Ken Whiteley, a prolific songwriter, gifted and versatile musician and powerful singer, will headline the 17th Annual and last Gil’s Hootenanny on Friday, May 1st at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. Whiteley delights his audiences with his participatory humour, grace, and energy. His music communicates themes of freedom, love and social commentary, making Whiteley a perfect fit for the Gil’s Hootenanny’s sing-along concert format.
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. Whitely will be accompanied by his son Ben, a talented bassist and multi-instrumentalist, with an impressive career performing with renowned artists such as Basia Bulat, Julia Jacklin and Sarah Harmer.
Gil’s Hootenanny, first presented in 2010, is inspired by the legacy of Gil Levine, who spent his life working for social justice and was the founding Director of Research at the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Gil was a lover of folk music and an enthusiastic supporter of folk musicians. He and his wife Helen hosted hootenannies and May Day celebrations at their home for decades.
Over the years, Gil’s Hootenanny has seen increasingly larger audiences who join the headliner and other featured artists in singing along with new and traditional songs of hope and protest. Gil’s Hootenanny recently announced that its 2026 sing-along concert on May 1st will be its last concert in this format and is delighted to be wrapping up its sing-along concert series with one of Canada’s best musicians.
Gil’s Hootenanny will take place at 7:00 pm on Friday, May 1st at the campus of the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, 30 Cleary Avenue. The venue is accessible, has ample parking and is serviced by OC Transpo.
Tickets for Gil’s Hootenanny will be $20. Kids are welcome to attend free of charge.
Stay tuned for further information on the Gil’s Hootenanny program and ticket sales.