Take Top 40 sound and mix it with rocksteady and reggae influences and you’ve got The Steadies. Frontman Earl Pereira played at our Festival in 2007, when he was a member of award-winning band Wide Mouth Mason. Pereira has toured the world opening for iconic artists like the Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Nelly Furtado and he was named one of Canada’s top bass players by Canadian Music Magazine. The Steadies’ self-titled debut EP was nominated for a 2012 Western Canadian Music Award.

The Fretless are taking the worlds of celtic, folk and chamber music to fascinating places as they transform fiddle tunes and folk melodies into intricate, beautiful, high-energy arrangements. The Band, comprised of Karrnnel Sawitsky (Fiddle), Ivonne Hernandez (Fiddle), Eric Wright (Cello) and Trent Freeman (Fiddle), combines the traditional look of a string quartet with the exciting tunes, arrangements and stepdancing of celtic traditions.

Edmonton’s own Scott Cook is a traveling songwriter bringing honesty, humour, years of roads and a deep love of humanity to his songcraft and storytelling. His straight-talking tunes weave together folk, roots, blues, soul and country influences, with spacious fingerpicked arrangements on guitar, banjo and ukulele.

Tom Landa’s Locarno celebrates his Mexican ancestry and the band’s Latin backgrounds for an inventive Cuban Son, Salsa and Son Jarocho-influenced sound. The band includes Kalissa Hernandez violin/vocals, Sam Esecson on drums and percussion, Nick La Riviere trombone and Miguelito Valdes, raised in Havana, Cuba and has played with Afro Cuban All Stars and The Buena Vista Social Club, on trumpet.

Leonard Sumner is Anishinaabe from the Little Saskatchewan First Nation located in Interlake Region of Manitoba. His music is best described as a fusion of Hip-Hop, Country and Rhythm & Blues. His lyrics are heartfelt, insightful and honest. He captivates crowds with a guitar slung over his shoulder, singing and rhyming to the beats, allowing his style to be enjoyed by people who typically are “not into rap.”

Known for their high energy live shows, Jackie Treehorn gets the ground pumping with their funk-soul sound and dance choreography. Originally beginning with a few friends who met at college in the Kootenays, this now six-piece band based out of Vancouver BC is comprised of Ashley Robyn (Lead Vocals), Chelsea Burden (Vocals), Adam Kerby (Keytar/Vocals), Kevin Sanders (Guitar), Nick Nixon (Bass) and Derek van Deursen (Drums/Vocals).

Alternative folk singer/songwriter Helen Austin is from the UK now residing on Vancouver Island BC. Helen is no stranger to the stage and has worked as a professional performer for over 20 years, building a career as an award-winning musical comedian and regular headliner on the UK comedy circuit. Helen has two new albums out this year: a kid’s album and another with LA-based producer Bleu.

Dirty Grace is sassy and soulful, blending elements of folk, hip hop, swing, dance hall, jazz, rock and electronic beneath a swell of three-part harmonies and contagious melodies. Their heartfelt lyrics are woven by all members of the trio: Betty Supple, Marley Daemon and Jesse Thom.

Guitarist and singer/ songwriter Derek Miller was born on the Six Nations of the Grand River in Mohawk Territory. In the late ’90s, he toured with iconic Canadian vocalist Buffy Sainte-Marie and garnered a Juno for both his debut album, ‘Music Is the Medicine’ and sophomore album ‘The Dirty Looks.’ His latest album ‘Derek Miller with Double Trouble’ features a duet with Willie Nelson on the first single ‘Damned If You Do.’

Singer/guitarist Daniel Wesley and his band are an eclectic mix of alternative music, blending reggae, folk and rock. After recording the album Sing & Dance in June of 2007, CFOX radio debuted their first single “Ooo Ohh” becoming CFOX’s most requested song of 2007.

Over the years, local rockers AK ‘eh’ have been known by many different names (The Pieces, Whistle Punk Pete, Charred Remains, Bud and the Spuds, etc.) with many of the same members. So when Bill Hall (vocals), Tom Hammer (bass/vocals), Stu Spec (guitar/vocals), and Tim Diguistini (drums) formed yet another group, it was all they could think of at the time, and it stuck. Ak ‘eh’ are a local Bella Coola favourite and will perform their original songs drawn from life in the Valley.