The Fraser Valley band Dear One – somewhat ironically – started with two people back in 2012. Josh Petersen (Coquitlam) and Cally Delorme (a Langley local) met while taking the music program at Pacific Life Bible College.
With Delorme’s fiddling skills and Peterson’s guitar sounds blended together, the two formed Dear One and started to play local shows around the Lower Mainland.
Peterson admitted they both got a little board of performing as a duo after a while and set off to expand their repertoire with additional sounds and new friends.
Fast forward seven years later and Dear One is still going strong. Now comprised of five members, Tim Stinson (guitar), Ryan Harvey (bass), and Ian Walser (drums) round out the new line-up with Peterson and Delorme.
The group is one of the acts set to perform at Langley’s Arts Alive Festival on Saturday, Aug. 17, an opportunity Peterson said is certainly an exciting treat for it’s local members.
“It’s nice playing close to home in your own backyard,” Peterson explained. “It’s different being around an audience of more people we know and love.”
Peterson describes Dear One’s sound as Americana Folk-Pop, a twangy blend of old and new that isn’t often found around the area.
“The fiddle brings a country sound no matter what. But we are energetic and fun – a real singing and dancing group,” he explained. “Our music comes from different inspirations – a folky raw sound. Mumford and Sons is a big one for us.”
Dear One plays an array of cover songs, but since their first self-titled EP was released this past may, original tunes like “Coast to Coast” and “Once as Lovers Go” have been added into their set list.
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Petersen said he is the only one who does pursue music the whole time, the rest of the group all work full time jobs and join in when they can.
As for their humble beginnings as a duo, Petersen and Delorme have since married and continue to perform together – sometimes with the full band and sometimes just the two.
Previous performances this summer range from The Trading Post Brewery grand opening to the Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver.
Sharing the McBurney Plaza Main Stage on Saturday with Sydney Beau, Cross Parallel, and the Pat Chessell Band – Dear One performs a free show from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Petersen said the whole band hopes people have a good time and that there is lots of dancing.
People can visit the band’s website, www.dearoneband.com, to give their music a listen.
Arts Alive goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in McBurney Plaza, Salt Lane, and all down the Fraser one-way between 204 and 206 Streets. An additional spot in Salt Lane will feature busking-style music in addition to acts on the main stage.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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