Ottawa 2015

Gil’s Hootenanny is a community sing-along event that takes place each year on May Day, the international day of working people. Invited musicians lead the audience to sing along on songs of protest and songs of hope.

Magoo is a much-loved recording artist, song leader and catalyst for positive change who hosts of the legendary Blue Skies music festival each year. The Elizabeth Riley Band (Jen Gilbert, Sarah Ryan, Patricia Reynolds and Carmel Whittle) recently released “Felt Through the Bone”, an album of inspired and inspiring songs about love and justice. Gil’s Hootenanny Band is a “sing-along super-group” consisting of Erin Saoirse Adair, Lyndell Montgomery, Élage Mbaye and Chris White. With a wealth of individual performing and recording experiences, they have joined forces to lead the community in singing songs of social and environmental change.

Again this year, Gil’s Hootenanny Songwriting Contest is inviting people to create new songs of protest and hope that people can sing along with easily. Presented in partnership with the Ottawa Grassroots Festival and Writer’s Bloc, last year’s contest led to the creation of 22 new songs. Several songs from this year’s contest will be performed at the Hootenanny.

Gil’s Hootenanny was inspired by Gil Levine (1924-2009), the founding national Director of Research at the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and a great lover of folk music. Gil’s vision of a better world included bringing people together to experience the collective power of song and to celebrate the stories, struggles and victories of working people. Gil saw May Day as an important time for working people around the world to gather together, speak up and sing out.

For information and interviews, please contact:

Chris White chris@folkzone.ca 613-327-9621