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The Toronto-based "Friends" boast six versatile musicians, five fine singers, two brilliant joke tellers, two widely-sung songwriters, and the occasional Fiery Dragon. This totally uncategorizable collection has been together, in one form or another, for over twenty years, and has played countless clubs, concerts and festivals across Canada and the northern United States. Nobody, not even the Friends themselves, can predict what might happen during one of their concerts, but it always includes humour, powerful vocal harmony, great musicianship, social commentary and an irresistible urge to dance. More clues may be found in the following low-down on the players: Alistair Brown From Paisley, Scotland, for many years a resident of London, Ontario, and now back in the UK. Sings Scottish and English songs, is the man behind the booming bass harmonies, plays melodeon, concertina, mouth organ and Jew's harp, and tells incapacitating jokes. Former artistic director of London's Home County Folk Festival and a high school teacher in previous life, Alistair has two solo recordings on his own Prospect label. Tam Kearney From Glasgow, Scotland and now Toronto. Co-founder of Toronto's late and lamented Fiddlers' Green folk club. Definitely the mouthpiece of the band, Tam sings and plays guitar, banjo and mandolin among other things, and is possessed of an unmistakably Glaswegian ability to find humour in anything, even his own erstwhile day job in the Metropolitan Toronto sewage treatment plant. Grit Laskin Ontarian by birth ("we only bring him along so we can apply for grants..."), Grit is an internationally-known guitar maker and inlay artist in real life. He plays a bewildering assortment of instruments, and has some notoriety as a writer of wicked parodies and songs on subjects as diverse as dieting and apartheid. Grit has two solo recordings on the Fogarty's Cove label, one on Borealis, and has played on more records than he can remember, including those of the late, great Canadian songwriter, Stan Rogers. Cherie Whelan When the Friends' previous piano player was arrested by the religious police in Saudi Arabia, they decided it was time to improve their image. Cherie's pleasant and polite exterior belies a mean piano and fiddle player and a musical sophistication that is the envy of the rest of the band. She currently lives in Southfield, Michigan. Ian Robb An Englishman, now living in Ottawa, Ian's singing is well-known among afficionados of British music this side of the pond. His occasional spasms of songwriting have produced some gems which have far out-travelled their author. His songs and fine concertina playing may be sampled on his three albums for the Folk Legacy label and one on Fallen Angle, his own label. Ian was for many years a regular columnist for Sing Out! magazine, and a co-founder of Ottawa's Old Sod Folk Music Society. Laurence Stevenson Good fiddle players with a sense of humour are hard to find, so when Glasgow-born Laurence turned up at Fiddlers' Green, the band had no hesitation in slipping him the Queen's shilling, and signing him on for life. Besides, as a CBC producer and sound guy, he is the only member of the band capable of meaningful conversation with sound engineers. David Parry In June 1995, the Friends sadly lost long-time band member, David Parry, to a heart attack. David was a great singer with a huge repertoire, and an incomparable story-teller. For more information on David, please read his obituary, first published in Sing Out! magazine. Fiery Dragon There is currently no fiery dragon in this band, it having been slain on April 23rd.
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