The Cumberland Coffeehouse presents the Doobie Sisters this Sunday.
Although usually held on the first Sunday of each month, May’s coffeehouse will occur on Mother’s Day; appropriate, as each of the three Doobie Sisters is a mother, and two of them grandmothers.
These sisters are Linda Safford on the keyboard, Viv Ruskin on the mandolin and Lainie Laughlin on the guitar. Their beautiful voices will be blending in some gorgeous harmonies that you don’t want to miss.
Safford is a well-known, longtime performer in the Comox Valley, as singer/songwriter, guitarist and pianist. She has played many Farmers’ Markets as one of the Sunshine Girls with Gayle Ferguson. She played with the country band Whitewater, and was one of the five Fabulous Ms. Adventures (a musical comedy revue troupe).
Safford has played in venues from piano bars and pubs to coffeehouses and private parties. She has also been known to perform at rallies for a variety of social and environmental causes. She has released one CD featuring her original music.
Laughlin is a singer/songwriter who loves to sing, perform, harmonize and make music. She plays guitar, electric bass, and percussion; she is also learning the violin.
She has been involved with choirs and theatre; she spent many years with CoVal Choristers, playing lovesick heroines. Laughlin has also played in many duos, trios and quartets, including the trio Stuff That Works. She is currently working with the quintet 5Play.
Ruskin has been performing with her husband Steve as a duo, Meridian, for well over 25 years, and for several years as a trio, Without A Net. She is a singer/songwriter who plays guitar and mandolin and loves nothing more than singing and harmonizing up a storm.
The Ruskins moved to the Comox Valley during the Blizzards of 2009. Since thawing out, they have happily settled in to make music with their fellow members of 5Play.
These three musician moms have been having a lot of fun making music together, each learning new songs and carefully crafting harmonies to enhance them. They are sure to provide you with some toe-tapping, sing-along songs, as well as some harmonies which will touch your heart and leave you smiling. Bring your moms and daughters; this coffeehouse is a family venue.
The Cumberland United Church/Centre for the Arts (corner of First and Penrith) is the venue.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5.
Open stage begins at 7 p.m. sharp — come early if you want to be sure of a chance to play. Refreshments are available at intermission (about 8:15), and the Doobie Sisters begin their set at 8:30.
— Cumberland Coffeehouse
