Ken Whiteley, a prolific songwriter, gifted and versatile musician and powerful singer, will headline the 17th annual and final Gil’s Hootenanny. Whiteley delights his audiences with his participatory humour, grace, and energy. His music communicates themes of freedom, love and social commentary, making him a perfect fit for the Gil’s Hootenanny sing-along concert format. Whitely will be accompanied by virtuoso bassist, Gord Mowat.
Whitely is one of Canada’s most respected roots musicians, with a rich background in blues, gospel and folk. His performing career began as a teenager in the 1960s with The Original Sloth Band, and he has performed with musical legends such as Leon Redbone, Mose Scarlett and Jackie Washington. A 7-time Juno nominee, Whitely has played at virtually every major folk festival in Canada and has recorded with a who’s who of musical icons like Pete Seeger, John Hammond Jr., Tom Paxton, Stan Rogers and Raffi.