Willie P. Bennett
| Willie P. Bennett | |
|---|---|
 Willie P. Bennett at the Roots of Heaven festival at Patronaat in Haarlem, Netherlands (2006) |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Patrick Bennett |
| Born | 26 October 1951 Toronto, Ontario |
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | 15 February 2008 (aged 56) Peterborough, Ontario |
| Genres | Folk, Country, Alternative Country, Bluegrass |
| Occupations | singer/songwriter, mandolinist, harmonica player |
| Years active | 1971–2007 |
| Labels | Woodshed, Duke Street, BNatural, independent. |
| Associated acts | Fred Eaglesmith, Dixie Flyers |
| Website | http://www.williepbennett.com |
William Patrick "Willie P." Bennett (26 October 1951 – 15 February 2008) was a Canadian folk-music singer and song writer, harmonica player, and mandolinist.
Contents |
Life and career [edit]
Born in Toronto, Bennett was part of the 1970s folk music scene in Canada, alongside such figures as Bruce Cockburn, Stan Rogers and David Wiffen. He released his first single ("White Lines") in 1969, and his final solo album (the Juno Award-winning Heartstrings) in 1998.
While commonly regarded as a major talent, Bennett did not become as famous as his contemporaries until 1996 when Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden and Tom Wilson formed Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, a supergroup named for Bennett's 1978 album, and recorded a tribute album featuring Bennett's songs. Bennett's first subsequent album of new material, Heartstrings, won a 1999 Juno Award for Best Roots & Traditional Album – Solo. On 10 September 2010 in Edmonton Alberta, Willie was officially inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame during the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs). The award was accepted by his mother, sister and nephew.
While Bennett was highly regarded as a songwriter and solo performer, early in his career he formed and fronted the newgrass group Bone China Band, touring through Ontario. Throughout his career, he kept busy as a sideman in bands fronted by other artists. From 1974 to 1979 he toured and recorded with the Dixie Flyers, playing harmonica. Bennett also played harmonica live and on recordings with Joe Hall, Doug McArthur, Sneezy Waters and several other pop and country artists. In the early 1990s, Bennett was a member of Toronto-based Pat Temple and the High Lonesome Players, playing live and appearing on their 1991 album Connecting Lines. In 1991 he joined Fred Eaglesmith's band ("The Flying Squirrels"), with whom he toured and recorded, playing chiefly mandolin and harmonica and singing backup vocals, also serving as road manager, until shortly before his death. During a 2007 Victoria Day weekend concert in Midland, Ontario, he suffered an on-stage heart attack – which he played through but which forced him to stop touring.
He died of a heart attack on 15 February 2008, at his home in Peterborough, Ontario.[1] At the time of his death, he had resumed performing live solo, and was planning on re-joining Fred Eaglesmith on tour.[2]
Awards and Tributes [edit]
Bennett co-wrote the song "Goodbye, So Long, Hello" with Russell deCarle. The song was recorded by deCarle's band Prairie Oyster, released as a single, and named the 1990 Song of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association.[3]
In 2010, Bennett was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Association's Canadian Country Music Hall of Honour.[3]
David Essig, producer of Bennett's first two albums, paid tribute to him in the song "Willie P", released on the 2009 album Double Vision (with Rick Scott). Canadian country singer Corb Lund wrote a song for Bennett on his 2009 album Losin' Lately Gambler, entitled "It's Hard to Keep a White Shirt Clean".
Discography [edit]
Singles [edit]
| Year | Single | CAN Country | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | White Lines | — | Single only |
| 1989 | The Lucky Ones / Ain't Got No Notion | 19 | The Lucky Ones |
| Train Tracks / Goodbye So Long Hello | — |
Albums [edit]
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Tryin' to Start Out Clean | |
| 1977 | Hobo's Taunt | |
| 1979 | Blackie and the Rodeo King | |
| 1985 | The Lucky Ones | |
| 1991 | Collectibles Vol 1 (Anthology) | |
| 1993 | Take My Own Advice | |
| 1998 | Heartstrings |
Other Contributions [edit]
| Year | Album | Artist | Label | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Light Medium Heavy | The Dixie Flyers | Boot Records | Harmonica, band member |
| 1975 | Collage | Various Artists | Bytown BFFTF 1 | Incls "White Line" from Tryin' to Start Out Clean |
| 1976 | Cheaper To Lease | The Dixie Flyers | Boot Records BBG 6002 | Harmonica, band member |
| 1976 | Sisteron | Doug McArthur | ||
| 1977 | Larger Than Life | Denis Lepage | Boot Records BBG6001 | Lead vocal & additional lyrics, "John Henry, The Gambler"; Harmonica |
| 1977 | Just Pickin | The Dixie Flyers | Boot Records BBG 6004 | Harmonica, band member |
| 1978 | For Our Friends | The Dixie Flyers | Boot Records | Harmonica, band member |
| 1979 | Five By Five | The Dixie Flyers | Boot Records | Harmonica, band member |
| 1979 | Denis Lepage & Station Road | Denis Lepage & Station Road | Boot Records BBG 6005 | Harmonica |
| 1979 | Live at the Nervous Breakdown | Various Artists | "Has Anyone Seen My Baby Here Tonight" (live), with Mendelson Joe (mislabeled "Storm Clouds" on LP cover) | |
| 197? | It's High Time | Coyote | ||
| 1981 | Sings Hank Williams | Sneezy Waters | ||
| 1987 | Indiana Road | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member | |
| 1990 | Different Kind of Fire | Prairie Oyster | Co-wrote "Goodbye, So Long, Hello" with Russel deCarle | |
| 1991 | There Ain't No Easy Road | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member | |
| 1991 | Connecting Lines | Pat Temple & His High Lonesome Players | Harmonica, band member | |
| 1993 | Drinking With The Poet | Scott B. Sympathy | Smokeshow Records FPD 3121 | Harmonica |
| 1993 | Things Is Changin' | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member | |
| 1994 | From The Paradise Motel (live) | Fred Eaglesmith | Barbed Wire Records BWR2001 | Mandolin, harmonica, harmony vocals, band member |
| 1995 | Drive-In Movie | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member | |
| 1996 | High or Hurtin | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | True North TNSD 0115 | Vocals, harmony vocals, harmonica, mandolin |
| 1996 | Slightly Haunted | Lynn Miles | Philo | Mandolin, harmonica |
| 1996 | She & She & She | Bird Sisters | Bird Sisters | Harmonica |
| 1997 | Blue Plate Special | Prairie Oyster | Velvel | |
| 1997 | Flying Jenny | Linda MacRae | Stony Plain | Harmonica |
| 1997 | Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline | Fred Eaglesmith | Razor & Tie | Mandolin, electric mandolin, harmonica, harmony vocals, band member |
| 1998 | Painter Passing Through | Gordon Lightfoot | Reprise | Harmonica |
| 1998 | Industrial Lullaby | Stephen Fearing | Red House | Harmonica |
| 1999 | Festival to Go: All Canadian Sampler Vol. 2 | Various Artists | Festival Distribution FDI 003 | Includes "Restless Wind" from Heartstrings |
| 1999 | 50 Odd Dollars | Fred Eaglesmith | Razor & Tie | Mandolin, harmonica, harmony vocals, band member |
| 2001 | Ralph's Last Show (Live) | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member | |
| 2001 | Walk On | Terry Tufts | Borealis | Harmonica, Jew's harp |
| 2002 | Falling Stars and Broken Hearts | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member | |
| 2003 | Bailin | Fred Eaglesmith | AML Records | Mandolin, harmonica, harmony vocals, band member |
| 2003 | The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 2 (Live) | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member | |
| 2003 | Dirty Rotten Shame | Stephen Hogg | ||
| 2003 | Just A Songwriter | Kenny Butterill | No Bull Songs | Mandolin |
| 2005 | Roger Marin Jr | Roger Marin Jr | Co-wrote "It Breaks My Heart" with Roger Marin Jr. | |
| 2006 | Milly's Cafe | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member | |
| 2007 | Lovers Find Reasons | Lindsay Jane | ||
| 2007 | Anywhere | Paul O'Toole | Mandolin on "Creepy Coated Love Song" | |
| 2008 | Tinderbox | Fred Eaglesmith | Mandolin, harmonica, backing vocals, band member |
Cover Versions [edit]
| Song | Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew's Waltz | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | Kings of Love | 1999 |
| Blackie & The Rodeo King | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| Come On Train | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| Country Squall | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| Driftin' Snow | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| Faces | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| For The Sake Of A Dollar | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings with Russell deCarle | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| Goodbye, So Long, Hello | Prairie Oyster | Different Kind of Fire | 1990 |
| Has Anyone Seen My Baby Here Tonight | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| If You Have To Choose | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | Kings of Love | 1999 |
| Job Disorder | Scott B. Sympathy | Neil Young Street | 1990 |
| Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 | |
| Lace and Pretty Flowers | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| Steve Goldberger | The Goldberger Variations | 1999 | |
| Music In Your Eyes | Colleen Peterson | Beginning to Feel Like Home | 1973 |
| Garnet Rogers | Garnet Rogers | 1984 | |
| Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 | |
| Stan Rogers | From Coffee House to Concert Hall | 1999 | |
| Patience Of A Working Man | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | Kings of Love | 1999 |
| Rains On Me | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| Red Dress | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | Kings of Love | 1999 |
| Stealin' Away | Colleen Peterson | Coleen | 1977 |
| Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 | |
| Step Away | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings with Emmylou Harris | Kings & Queens | 2011 |
| The Lucky Ones | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | Kings of Love | 1999 |
| This Lonesome Feelin' | Denis Lepage & Station Road | At The Cowboy Arms Hotel | 1980 |
| Tryin' To Start Out Clean | Colleen Peterson | Coleen | 1977 |
| Turnkey | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| White Line | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | High or Hurtin' | 1996 |
| Billie Hughes | Horton, Bates & Best – The Last Catch | 1981 | |
| David Wiffen | Coast to Coast Fever | 1973 | |
| John Starling | Long Time Gone | 1993 | |
| Jonathan Edwards | Rockin' Chair | 1975 | |
| Peter Pringle | Peter Pringle | 1976 | |
| Pure Prairie League | Can't Hold Back | 1979 | |
| The Seldom Scene | Live At The Cellar Door | 1974 | |
| Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | Swinging From The Chains of Love | 2008 | |
| Willie's Diamond Joe | Blackie & The Rodeo Kings | Bark | 2003 |
| Matt Andersen | Coal Mining Blues | 2011 |
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ "Canadian folk singer Willie P. Bennett dead". Canwest News Service. 21 February 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
- ^ Quill, Greg (18 February 2008). "Willie P. Bennett, 57: A '70s folk pioneer". Toronto Star. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
- ^ a b "Willie P. Bennett". CCMA Hall of Fame. Canadian Country Music Association. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
External links [edit]
- Mowat, Bruce F. "Bennett, Willie P.". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 4 November 2007.
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- 1951 births
- 2008 deaths
- Deaths from myocardial infarction
- Canadian country singers
- Canadian folk guitarists
- Canadian folk singers
- Canadian harmonica players
- Canadian male singers
- Canadian singer-songwriters
- Canadian country singer-songwriters
- Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
- Juno Award winners
- Canadian bluegrass mandolinists
- Mandolinists
