Keith Thompson's cd release party

Tuesday October 30, 2001

Norval Ontario was the town of the month for Ontario country music and it’s share of CD release parties it seems. Keith Thompson would host a blow out affair featuring songs from his new CD “If Love Could” and had invited some musical friends out to give him a hand with the entertainment. The result was an extremely enjoyable evening that was capped off, of course, with a performance by the MAN himself – Keith Thompson. Now, those of you who may have come to know Keith may know that he seldom sits still for very long. He’s always rushing here and there (and not for nothing does he like a wireless microphone, so he can roam while singing) but for this evening he was positively a blur for the whole night. But what a night! It was easily one of the most enjoyable events I’ve been to in a while. (For those of you who may be used to my ‘detail driven’ style of review I’m sorry, but I was having too much fun this time and my ‘overview’ will have to suffice for now.)

For the invitees upstairs would feature a ‘buffet’ that Keith had helped to whip up and family and friends had a good vantage point to see the show while they socialized. Some of the notable entertainers Keith had invited out to help keep the show going were Cory Gallant, Vince Roy and Andrea Hardwick.

Cory Gallant is a young man who is always a real surprise. He is so young, so laid back and so ‘unassuming’ – until he gets on a stage with his guitar. It reminds me of the first few times I’d seen Randy Travis. You are so taken aback, by the youthfulness of the performer with the maturity and strength in his voice, that you are always surprised by the contrast. Cory is no exception. And he does an outstanding job when accompanied by strings only. While Cory played an acoustic he had a friend help out with a bass and the result was incredible. I am looking forward to hearing a lot more from Cory and I encourage you to head out to see him too…you won’t be disappointed.

Vince Roy would be up next and he is unique, that’s for sure. Vince has been quite busy around Southern Ontario lately and each show is a one-of-a-kind experience. He has an incredibly large repertoire of songs to choose from and you will never know which one’s you’ll get at any given show. Save one; his favourite, “My Heart Is Stuck On You” is usually in there somewhere (and it was, but I really like that one too so I was looking forward to it). For some reason, for part of Vince’s set someone was ‘experimenting’ with a light show and it was a little distracting at times. No word on what Vince thought of it but he kept on going, like a trooper. I have to say that there are performers who always seem to be ‘at home’ on a stage and Vince fits this picture perfectly. No matter where he is, give him a guitar and you’ve got a show…and that’s no lie! But if he does have a show near you, you must go and see it…trust me.

Next, for a change of pace – a beautiful young lady would take the stage. Andrea Hardwick, the statuesque beauty that we were delighted to meet in June of this year has been working closely with Keith over the past couple of months and they make a great team. The one song that they do together is Andrea’s first single release and while they’d save that one for later on in the evening Andrea did serve up a diverse selection of songs. Many of them were ‘Canadian’ songs, which I was very pleased about, with “Fly (The Angel’s Song)” recorded by The Wilkinson’s and a song originally recorded by Ontario artist Danie Cortese. It’s always great to see Andrea and a real treat to hear her too and yes, she would make another appearance later on to do her duet with Keith. Andrea is another performer who has had a whirlwind year, with a trip to Los Angeles being one of the highlights. When you hear her you’ll know why she’s in such demand.

There was a bit of a break at this point and it was a great time to socialize, meet some new people and grab a snack if the mood struck. We wandered around and ended up on the balcony to wait for Keith’s show, which we knew we’d want a bird’s eye view for.

Sure enough, when Keith’s band – known collectively as ‘The Rye’ – headed up you could feel the anticipation from the crowd. And there’s nothing nicer than expecting, and getting, a great show. Keith was in great voice that night and did a lot of the songs from the CD with some that I really like that didn’t make it to the final product, like “Cheshire Grin”. And yes, he did call Andrea up to do that duet; “Field of Broken Dreams” would be the recipient of the most appreciation from the crowd. Keith always delivers a great show and his band did an admirable job of making this one of the best nights for everyone. And the inclusion of many of his friends and colleagues was a really nice touch, one that seems to be catching on in the Ontario music arena. Working together is an idea that I will always applaud, especially when such a diverse, talented bunch of artists get to present such an outstanding show. Thanks so much Keith, for giving back on what was undeniably ‘your night’. It made for an unforgettable experience, and I was very proud to be invited and even prouder to be your friend.

We would like to thank Keith and June Thompson for their hospitality and for letting their adorable kids be so entertaining during Keith’s show. That much enthusiasm must be rewarded! We’d like to thank some other friends we were delighted to run into also; Wayne, Catherine & Andrea, it’s always so nice to see you and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Cory and Vince; two very different men who each contribute so much to the Canadian talent pool, we know you’ll both be around for a very long time. Thanks everyone for the wonderful night. We won’t forget it.

Written by Kim Jamieson

Photos by Wayne Tozzi

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