Open Air Performances

Andrea Anderson- July 24- Coral Beach

Vocalist Andrea Anderson is the 2004 winner of "Okanagan Idol."  She will be performing at Merritt Mountain Music festival in July 2005.  Andrea lives in Vernon, B.C. where she is currently perusing her singing. .."Music is my way of personal expression.. It is how I connect with people and the world around me...  Singing to me; is my Destiny Fulfilled."
Her vocal abilities have been described as pure and powerful with an engaging sound.  She has an Energy and Charisma that is inspiring yet down to earth while reshaping traditional standards, pop classics and Country Music.
Andrea was born and raised on an Alberta cattle ranch and would consider her roots to be Pure Country!  Being the youngest of three daughters and part of a musical family, Andrea watched her Sisters enter singing, dancing and piano competitions.  Learning by osmosis, Andrea became interested in music and privately entertained in her big sisters bedroom.  
At the age of Sweet Sixteen, Andrea decided to debut her singing abilities in a talent competition in a local beauty pageant.  From that moment on there was no denying that music was in her soul!  By 1992 She had already made several music videos that were showcased throughout the interior of B.C.  In 1993 Andrea was chosen to represent Canada by singing in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Canada Summer Games in Kamloops, B.C.  
She continued to pursue her dream and moved to Music City USA, Nashville Tennessee where she networked with industry professionals and showcased local song writer’s original music.  After leaving Nashville it was off to Phoenix Arizona.  While pursuing a Business Degree Andrea sang full time with various bands singing blues, pop, country and Contemporary Christian music.  Andrea was one of the city's most sought after National Anthem Singer's.  Singing for the Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Chicago Cubs.
Wanting to reunite with her family Andrea moved back to Canada in 2001, where she continues to pursue her dream.
"...singing is like music to my heart and the soul of who I am..."

Flying Weekenders – July 1 - Beasley & Reiswig Parks

For over ten years, the Fabulous Flying Weekenders have been providing a combination of high energy blues and rock with a touch of country. Because of their diversified up-bringing, there are able to mix music from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and more for a great sound that everybody loves to dance to. From Reddeer , Alberta, Tim Deagnon plays guitar and sings all your country hits. Woody Axelrod, from Austin, Texas sings and plays guitar licks from the best of the dead Texans. Trent Uphill, drummer from North Battleford, Saskatchewan, loves the Stones and the Hip. Don Dunahoo, bass player and singer from Atlanta, Georgia, brings soul that ties it all together. This combination of musicians make for great rockin country blues that you just can’t help but dance too.

Grooveyard – July 3 - Kopje Regional Park

This 5-piece rock/jam band from Kelowna B.C. is going stronger than ever since the release of their 2008 CD ‘Place In Time.’ The CD has made it to Alaska, California, England, Germany, and even Alberta! As well, the band’s song ‘Ogopogo’ has proven to be a popular download on i-Tunes.

Grooveyard is one of the few bands (in this area) that carry the tradition of live improvisation to the stage. With jazz sensibilities, yet playing 100% rock music, the band members excel at listening and reacting to each other in the moment.

Another unique element of the band is their fabulous female drummer, Yvonne. Visit Yvonne’s drum page at http://drumsforgirls.ning.com/profile/YvonneCaldwell

See and hear the band at www.grooveyardrocks.ca

Purchase the CD Place In Time at i-Tunes or http://cdbaby.com/cd/gyard

See you this summer! Grooveyard

Half a Quorum- July 31- Okanagan Centre Park

quo·rum

1. The fixed minimum number of members that must be present

to make the proceedings of a society valid.

2. A select group

Dancing is definitely not optional when dynamic vocal band Half a Quorum, featuring Steve Todd on Keyboards, Peter Padden on drums, Mike Ohman on guitars, and Terry Strudwick on bass. All four musicians create the band's fabulous vocal harmonies. Todd describes the band as, "four guys, one vision, creating great music and having fun doing it; pretentiousness not allowed."

"From Louis Jordan to Steely Dan to Johnny Cash to Neil Young, you will be surprised how we have interpreted some of this material and made it our own," said Todd.

This approach is evident in the band's successful debut CD, Motion Carried. An album of cover songs, the band decided not to use computer assisted vocal tuning software, preferring what Todd called, "real music played by real musicians."

Much of the band's success lies in the musicianship and wealth of experience shared by its members. "From the first time we played together, we knew we were part of something unique," said Todd. "All of us have toured and recorded with a variety of famous artists, including Dolly Parton, Michael Bublé, Lyle Lovett, Sue Medley, Jeff Healey, and Dwight Yoakam, to name a few."

Todd may think that Half a Quorum's success is because, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts," but its "parts" are pretty impressive, nevertheless.

Jennifer Boal & Lonny Eagleton–July 24 - Coral Beach & August 7- Gatzke's Farm Market

Jennifer has been performing at Open Mic singer/songwriting evenings and at various local Okanagan venues for the past several years.  Her songs entitled "Save Us" and "Shadow of Midnight" moved on to the second round of judging from the original fifteen thousand entrants received from all over Canada and the United States in an International Songwriting Contest.  She continues to create and showcase original songs, as well as to perform tributes to ABBA as part of a professional singing duo.  Jennifer can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

Lonny Eagleton began playing guitar at the age of 13. Now he is only 17 and has already been playing professionally at various events around the Okanagan such as the 2008 BC Summer Games, Wakefest, and at the Lance Armstrong Cancer Research fund raiser. Lonny is an extremely versatile guitarist who plays many styles of music such as Rock, Blues, Jazz, Classical, Flamenco, Acoustic, Metal and all related genres. Lonny has been hired to play shows with various recording artists including Ryan Donn, Jackson Cook and Leah West. He also performs with his own band, Wild Rose.  Lonny can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Jennifer Lauren- August 14- Beasley Park

Jennifer Lauren knows how to captivate an audience. The soothing sounds of her beautiful vocals and her heartfelt lyrics are uniquely inspired. Her remarkable voice imparts an ethereal and soulful quality to her songs, creating a magical experience for her listeners. Born in Germany to a musical family and raised in the Los Angeles area, Jennifer now lives in Canada where she is currently working on writing her new album. 

Jennifer's vocals have been featured in many movies, such as, "Impulse", 2008, Sony Screen Gems, starring Willa Ford and Angus Macfadyen; "Dancing Trees", 2008, Nasser Entertainment, starring Brooke Burns, Katie Boland & Amanda Tapping; and "Paparazzi Princess, the Paris Hilton Story", 2008, Nasser Entertainment. As a songwriter, her original songs have appeared in "Dancing Trees", 2008, Nasser Entertainment; and "Paparazzi Princess, the Paris Hilton Story", 2008, Nasser Entertainment.

* Jennifer will be performing a mix of her originals, r&d, and smooth jazz with her group "calculated risk" featuring  Rob Dewar guitars, Cam Ward bass, and Danny Sameshima drums.
http://www.myspace.com/jenniferlauren

Kettle Valley Brakemen – August 28- Okanagan Centre Park

It'll be full steam ahead in Lake Country on Friday August 14th when heritage
entertainers The Kettle Valley Brakemen perform in Beasley Park at 6:00 pm.  Okanagan Life Magazine says of the band:  "Every show is a rollicking history lesson."  2009 is the twelfth year that the overall clad Brakemen have been touring southern B.C. telling true stories of our railway history and singing original train songs.  In that time, audience interest in "heritage music" has grown dramatically. "Local people want to keep their history alive, and tourists want to know what makes an area unique" says head Brakeman, Jack Godwin.  "Our concerts use dramatic and humorous tales from the past to bring to life B.C.'s colourful steam rail era.  Our melodies are simple, the force of our music lies in the lyrics, in the stories we sing about.  We're just doing what the old time troubadours did,"  Godwin adds.  This year the group's touring schedule stretches from the coast to the Kootenays and includes recent appearances in Castlegar, Ft. Steele, Kelowna and Midway.  Band schedule: www.kvbrakemen.com concert details: 250-766-2698

Martina T. Smith - August 14 - Beasley Park

Martina Smith has always had a passion to sing.  Starting later in life and with huge support from her good friend and guitarist Greg Bouwman she ventured in to the world of lessons and friends listening around the campfire.  Once her confidence and courage improved she started performing at coffee houses, weddings, and private functions.  “I love making music and enjoy performing, it’s like you get to be someone else for a night”.  Martina made the top 10 in 2007 Okanagan Idol and continues to perform at different venues in the Okanagan.  Greg Bouwman is a natural musician staring at an early age.  He is an amazing guitarist and singer and both Martina and Greg like playing all kinds of music and putting their own spin on rock, jazz, blues and alternative music.

Olga Osipova –July 17 - Gatzke's Farm Market & July 24- Coral Beach

Olga Osipova is an award-winning singer/songwriter/ pianist and a jazz artist on the rise. A new Canadian, Olga grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, and studied music in Germany. Those diverse cultural experiences are well reflected in her music, which besides jazz is full with flavors of world, cabaret, and fine European chanson.

After the launch of her all-original debut CD “Velvet & Lace” things started happening fast for Olga. Only a couple months after the Canadian release, the CD has already topped the smooth jazz charts in her native Russia, was added to rotation on many radio stations in Canada and across the world (USA, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, France, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Poland etc.) Olga’s music is receiving rave reviews from the press including the prestigious JazzTimes Magazine; she won the Jazz Artist of the Year at the BC Interior Music Awards in 2008, and most recently, Olga was announced Finalist in the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards.

Phat Betty (Cathy-Ann Wells) – August 28- Okanagan Centre Park

Blues vocalist Cat Wells, influenced by Billie Holiday, Etta James and Janis Joplin, has shared the stage with "the Ray Charles Orchestra" opened for ZZ Top, Crash Test Dummies, Jeff Healey and countless others and has performed from Alaska to the Grand Cayman Islands to audiences as large as 10,000.
www.phatbetty.com

Phat Nero –July 10 - Swalwell Park

PHAT NERO is a band that has, since the outset, been about more than just the music. We are on a journey, a journey to open some minds and expand some experiences. Carried by the muses and extolled by us through our music. In perquisition of aural art that speaks to the core of us all. With HEART, MIND & SOUL, we endeavour to bring you that part of ourselves which we all share. This has also been a saga of self-reacquianting as we are constantly realizing just who and what we are. We are a culmination of our experiences and it shows through our performances.

Songwriting has been the paramount ingredient into what we do and the direction that we are traversing. Conceived in the bosom of Lake Country on the crest of Sunburn Hill, we descend in the name of entertainment. A band, a brotherhood of four, with extensive musical experience that has a real love for the creative and performing aspects of being auditory artists.

We are on the never ending quest of being relevant, artistic & entertaining.

Audio Link: http://www.reverbnation.com/phatnero
Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PHATNERO&view=videos

Smashlee – August 14- Beasley & Reiswig Parks

One look at Ashleigh Somerville – aka Smashlee – gleefully attacking one of her vintage 4-string guitars, and you know you’re in for something different.

It’s hard to define Smashlee’s driving but somehow charming original rock, but with song titles like “Why Can’t I Be Hawaiian?” and “Surfin’ Everyday”, you can see why she gets descriptions like ‘Jimmy Buffett-meets-the-Barenaked-Ladies’. Smashlee will tell you she plays “sunshine surf rock”.

Ashleigh grew up in the Okanagan Valley and has released two CDs: Smashlee’s Wee CD, a four-song EP of her patented ‘sunshine surf rock’, and this past Christmas, a genre-defying LP called Peace, Love, Joy.

Smashlee is currently honing material for a full LP of sunshine surf rock. In the meantime, you can catch her as a solo act or with her band, the Fakey Luau, playing select engagements throughout BC, and wherever else the sun may be shining…

Ashleigh can be contacted via her website, www.smashlee.com or by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Steppin Out- August 7- Gatzke's Farm Market

STEPPIN’ OUT is a dynamic & exciting musical Duo.  Del & Keith Hunter make up this compliment of musicians.  Our main objective is to ensure the audience is “enjoying their evening.”  The Music we perform covers a wide variety of musical styles, and tastes, and provides a full range of dance styles for the audience to enjoy.  Because of this our duo is suitable for any occasion.  The magnetism we create together has made song writing and performing a pleasure.

DEL HUNTER  (Vocals, Congas, Percussion)

This vibrant, energetic singer began her singing career in 1973.  Her ability to duplicate almost any style enables her to sing a full spectrum of music from Jazz to Blues to Rock to Ballads.  Her years of ear training have allowed her to be right at home singing Background vocals on many studio recording projects.  Her dynamic personality and voice, combined with endless energy, have helped bring STEPPIN’ OUT to the forefront of the Okanagan Music Scene.

KEITH HUNTER   (Vocals, Electric Guitar, Flute)

Keith has been involved in the music industry from a very young age playing many different instruments throughout his career. Keith graduated with a musical composition degree from Grant McEwan College, in Edmonton.  In addition to being owner/engineer/producer of “Hunter Audio” recording studio, in Kelowna, he is a song writer, arranger, producer and performer for his own music as well as contract work for film soundtracks, videos, jingles, and other artists material.  Keith enjoys staying very involved in the music industry.  Keith plays Electric Guitar and Flute on stage as well as singing Lead and Background vocals.

THE SOUND

With the help of today’s musical technology on computers, sequencers & synthesizers, STEPPIN’ OUT has put together a sound not typical of most Duo’s.  After countless hours of learning the songs, programming the sounds, arranging, recording and doing the final mixing we present our songs with the sound of the Original performers.  Accompaniment of background instrumentation includes: drums, bass, piano, organ, synthesized keyboards, horn sections, string sections, all imaginable percussion instruments, to name a few.

Steve Stairs - August 7 - Gatzke's Farm Market 

Singer/songwriter Steve has been performing as a soloist or in a quartet for almost 20 years. He has played at the laughing moon in Kelowna, parks alive, and at various rotary functions including the 2006 district conference.

He spent a year with the “encore theatre group in Kelowna. This past winter he was singing with the Fall River band in Arizona. He is also a regular at Artwalk.

If there is something special you would like to hear just ask, he will try to accommodate. Whether Steve is performing Garth Brooks, Elvis or his own original material, you will be entertained. So sit back and enjoy.

                      E-MAIL: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it PHONE 778-480-0020

                         URL: MYSPACE.COM/STEVESTAIRSMUSICSITE

Stolen Coast- July 24- Coral Beach

In the year 2007, brother and sister duo, James and Candace  Balfour officially put a name and a recording project to something that had always come naturally to them;  making and performing music together.  “Our goal with this project was to discover  where the creative journey would take us.”  Grounded in rockʼnʼroll, Stolen Coast uses tight harmonies, hooky guitar riffs, and the  odd cello bow across the strings of an effects laden guitar, to navigate their creative  wanderings.
As a result, their self-titled debut album renders ten songs that each tell their own story.  Sharing vocals, song writing and the stage, Stolen Coast delivers a performance at  times thoughtful, quirky and passionate. Together theyʼre discovering a unique sound and a diverse audience.

Teena Gowdy – July 17- Gatzke's Farm Market

With her band called”Off the Rack” Longevity is what this girl brings to you from the USA via the Okanagan valley where she has lived and sang for years. Teena will bring to you her upbeat jazzy R/B sounds with fresh new rhythms to classic standards and heartfelt originality to her self-penned songs. She has been compared to the phonic sounds of Al Jarreau and Ella Fitzgerald the smooth jazzy classics of Van Morrison and Billy Holiday and the rhythm and blues sounds of Lizz Wright and CeCe Winans. Helping her will be those in her band, Called Off the Rack”, Hugh Parsons piano, Brian McMahn upright bass and Martin Lord drums.

The Thurein Myint Trio- July 31- Okanagan Center Park

The Zamboni Brothers – July 1 - Beasley & Reiswig Parks

For over 18 years, The Zamboni Brothers have been entertaining Okanagan audiences with a fresh mix of Rock ‘n Roll and light hearted comedy. This Band is a four piece (a bunch of guitars, drums and a bass) combo and LOVES HARMONY! With a wide ranging repertoire covering over 40 years of great Rock ‘n Roll, the Zamboni Brothers will excite any audience. Here’s a unique band that generates a “Good Time” atmosphere and will make your social evening one to be remembered.
Ken Heatherington
Founder, vocalist and lead guitars – Ken has been playing across Canada for over 40 years and now calls Kelowna home. His musical background has involved VERY,VERY long hair and skin‐tight leather pants, but now Ken sports a conservative haircut and, on the advice of his doctor, baggy trousers.
Les Bellamy
Les is More….than just a Bass player. He sings, dances, and is great with Light Bright. This wandering minstrel has been playing professionally for 20 years. We don’t really know where or with whom…but we let him play with us because he owns a truck.
Jim Dupuis
This quiet Peachland native has been drumming throughout the Okanagon for more than 30 years and boy, are his arms tired! Jim is a solid percussionist and all ‘round nice guy, and says he’s Neil Young’s cousin…. We have our doubts. Jim also owns a Van.
Graham Schofield
Vocalist and Rhythm Guitar Player – Graham was born in the bathroom of a record store, swaddled in sheet music. Thus began his life as a musician. This displaced prairie boy has been strummin’ professionally for 30 years. Graham doesn’t own a van, Truck or a driver’s license….but he’s OK.  For Bookings, call Ken at 862-5903 or Les at 470-2429.