

Tickets: $100, call the Showplace box office at 742-SHOW

Why: All proceeds go the Gainey Foundation to help young people in environmental, cultural and education pursuits.

Who: Some of the scheduled performers include: -Greg Keelor, of Blue Rodeo

-Sarah Harmer

-Host Greg Millen, of Hockey Night in Canada

-Jackson Delta Blues Band

-Barry Haggarty and the Band -Alyssa Morrissey and Cyril Rawson

-Peterborough Pop Ensemble -James McKenty -Kris Newby

-Pork Belly Futures

-Counterfit Fifty, Examiner contest winner

-Donnel and Erin Leahy -comedian Steve Patterson -Murray McLauchlan -The Sadies

-John McDermott -and some surprises

GAINEY CONCERT:Double Juno winner to sing

Growing up in Montreal as a young hockey player, Greg Keelor laughs that he had no choice but to worship Bob Gainey.

Gainey, a Peterborough native, was a larger than life hockey icon with the Montreal Canadiens -- an award-winning defensive forward who went on to become the team's captain and eventually its general manager.

As Keelor grew up, he steered away from hockey and moved on to music, eventually becoming something of an icon himself as guitarist and vocalist for the legendary Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo.

But it was still a thrill to meet his childhood hero when he and Gainey joined rocker Ronnie Hawkins a few years ago at Hawkins' home on Stoney Lake.

"(Gainey) was different than I had thought," Keelor says in a telephone interview with The Examiner.

"He's a quiet man. But when he speaks, you lean forward to listen and pay attention. And that's probably why he's a Canadian hero -- he's reserved but powerful."

Another mark of Gainey's greatness, says Keelor, is that he transformed his grief for his daughter into something that would help others.

A wave swept Laura Gainey off a tall ship and into the Atlantic Ocean in 2006. In her memory, the Gainey family formed the Gainey Foundation, which helps young people in educational, cultural and environmental pursuits.

For example, the foundation

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announced earlier this year that it would help build a self-sustainable environmental education centre for children in Peterborough as its first major project in Canada.

"It's a testament to (Gainey's) strength to take such a great tragedy and turn it into something positive," Keelor says.

Keelor says he's thrilled to be part of the second annual Gainey Family and Friends Concert that raises money for the foundation.

"It's an honour," Keelor says. "Completely."

Keelor will be joined on stage, during the March 15 concert at Showplace, with other musical greats such as Sarah Harmer, John McDermott, fiddler Donnell Leahy and his sister Erin, The Sadies and the Jackson Delta Blues Band (for a one-night reunion).

Examiner managing editor Ed Arnold is known as "the quarterback" for spearheading the first and now second annual

It's a testament to (Gainey's) strength to take such a great tragedy and turn it into something positive.

Greg Keelor singer

fundraising concert.

"When you can get this many acts together for one night on the same stage you hope everyone has a good experience," Arnold says.

"When you have so much community support to sponsor it and an excellent foundation everyone benefits. Every cent of the ticket money goes directly to the foundation.

"This is all volunteer work from the performers to all of Karl Lawson's excellent work with the artists. I can't even imagine what you would have to pay for this show if it wasn't all volunteer and a benefit."

Meanwhile, Keelor, 54, won't have to travel far for the show.

He lives in a somewhat secluded area of Ganaraska in an old farmhouse built in 1883. He comes to Peterborough to shop.

Keelor was raised mostly in Montreal but met his future Blue Rodeo bandmate Jim Cuddy when the pair were in high school in Toronto.

They started pursuing music "full fledged" around 1985, he says.

Blue Rodeo's music registered with Canadians and its music, especially songs "Lost Together" and "Hasn't Hit Me Yet," became standard in university dorms and around campfires and during wedding receptions.

While Keelor recalls planning "world domination" through Blue Rodeo, he says he's glad Blue Rodeo's music was successful but not as huge as bands such as U2 or Coldplay.

"Our career has been such a sweet gift," Keelor says.

Keelor went on to record three solo albums: "Gone" (1996), "Seven Songs for Jim" (2005) and "Aphrodite Rose" (2006).

"Those albums were more like diaries," Keelor says. "They're very different from Blue Rodeo."

His inspiration for "Gone" was searching for, and finding, his birth mother as Keelor was adopted as a baby.

He says the album also reflects on his time with a guru in India.

He wrote "Seven Songs for Jim" after the death of his father.

"The only way I know how to deal with things is to write songs," Keelor says.

The third album, though, was "just something to do," he adds with a laugh.

Keelor says he has always loved writing songs, singing and playing guitar.

"And while my body's still capable," he says, "I'm glad to still be able to do it."