Velle Weitman grew up in one of the most creative families in Creston, the Huscrofts. It was a large, multi-talented and closely knit family that Velle missed after she left here to find herself in show business.
She eventually ended up on Vancouver Island and while playing her fiddle and singing in an Irish pub in Victoria called the Penny Farthing, it was love at first sight when upright bass and electric bass player Aaron Weitman saw her. Things rapidly progressed and the couple spent their honeymoon two years later performing on the folk festival circuit in northern B.C. Three children later, they felt it would be easier to move to Creston.
Velle has performed and recorded all over Canada, the U.S.A. and the U.K. She also runs a Suzuki and fiddle program called Velvet Strings. It was of all things, violin lessons that Velle met her musical match in pianist Julie Matthews. Both had lots in common, both being music teachers and parents of young children, one of whom was a student of Velle’s.
Julie comes from a very musical family where she could play piano by ear at age four and later jammed with her grandfathers. The aspiring piano player could play boogie woogie and she even toured the world singing barbershop. She has enjoyed a fantastic career of teaching piano, flute, guitar, recorder, bass, saxophone and composition.
Put Aaron, Julie and Velle together and you have the Velle Weitman Trio, the opening act at Friday’s Creston Valley Blossom Festival stage show, which starts at 7 p.m. in the Prince Charles Theatre.
Canada’s greatest guitar picker, Wendell Ferguson will close the show, showcasing his talents as a songwriter, singer, guitarist and comedian. Tickets are on sale now at Black Bear Books and the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce.
— BY HUGH JOHNSTON
