Canada Day Entertainment

One of the most memorable things about celebrating Canada Day in Parksville is the opportunity to hear a wide variety of musicians performs in a wide variety of styles.
And this year, the lineup is more extensive and exciting. The musical acts start just before noon with the Oceanside Concert Band welcoming everyone to Parksville's Community Park and continue right until dusk and the the Thrifty Foods Fireworks Show.
And headlining the main stage and this year's event is legendary Canadian Rock Band Chilliwack.

Chilliwack is a legendary Canadian rock band that had their heyday during the 1970s and 1980s. They are perhaps best remembered for their three biggest songs "My Girl (Gone Gone Gone)", "I Believe" and "Whatcha Gonna Do." The band's lineup has changed numerous times, though Bill Henderson has constantly remained a fixture, and Chilliwack continues to tour across Canada. The band initially formed as the Classics in Vancouver, but later changed the name to the Collectors. Their psychedelic debut album yielded the minor hit "Lydia Purple". Chilliwack effectively began with the departure of vocalist Howie Vickers from the Collectors in 1969; however, the band didn't change its name until 1970 to Chilliwack, a Salish term meaning "going back up" and the name of the city east of Vancouver. With lead guitarist Bill Henderson now providing most of the vocals and doing most of the composing, the band released several records that were in Canada. Hit singles in Canada included "Lonesome Mary", "Crazy Talk" and "Fly at Night". The album track "Rain-o", a blues-based composition that appeared in different versions on the Chilliwack debut album and the later "Dreams, Dreams, Dreams", was a well-known concert favourite. In 1978, Brian MacLeod (guitar, drums, keyboards) and Ab Bryant (bass) joined the band. Chilliwack enjoyed its greatest success with this new lineup. The singles "My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)" (1981), "I Believe" (1982), and "Whatcha Gonna Do (When I'm Gone)" (1982) were popular both in Canada and in the U.S. Rolling Stone Magazine wrote: "At their best, Chilliwack was the finest Canadian rock band, outrocking BTO and outwriting Burton Cummings."

Johnny Vallis - Man Of Many Voices grew up dreaming of being Elvis, but Johnny Vallis made a name for himself in showbiz by impersonating another rock legend - Buddy Holly. Vallis, spent many years paying homage to Holly, as part of the three-person (Holly, Elvis and Roy Orbison) Legends of Rock and Roll show."It was 'the show they never gave,'" He was "discovered" in January, 1989, and signed to play Buddy Holly with the Legends of Rock and Roll. Just 16 when he joined the show, Vallis spent the next nine years touring throughout North America and all over the world.He cites a 1996 tour of Australia, which involved 66 shows in just over two months, as well as an impromptu performance for the king and queen of Malaysia, as his favorite."If you want to stay in a career, you've got to be willing to try something new," Vallis said.His own Man of Many Voices musical comedy show, however, wasn't entirely new.The show involves impressions of Mick Jagger, Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin, Garth Brooks, John Lennon, the Bee Gees and Gordon Lightfoot, among others - voices that were perfected during sound checks for Legends shows.Vallis's performances also involve a healthy dose of G-rated comedy, but Vallis says his main focus remains on the music."It's musically based, because my life has been music," "I'm a singer first and a comedian second - unless you don't like my singing, then I'm a comedian first and a singer second,"

She's only five, but Jessie Kelly has a big voice . She may only be in kindergarten, but Jessie is experienced -- she started singing the Canadian anthem before games of Parksville's Oceanside Generals Junior B hockey team when she was three. She learned it through the Words on Wheels early literacy program. Linda Doukakis, a.k.a. Mother Goose, was reading the kids a book about Canada and got them all singing O Canada. Doukakis then started having the kids sing the anthem before each reading session.
On Sept. 29, 2007, tiny Jessie walked out in front of more than 450 people at a Generals home game and, without a trace of fear, nailed the anthem to enthusiastic cheers. She hasn't missed a home game since.

The McShane Family is a multitalented young group of five musical siblings ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-three years. The eldest of the group being Russell followed by Sarah Fay, Kathlene, Bernadette and Quentin. The family was born and raised on beautiful Vancouver Island, in the quaint Town of Qualicum Beach. Singing has always been the family’s passion. They grew up in a home surrounded by music and filled with song. Hence, the development of their beautifully melodious voices. The family also enjoys playing a wide variety of musical instruments but prefers to leave them at home and focus on their vocals while performing on stage. Over the years, the family has acquired a vast and diverse musical repertoire, enjoying most musical styles. Whether it be classical or traditional pieces, contemporary music, jazz, or musical theatre, the family is at home with them all. In particular, they have developed a fondness for the beautiful Celtic Music of their Irish and Scottish Heritage.

Serena Jack says "I love playing my violin as much as I enjoy eating chocolate. My motto is everyday I eat breakfast, I practice my violin and breakfast is my favorite meal". Serena is 10 years old and started playing the violin at the age of 5 under the tutelage of Marjorie Cullerne, Trish Clair Peck and Mr. Petrie. She has trained and performed with the Intermediate Plus Nanaimo Fiddlers for 2 years now and has appeared at Saint Patrick's Day celebrations, The Courtyard Cafe, The Port Theatre, The Coombs Fair, Parksville Canada Day and The Duncan Folk Festival. She really hopes you enjoy her fiddling and classical performances.

Beth Anderson has been singing for 5 years and is currently studying voice at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Victoria. Beth has recorded in Nashville along side Grammy award wining writers and musicians, and to date has written over 60 songs. Beth has performed all over Vancouver Island at The Port Theatre, The Glassie Awards, Concert for a Cure, Music in the Park, and the Santa Clause Parade. Beth was involved with Bard to Broadway in 2005 and performed in three Operas with the Vancouver Island Opera Company from 2004-2006. In the next three years, Beth’s hopes are to continue writing and performing on the island, and then go to “Belmont”, a music school in Nashville. Beth will be performing a set on Canada Day in Parksville, for the 3rd year in a row, and hopes to see you there!

Lauren Bush is a dedicated jazz vocalist located currently in Nanaimo, BC, Canada. She spent 4 years studying music at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX and training with vocal jazz professor, Kristin Ward. She took part in vocal jazz classes that concentrated on improvising, scatting, developing her songbook, studying some of the most well known singers from Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday to Nnenna Freelon and Pat Metheny. She has performed with such Canadian artists as Pat Beliveau, Alex Clements and Martijn VanGalen and the renowned American trumpet player Bobby Shew. She opened for the Maynard Ferguson Band in 2005 and the Lauren Bush Quartet played at the Corpus Christi Jazz festival in 2006 and 2007. She traveled to Memphis in 2006 to sing on Beale Street at the Peabody Hotel and Handy Park. Her combo was seen on KTXS TV for the Ben Richey Boys Ranch Telethon in 2008 and was interviewed on KRBC about the Jazz Jam sessions that happened at the MGM Elegante Hotel shortly after. In February, she attended the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, Idaho and had the amazing opportunity to sing with Bobby McFerrin at his workshop, attended by over 900 people.

Layla Zoe has been called "the Reincarnate of Janis Joplin" and deemed Canada's "Darling of the blues." She is a young powerful vocalist who was born in British Columbia, Canada but now calls Toronto her home after a recent move. Layla Zoe has been singing since the tender age of four years old, including performances with her father's band at the age of fourteen. She has performed all over the world and has been vowed as one of the best female blues singers of her kind in everywhere from Finland, Chicago, Vancouver Island, Toronto and even New York city. Layla has worked to release an album every year, and has five independent releases to date: You Will, Shades of Blue, Hoochie Coochie Woman, and Live at Errington Hall and The Firegirl. Her albums, as well as her ability to stun crowds with her power and talent, has been critically acclaimed by the media and reviewed and showcased in publications such as: Canadian Musician Magazine, the Globe and Mail (Toronto), Toronto Blues Society monthly edition, DOWNBEAT magazine (Illinois, USA), Blues Matters (UK), Crossroads (France) and many more. Layla Zoe took home the "Female Vocalist of the Year" award at the Vancouver Island Music Awards in 2006

TIme Well Wasted is an 11 piece R&B dance group like few you will see anywhere today. No short cuts are taken in producing the sound that makes this band unique. If you enjoy the music of Motown, Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder, Gloria Gaynor, you will really enjoy Time Well Wasted.
The sound is big but not too loud, with enough push and power to keep the dance floor moving as Lionel said, All Night Long!