Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
| Blackie and the Rodeo Kings | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Folk rock, alternative country |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | True North, MCA Canada |
| Website | blackieandtherodeokings |
| Members |
Stephen Fearing Colin Linden Tom Wilson |
| Past members | John Dymond Gary Craig Richard Bell |
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are a Canadian folk rock–alternative country band with blues and country influences. The band was formed in 1996, in Hamilton, Ontario, by Tom Wilson, Stephen Fearing, and Colin Linden.
Tom Wilson (former lead singer of Junkhouse and Tom Wilson & the Florida Razors), solo artist Stephen Fearing, and guitarist and producer Colin Linden started Blackie and the Rodeo Kings as a tribute to one of their favorite Canadian folk artists, singer-songwriter Willie P. Bennett. Their name was taken from Bennett's 1978 album Blackie and the Rodeo King. What started as a side project soon turned into a full-fledged band after their first album, High or Hurtin': The Songs of Willie P. Bennett, was a critical success and popular with fans of both Bennett and each individual artist. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings have numerous full-length studio albums and many awards and nominations under their belt. In 1999, the band recorded Kings of Love, which received a Juno Award for Best Roots & Traditional Album – Group in 2000.
The band originally played shows at such venues as the Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield, Quebec.
In 2003, the band recorded Bark. Kings of Love and Bark still had cover versions of Bennett's songs, but they also included some original material by the band members and cover versions of songs by Bruce Cockburn, Fred Eaglesmith and David Wiffen. In 2005, the band was included in a list published by The New York Times of songs found on President George W. Bush's iPod. In 2006, the band recorded Let's Frolic!, consisting of all-original material.
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