ATHABASCA – Music can be a magical thing — whether it’s a first dance at a wedding, or a goal song for a local hockey team, it has a unique ability to convey emotion. Juno-winning musician Ray Bonneville is hoping to bring some of that magic to town Oct. 14, with his 7 p.m. performance at the Nancy Appleby Theatre.
Bonneville, a Quebec native who’s spent most of his life as a self-described nomad, said that his music, including the nine tracks on his most recent album On the Blind Side, focuses on the people he’s encountered who “live on the edges of society.”
“I don’t really understand where songs come from, or why they work the way they do, but I’m happy with it,” said Bonneville in an Oct. 5 interview. “I’ve lived and travelled all over the world, and that affects my songs. When I’m writing, I allow the nuance of the travels and the people I’ve met to come into (music).”
Bonneville hails from Hull, Que.; the second-oldest sibling in a francophone family. After a move to Boston, he found himself enrolling in the United States Marine Corp. He later spent time in Colorado, as well as Alaska, Seattle, and Paris, winning a Juno award for his 1999 album Gust of Wind. His largest musical influence, according to some writers, came from his time in New Orleans; I Am the Big Easy, an ode to post-Katrina New Orleans won the International Folk Alliance Song of the Year in 2009.
When Bonneville takes the stage Saturday night, it might be the first time he’s played in Athabasca, but it also might not; Bonneville himself isn’t sure.
“I don’t know (if I’ve played here before),” said the 74-year-old. “It’s definitely possible, and the name rings a bell, but I’ll let the audience tell me if they’ve seen me before.”
Bonneville’s sound can be hard to describe — he maintains he isn’t a blues guy but accepts that at this point the label seems to have stuck.
“I’m tired of fighting them on it,” said Bonneville. When asked, ‘what would you use to describe yourself?’ Bonneville said that his music was a reflection of his own life, and not inherently tied to any genre.
“I’m Ray Bonneville, and I’m a product of my influences. If somebody is really famous, no one asks ‘what kind of music do you play?’ I’ve been doing this all my life — the music is hypnotic, it’s steeped in a southern style, it’s bluesy and swampy and it’s a groove that I set up and tell a story over.”
Bonneville will be performing solo, which includes electric guitar, harmonica, and vocals.
Tickets for the show can be purchased at Whispering Hill Fuel, Value Drug Mart, or Athabasca Health Foods. Advance tickets are $30 and door tickets are $35.
Bonneville plans on keeping the audience entertained with his unique blend of song writing and storytelling that can only be found in a lifetime spent living on the edge.
“I want to meet some people, get to know them, get them exposed to my music and have some fun,” said Bonneville. “Every time I go to a town it’s a new exciting experience, I don’t know who I’m going to meet. I’m always thrilled to be coming to see people. I’ve got some songs, stories, and jokes.”
