Vocals, founder of The Huron Carole Benefit Concert Series

Recording artist to some, celebrated actor and author to others, philanthropist to most – Tom Jackson is extraordinarily passionate about creating change.   A bass-baritone voice for food banks, the disenfranchised, the traumatized, and an Ambassador for the Canadian Red Cross, he is Canada’s go-to ‘minstrel with a mission’ and renaissance man.

The Huron Carole Virtual 2021 marks Tom’s 34^th year at the helm of this national project raising awareness and funds for social service agencies across the land.

As a Companion of the Order of Canada, Juno and Gemini Humanitarian Award winner, eleven-time honorary degree recipient, and a proud bearer of the 2014 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement, Tom is noted for his ability to mobilize others into action – often leading with a hug.

Read more about Tom here: https://tomjackson.ca/biography/

“I am of the opinion that art is the single most powerful vehicle for change in the history of the human race.”

Guitar, Sax, Vocals, Music Director

_Award-winning record producer, musician, songwriter, music director and event producer Tom McKillip is well-known in Canadian music circles: Tom’s lengthy resume includes many years of touring with international legend Ian Tyson OC. McKillip has also acted as Music Director for recording artist / humanitarian / actor Tom Jackson CC for more than a dozen years, assisting on Jackson’s many charitable entertainment initiatives – a highlight being the annual coast-to-coast Huron Carole Christmas tour.

As the CCMA’s 2007 ‘Producer of the Year’, and nine-time BCCMA ‘Producer of the Year’, some of McKillip’s successful production credits appear on albums by multi-award-winning artists Lisa Brokop, One More Girl, and Aaron Pritchett (whose first two albums yielded an unprecedented, dozen top-ten hits).

For more than a decade Tom acted as M.D. of the CCMA’s annually televised awards show.  His involvement with that production had him handling pre-production activities, budgets, special musical arrangements and working closely with scores of musicians and artists including Michelle Wright, Paul Brandt, Jann Arden, Gord Bamford, Brett Kissel and Tom Cochrane – in the process, cementing Tom’s reputation within the Canadian music industry as a skilled, versatile, and talented leader of large entertainment projects.

During the 2010 CCMA’s, Tom teamed up with Juno award-winning producer Kevin Churko, CMT and the Canadian Forces Band to produce and film a video tribute to the Canadian Forces called “Standing Strong and True”, which aired in November 2010 on CMT and has received over 7 million views to date on Facebook and YouTube. A writer on the song, Tom also coordinated the music production and filming of the entire project, which featured a large cast of notable country artists.

On the ninetieth anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 2007, McKillip was brought on board as Music Director for the re-dedication of the Vimy Monument in France. The moving performance on the monument by the Canadian Forces Band – featuring Inuit artist Susan Aglukark OC – inspired Tom to develop a musical initiative to honor Canada’s rich military history.  In 2014 McKillip’s company was awarded $1.2 million through a Canadian Heritage funding program, designed to commemorate Canadian military contributions. One of the project’s centerpieces was the production of a documentary featured on CBC’s The National, showcasing Ian Tyson performing his classic “Four Strong Winds” with a 40-piece military band and a poignant interview with Ian Hanomansing.  Ian Tyson – “Four Strong Winds” on CBC’s ‘The National’

In 2018 Tom created a unique recording project in partnership with the CCMA Hall of Fame, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association and Creative BC. ‘Then and Now – Volume 1’ is a compilation album of duets, pairing up iconic Hall of Fame inductees such as Ian Tyson, Sylvia Tyson, Russell deCarle and Murray McLauchlan with current country stars including Jess Moskaluke, Brett Kissel and Aaron Pritchett. The album was released at the 2018 CCMA’s and plans are underway for ‘Then and Now – Volume 2’.

Bass, Vocals

A pivotal moment for bassist/vocalist Phil Hall, came a few decades ago when he moved from Ontario to Calgary looking for opportunities to perform. “Bass players who can sing” was the niche market at the time according to the local musician’s union, so Phil jumped in.

As a graduate of the Humber College Music Program, alongside 50+ years of professional experience in big band, bars, and festival stages, eventually Phil transposed to mainstages across Canada with Ian Tyson, Lisa Brokop, Tom Jackson, Duane Steele, to name a few.

His heart remains firmly entrenched with all things Huron Carole as he embarked on that philanthropic journey in 1995 holding down the additional role as Musical Director for a number of years, and vocal arranger for its live and recorded performances.

Phil lives in Calgary with his wife Shelley Wilde, the Huron Carole’s longstanding financial administrator and director of the non-profit organization.

Keyboards, vocals

Keith Floen is a CCMA nominated keyboard player. A veteran professional musician in and around Calgary for over 30 years, Keith has had the pleasure of working with many great artists, including Tom Jackson, Johnny Reid, Shania Twain, Charlie Major, Jim Cuddy, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Susan Aglukark, Patricia Conroy, Ian Tyson, Paul Brandt, Farmers Daughter and Lisa Brokop. He is also a founding member of the folk group, The Travelling Mabels.

Drums, percussion and vocals

Originally from Cape Breton Nova Scotia, Joe moved to Calgary with his parents and began his music career banging on pots and pans at the age of 3. By the time he turned 9 he had already played his first gig, and spent his early teens playing shows around town with the local band Generations and other local acts.

Hitting the road at 19, he travelled across the country with the popular country band The Honky Tonk Heroes playing 6 nights a week, recording, and honing his drumming and vocal skills along the way.

After 6 years with the Heroes, Joe moved on to being a freelance musician, and began working for multiple theatre shows including Alberta Theatre Projects and Stage West.

Equally at home playing a multitude of genres, he has toured extensively across Canada, the U.S and Europe performing with some of the biggest names in Canadian Music including Shania Twain, Tom Jackson, Gord Bamford, Brett Kissel, Charlie Major, Chris Cummings, Duane Steele and Nashville star Jean Shepard. 

Also an in-demand session player, he’s been nominated for Juno, CCMA, and Western Canadian music awards throughout his lengthy career.

Currently residing in St. Albert, AB he owns and operates Eclipse Recording. Joe is thrilled to be working with Tom and the Band on the 2021 Huron Carole!

Guitars, Vocals

John has been involved in the Canadian music industry for over 40 years. After performing in western Canada for more than a decade, he toured Canada and the US extensively for another 12 years. Recording became a passion and upon relocating to Calgary he focused on session playing and producing projects, while continuing to perform with many of Canada’s top artists.

John has appeared on over 85 full albums, and has produced over half of those projects. In 2004 Horizon Music was launched and recording is the focus to this day.

2017 brought a Juno Nomination for Best Aboriginal Album which John produced, engineered, and played guitar.  In addition, he has played on and produced hundreds of demos, ep’s, jingles, commercials, documentaries and soundtracks.

John currently acts as Producer/Arranger/Engineer/Studio Manager at Horizon Music.

Vocals

Samantha King was born to sing the blues. Winner of the 2018 Edmonton Blues Society’s Memphis Bound Blues Challenge along with her band The YEG Trio. Samantha took on a whirlwind adventure as her group flew to Memphis in January 2019 to compete in the 35^th annual International Blues Challenge, making it to the Top 10 in the band category.

The win garnered her and the YEG Trio a top spot at the Calgary Blues Festival and the Edmonton International Blues Festival, The Edmonton Winter Blues Festival & The Yardbird Suite.

For two consecutive years, Samantha was the official anthem singer for the Edmonton Oilers during their season games. During that time she was also working with Raul Malo, lead singer of the country music group “The Mavericks” on a recording project for RCA Nashville.

Samantha has been nominated by her peers in years past for the Canadian Country Music Awards, Female Vocalist of the Year and The Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award. One of her original compositions entitled “The All Overs” awarded her grand prize in the country music category for the 2006 John Lennon Songwriting Competition. She was nominated for awards by both the Junos and the Canadian Radio Broadcasters Awards in 2004.