Throw in two fiddles playing in harmony, step dancing, family humour and be ready to tap your feet for a two-hour Branson style live show.
Canadian Fiddle Champion Scott Woods and his band are presenting Twin Fiddle Express at the Shatford Centre on May 31.
Woods is a two-time winner of the Canadian Open Fiddle contest, two-time winner of the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championship and Fiddle Entertainer of the Year. Known affectionately as the “flippin’ fiddler,” Woods is most-famous for doing somersaults and walking on a barrel, all while playing his fiddle. Having performed for the past several years at the Shatford Centre during their cross-country tours, Woods promises this will be something brand new for the audience.
Woods will be joined by his sister Kendra Norris, a multi-instrumentalist that has won the Canadian Duet Fiddle Championship title three times with Woods. She has also won several solo awards in various classes, including the 2016 Canadian Open (19 to 55 division).
“Like the duelling banjos bit, we have duelling fiddles. She is nine years older than me but in my teens my dad started teaching me to take over the band to transition it from the Woods Family Band to the Scott Woods Band. She was playing second fiddle to her baby brother I guess you could say,” Woods joked.
Joining them on stage is Canadian Country Music Award winner and Guitar Player of the Year, Steve Piticco and bass player, step dancer and vocalist Patrick Linton. Keeping the band in time is drummer/vocalist Bill Carruthers.
“Patrick’s real claim to fame is his step dancing. His feet go about 100 miles per hour when we play the fiddle tunes. He is very energetic, has great timing and is almost like have another great drummer on stage when we are playing because his dancing is so on time,” said Woods.
The band has been on the road travelling in their bus since March, including trips to the U.S., with plans to continue across the Canada and into Germany in the fall. With so many shows packed into a year, Woods said audiences still surprise him with their reactions.
“We have some really touching moments. Different tunes connect with audiences in different ways. Most of our songs you don’t hear on commercial radio, some people haven’t heard them for 30 years. We have seen married couples for 50 or 60 years in the crowd and I see them look at each other during and see that the song means something special to them. Then you see them hold hands and it is just like wow I just really connected with them,” said Woods. “A couple of weeks ago in the U.S. a lady was just about in tears when she told me after the show that her husband was just diagnosed days before with ALS. They still came beach they had tickets and they sat in the front row for two hours and didn’t think once about his diagnosis and the struggles they have coming up. We strive for stories like that. Where we can capture people’s attention despite whatever is going on in their life and bring them some joy.”
The Scott Woods Band travels across Canada each year helping to raise money for churches, charities and other community organizations. Some of the concert proceeds will be used to support the Shatford Centre.
“We looked at the numbers a few years back and figured we have raised about $2 million for these organizations. I am sure it is double that now. It certainly warms the heart to think the proceeds are staying in the town we are in and being used for community outreach programs, arts programming or historic societies,” said Woods.
The show is on May 31 at 7 p.m. at the Shatford Centre. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children (ages six to 12) and children five and under get in free. Advance tickets are now on sale at the Shatford Centre, or call 250-770-7668 or toll free 1-855-726-8896 to charge by phone.
