Willie P. Bennett

William Patrick "Willie P." Bennett (26 October 1951 – 15 February 2008) was a Canadian folk-music singer-songwriter,Heeley, James. "Death of an icon". Peterborough Examiner, 19 February 2008. harmonica player, and mandolinist. Bennett was part of the 1970s folk music scene in Canada, and wrote and recorded many original songs. As well as performing as a solo artist, he was part of several well-known Ontario bands.

Life and career Born in Toronto, Bennett was first recorded by folksinger David Wiffen, who released a cover of "White Lines" in 1973. Bennett released his first album, including his own recording of the song, the following year.

As solo performer, he recorded seven albums. Early in his career, he also formed and fronted a newgrass group, the Bone China Band, touring through Ontario.

Throughout his career, Bennett kept busy as a sideman in bands fronted by other artists. From 1974 to 1979 he toured and recorded with the Dixie Flyers, playing harmonica, while continuing to perform as a solo artist."Great Coffee Houses Without FED Support". The Chevron, 13 January 1978 In the early 1990s, Bennett was a member of Toronto-based Pat Temple's band, the High Lonesome Players, playing live and appearing on their albums. In 1991 he joined Fred Eaglesmith's band, the Flying Squirrels, with whom he toured and recorded, playing chiefly mandolin and harmonica and singing backup vocals, also serving as road manager, until shortly before his death."Willie P. Bennett: Squirrel of the Radio".

Bennett also played harmonica live and on recordings with Joe Hall, Doug McArthur, Sneezy Waters and many other country and folk artists.

Bennett co-wrote the song "Goodbye, So Long, Hello" with Russell deCarle. The song was recorded by deCarle's band Prairie Oyster, released as a single in 1990.

Bennett returned to prominence in 1996, when Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden and Tom Wilson formed Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, a supergroup named for Bennett's 1978 album, and recorded a tribute album featuring Bennett's songs. Bennett's first subsequent album of new material, Heartstrings, won a 1999 Juno Award for Best Roots and Traditional Album – Solo.Rellinger, Paul. "Music community singing sad note with death of local folk music icon". Peterborough This Week, 20 February 2008.

During a 2007 Victoria Day weekend concert in Midland, Ontario, Bennett suffered an on-stage heart attack; he continued playing to the end of the concert, but after that was forced to stop touring.

He died of another heart attack on 15 February 2008, at his home in Peterborough, Ontario. At the time of his death, he was recording an album and was planning on rejoining Fred Eaglesmith on tour. His sister inherited his music rights.

Tributes

David Essig, producer of Bennett's first three albums, paid tribute to him in the song "Willie P", released on the 2009 album Double Vision (with Rick Scott). Canadian country singer Corb Lund wrote a song for Bennett on his 2009 album Losin' Lately Gambler, entitled "It's Hard to Keep a White Shirt Clean". Canadian songwriter Ian Tamblyn's 2009 album Gyre included a song he wrote for Willie called "Hurricane Heart". Americana songwriter Kenny Butterill wrote a song for Willie, "Wille We Miss Ya", released on his 2014 release Troubadour Tales.

In 2010, Bennett was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Association's Canadian Country Music Hall of Honour"Willie P. Bennett" . Canadian Country Music Association. List of Hall of Honour inductees. during the Canadian Country Music Awards. The award was accepted by his mother, sister and nephew.

The annual Fred Eaglesmith Charity Picnic in Aylmer, Ontario has hosted an annual Willie P. Bennett Memorial Hangover Run every year since 2010."February 15th 2020 marked 12 years since we lost our beloved Willie P., and this year's running of the Willie P. Bennett Memorial Hangover Run will be the tenth time that we have run through the Carolinian forest around Catfish Creek in his memory... Willie loved this Picnic and these trails and somewhere around 4.5 kilos there's a plaque telling you about the flying squirrel. Stop and say hello to the spirit of Willie P., it's strong in these woods and in the music and friends that fill this park on Picnic weekends." https://fredeaglesmith.com/charity-picnic/

In 2014, the "Willie P. Bennett Legacy Project" was launched online, providing a space to share stories and new versions of Bennett's songs and to start a memorial award in his honour.

Awards

1990 Canadian Country Music Association – Song of the Year, for "Goodbye, So Long, Hello" (co-written with Russell deCarle) 1998 SOCAN – Song of the Year: Most Played Country Songs of 1997, for "One Way Track" (co-written with Russell deCarle)https://kawarthanow.com/2015/03/02/russell-decarle-trio/ This references "Song of the Year" in the year 2008, but Billboard 5 December 1998 (retrieved via google search) lists it as "Most Played Country Songs" for 1997, awarded in 1998 1999 Juno Award – Best Solo Roots And Traditional Album, for Heartstrings 2010 Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame – Inducted as Artisthttps://www.ccma.org/cgi/page.cgi/hall_of_fame_inductees.html?log=view&log_id=78,

Discography

Singles Year Single CAN Country Album 1979 "Lace And Pretty Flowers" / "This Lonesome Feelin' " — Blackie and the Rodeo King 1989 "The Lucky Ones" / "Ain't Got No Notion" 19 The Lucky Ones "Train Tracks" / "Goodbye So Long Hello" —

Albums Year AlbumLabel 1975 Tryin' to Start Out Clean Woodshed Records 1977 Hobo's Taunt Woodshed Records 1979 Blackie and the Rodeo King Woodshed Records 1985 The Lucky Ones Self-Released 1989 The Lucky Ones Duke Street Records 1991 Collectibles (Anthology) Dark Light Records 1993 Take My Own Advice Dark Light Records 1998 Heartstrings Bnatural Records

Compilations Year Album Label Details 1979 Collage Bytown BFFTF 1 Includes "White Line" (from Tryin' to Start Out Clean) 1979 Live at the Nervous Breakdown Nervous Breakdown Productions NB001 Includes "Has Anyone Seen My Baby Here Tonight" recorded live in London, Ontario, with Mendelson Joe, (mislabeled "Storm Clouds" on LP cover) 1981 Touch the Earth CBC LM 473 Includes "My Pie", recorded live in CBC Studio 4S in Toronto, 1974 2001 Festival to Go: All Canadian Sampler Vol. 2 Festival Distribution FDI 003 Includes "Restless Wind" (from Heartstrings) 2006 Hope: The Design Hope Songwriters Project Design Hope Includes the original song "Solitaire" 2014 Live From Dollar Bill's: Bootlegger's Legacy Not on label Includes "Tryin' To Start Out Clean", "Come on Train", "It's Not The Love You Give Me", recorded live in Kingston, Ontario

With The Dixie Flyers

Willie was a full time member of this bluegrass band, playing on harmonica what would generally be considered the fiddle part.

Year Album 1975 Light Medium Heavy 1976 Cheaper to Lease 1977 Just Pickin

Pat Temple and the High Lonesome Players

Primarily on harmonica, but also mandolin and harmony vocals.

Year Album 1990 Stone Boat 1991 Connecting Lines 1994 Cold Cuts

With Fred Eaglesmith

Willie played with Fred for 23 years, live & in the studio, playing acoustic & electric mandolin, harmonica, and singing backup & harmony. He was a full time member of Fred's backing band through various iterations and also worked as road manager.

Year Album 1987 Indiana Road (as Fred J. Eaglesmith) 1990 Wooden Wheels in Hagersville (single-only release, as Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels) 1991 There Ain't No Easy Road (as Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels) 1993 Things Is Changin' (as Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels) 1994 From the Paradise Motel (live, as Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels) 1996 Drive in Movie 1997 Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline 1999 50 Odd Dollars 2001 Ralph's Last Show (live, as Fred Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels) 2002 Falling Stars and Broken Hearts 2003 Balin (as Fred Eaglesmith & The Flathead Noodlers) 2003 The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 2 (live, with The Smokin' Losers & The Flathead Noodlers) 2005 There Ain't No Easy Road (DVD release of documentary film, includes four tracks performed live by Fred Eaglesmith and The Flying Squirrels) 2006 Milly's Cafe 2006 Pickin' In The Pines: Live At The 2005 Great Northern Picnic (live concert DVD, as Fred Eaglesmith And The Flying Squirrels) 2007 Live Below Sea Level (live concert DVD, as Fred Eagelsmith and band) 2008 Tinderbox

Willie P. Bennett

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