Sooke Folk Music Society

Anishinaabe Sisters
2026-05-16 18:30 - 21:30 (America/Vancouver) | Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 1962 Murray Road, Sooke, British Columbia, V9Z 1H5, Canada
Bio
Sandee and Nancy, The Anishinaabe Mitchell sisters, hail from North Bay, Ontario. They have been playing as a duo since 2016, when Nancy moved to the west coast where Sandee has been living for the past 40 years. The sisters reunited and began working on music. Sandee was just learning to sing harmony and before long, the sisters moved their music out of the living room and into coffee houses, outdoor markets and festivals. They have become known for their sweet sister harmonies, and their love of old country, and classic folk tunes. Nancy writes for the duo, and her writing has been inspired by their Anishinaabe roots and experiences growing up as Indigenous in Canada. “Music became medicine to us” says Sandee. We grew up in a family surrounded by music and guitars and fiddles always came out at family gatherings. The sisters will also be joined by David Scanlan on bass.

Mallory Chipman
2026-04-18 18:30 - 21:30
Hailing from the Canadian prairies, Mallory Chipman is a true musical polymath. An award-winning musician as well as a songwriter, producer, and music scholar, Chipman is celebrated for her acrobatic voice and the way she powerfully weaves truth and story into song. With influences from across genres, Mallory Chipman’s signature sound has been described as “the finest folk-rock currently being made” (Amplify Magazine).
​
Her 2024 album, Songs to a Wild God, hit #1 on CKUA, #5 on the Folk Alliance International Charts, and has been featured on NPR and SiriusXM Radio. Over the course of her five album career, Chipman has toured extensively and internationally, opening for artists including Jann Arden and Madeleine Peyroux.
While reflecting contemporary themes, the quality of Chipman’s craft “places her amidst the longer tradition of the great singer-songwriters” (Americana UK) and has been described as “a masterclass in innovation and creativity” (Certified Bop), establishing her as an instant classic in the Canadian folk music scene.
​
Mallory Chipman is currently nominated for Solo Artist of the Year at the 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Her new EP, the time was released on December 10, 2025, cementing that “her artistic stature is undeniable” (Happy Mag Australia).

One Wheel Band
2026-03-21 18:30 - 21:30
When four seasoned musicians from diverse backgrounds come
together with a common vision, something special is bound to happen; and that perfectly reflects the founding and music of the One WheelBand.
Burke Rosen (guitar/vocals) is steeped in folk/roots and blues
traditions since his early start in the Winnipeg folk scene, followed by a solid history in several local bands, many years of solo gigs, and he is currently a founding member (with Bill Hamilton and Brad Hawkes) of the band Gravitation.
Mike Sampson (guitar/vocals) is well known as part of the Latin/
Jazz acoustic guitar duo, Los Gringos Locos, and as lead guitarist with Southbound and Friends.
Diane Taylor (acoustic bass/keyboard/vocals) plays a variety of music with various local groups in Victoria including Keys ‘n Frets, Dancing On A Pony Keg, and Just The Three of Us. She also performs vocal jazz, solo piano and improv for dance and movement.
Monica G (percussion and vocals) is the backbone of the band; she expands the breadth of the band’s repertoire while doing quality sound control. One Wheel Band has played at numerous local markets, cafes and retirement homes. The band’s vocal harmonies and sophisticated musicianship are sure to please and bring smiles to music lovers everywhere.

JR and the Bad OX Band
2026-02-21 19:00 - 21:30
JR and the Bad OX Band
JR and the Bad OX Band is the brainchild of John Rewers.
John started his musical journey at the age of 16 when he received a guitar as a
Christmas present from his parents. Not a lot of music teachers back in those days in
the little town of Kitimat, so John taught himself a few chords and a few Beatles songs.
At the age of 19 it was time to head out into the big bad world and that old guitar was
left at home, in the closet, for decades. He tried to resurrect his music interests a
couple of times in the following years but to no avail. Then in 2011, when sitting with a
bunch of friends in the Cold River at the Merritt Music Festival, John noticed a group of
musicians, also sitting in the river…… but playing their guitars.
That was the AH HA moment for John. He said “SO COOL” to himself along with….
“Next year I’m in. I’ll be playing with those fellas next year”. So, at the age of 61, John
headed home, pulled that old guitar out of his closet and started this new career in
music. And sure enough, the next year in Merritt he sat in and sang a couple of Willie
Nelson songs. Since 2011 there has been an incredible amount of learning and
experience gained, resulting in a trip to Nashville to record some original music, much of
which will be released on streaming platforms in the coming months.
Part of this learning was putting together the band known as JR & the Bad OX Band.
JR and the Bad OX Band has performed at the Sooke community Canada Day festival,
BC County Music awards weekend (2025), the Vancouver Island Exhibition and so
many others, playing 40 to 50 gigs per year.
John will always be looking ahead with dreams of playing at the Calgary Stampede and
at the Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville.
And remember. It is never to late to start following your dreams. You never know……

Martin Kerr
2026-01-17 18:30 - 21:30
Biography

Martin Kerr sings what you’re thinking. A folk troubadour for the post-truth age, his outspoken and poetic takes are connecting with millions of listeners around the world. He blends the urgent issues of the day with deeply personal narratives, in honest and nostalgic folk arrangements that invite you to sing along.
Explosive growth on social media has seen him reach over 50 million people in just the last 2 months, with his controversial rewrites of classic songs like God Rest Ye Merry Billionaires, Away In Bomb Shelters, and What’s Up America? being adopted as anthems for justice and democracy. Making waves with his captivating live performances, he’s opened for Dermot Kennedy, Walk Off The Earth, Blue Rodeo and The Strumbellas, and played festival stages across North America.
Martin honed his live show through 15 years as a street-performer, visiting 35 countries. In 2022 he signed with Nettwerk Records and released a flurry of new work, including his latest EP, After The Apocalypse.
Producers Ben Cramer (Old Sea Brigade) and Owen Lewis (Snow Patrol, Willie Nelson) lend Kerr’s sound new depth – somewhere between James Taylor and Radiohead, tackling themes romantic and apocalyptic, laced with his dry British humour.
“It’s incredible to see people singing my songs around the planet, raising their voices together, calling for peace, truth and justice. I hope you sing along and feel you’re not the only one.” said Martin.
With his following snowballing by the day, 2026 promises to be a breakout year for Martin Kerr, with another new album on the way, and new adventures on the horizon.

Festive Fundraiser For Food Bank
2025-12-20 18:30 - 21:00
Come all ye musicians and singers to the annual Festive Fundraiser where the star is you! Bring your voice and your instruments and help us raise funds for some much needed help this festive season.

Awakeneers
2025-11-15 18:30 - 21:30
Awakeneers
Timeless contemporary folk music.

A nomadic tribe of multi-instrumentalist songwriters (most of whom are siblings) the Awakeneers offer a genre-bending blend of acoustic positivity that orbits elliptically around the idea of folk music.
Segueing from a foot-stomping fiddle tune to a hip-hop guide to mindfulness, or a meditative love song to Mother Earth, their music centres around honest vocals with rich harmonies and diverse acoustic instrumentation.
Since their early days as small-town buskers this unique musical family has toured North America and Europe by sailboat and by van, playing for folk clubs, festivals, ecovillages, and congregations of all faiths.
