Canadian country great Fred Eaglesmith blazes his musical trail to Revelstoke

Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre

His approach may be devoid of glamour, his manner sometimes brusque, but after 42 years on the road and 22 albums, Canadian country/rock singer and songwriter Fred Eaglesmith has a unique musical skillset that is as endearing as it is undeniable.

His set of loyal fans agree — Fred Heads they’re called — and they roll up whenever Eaglesmith rolls into town.

The 59-year-old music veteran will be in Revelstoke on Tuesday October 11 at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. His wife Tif (Tiffani) Ginn is joining him on tour, their rare duo dynamic a special treat for fans.

Ginn, an acclaimed singer in her own right, provides sultry harmonies to support Eaglesmith’s extensive catalogue of songs, plus accompaniment with seven different instruments.

“I’m sort of a storyteller and songwriter and she has this beautiful voice and is more a musician than I am,” Eaglesmith says. “She brings that to the stage and it balances the stuff that I do.”

Eaglesmith’s shows are part stand-up comedy, part musical homage. His trademark style draws from folk, country, rock, gospel and bluegrass and the enigmatic musician is known for his lengthy breaks between songs. He uses the breaks to revel in his comic monologues and stories.

Fred Eaglesmith and Tif Ginn.

And what a story he has to tell. Eaglesmith grew up in on a farm with eight siblings, in Southern Ontario. In his teens he hopped on a freight train out to western Canada, and his story since has been a series of ups and downs, windfalls and blows.

These days, Eaglesmith is straight to the point and won’t be labeled as cool. His dismissal of the limelight is one of the reasons he’s created such a fan following. He’s frank about who he is and prefers the life he has carved on the road, playing over 300 shows worldwide each year.

Despite this, his songs have gained attention from well-known names such as American country darling Miranda Lambert, who covered his song Time to Get a Gun, American folk singer Todd Snider who covered his popular Alcohol and Pills song and Canadian rock band Cowboy Junkies’ covered his song Carmelita.

Eaglesmith has even made it to The Late Show with David Letterman. But he seems to prefer the cozy realness of more intimate shows.

“I have really great fans,” Eaglesmith says. “I have older fans, not young, they know what they’re doing and why they’re there for.

“They’re not there because of some publicist or buzz in the air about me.”

While the musician can’t remember if he has been to Revelstoke before, an effect of travelling to so many places for decades, what he has accumulated over time is stage presence.

Up there he is comfortable, ready to play, to be challenged and to put on a personal and unique show for his fans that is one to remember.

Event details:

Catch Fred Eaglesmith and Tif Ginn on Tuesday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre on 1007 Vernon Avenue.

Tickets are $25. Buy online: www.revelstokeartscouncil.bigcartel.com