There’s no denying that the year 2012 was a difficult year for the band
Powerhouse. The previous year’s year-long battle of our guitarist, Phil
Kott, with lung cancer weighed heavy on the band throughout the year.
And when Phil finally lost his battle on November 23rd, the Powerhouse
band members were visibly shaken. In addition to this, our drummer,
Steve Negus, left the band to pursue his own musical interests. And due
to an increased work load with his day job, our piano/vocalist, Tony, had to
take on a much-reduced workload with the band during the year. All these
things, combined with difficult economic conditions – the live music
industry is dependent on personal disposable income, of which there was
little in 2012 – yielded a much-reduced schedule for the Powerhouse band
and its three tribute shows during the year.
Each band member used the additional time off in different ways. Some
chose to expand their own musical interests. Others took the time to
enjoy much-needed extended holidays. And some, simply, used the time
to take a short break from 27 years non-stop with the band. Nevertheless,
the band regrouped with new members, the music continued on,
somewhat revitalized from the new input, and in spite of a much lighter
schedule, there were some excellent musical highlights during 2012.
We’ve listed a few below.
In mid-July, the band was off to Akron, Ohio to perform their Chicago Transit
show at the Lock 3 Park in the centre of town. Perhaps, one of the more
interesting aspects of this trip was the band's lodging at the rather remarkable
Quaker Square Inn in downtown Akron.
In 1932, the Quaker Oats Company built 36 adjoining grain silos, each 120 feet
tall and 24 feet in diameter. When the company ceased production in Akron in
1970, a successive series of owner/developers converted the empty grain silo
complex into a shopping and dining area, a hotel and, when the University of
Akron bought the buildings in 2007, student residences and offices were added.
The hotels rooms are perfectly round, 24 feet in diameter and built inside the
converted silos. It was an odd feeling of vertigo, getting out of bed in a round room, as balance seemed strangely
off. And without traditional 'flat' walls and 'square' corners, navigation throughout the hotel complex felt rather
strange.
By mid-afternoon, it was time to make
our way to Lock 3 Park for soundcheck.
Much of Akron's early history, including
the founding of the town in 1825, was
generated by workers building the Ohio
& Erie canal system. 17 locks were built
in the Akron area. Preserving some of
the original waterway behind the park
added a nice touch.
To the right, the large, rather impressive
building that sits on a hill behind the park
is the Akron YMCA building. Completed
in 1931, it is still in use today.
Set in a hollow in the
middle of town, Lock 3
Park was rather nice, with
plenty of viewing areas
toward the stage. And, of
course, a mid-summer
event in town brought out
the best of the local
'hardware'. By early
evening, the park was
beginning to fill up nicely.
To the right, our new drummer -- who has
played with us in the past -- Roger Banks
letting loose a bit.
As it is with most of our trips to the U.S., it
was just the band members making the trip. This left no one to man the cameras
and performance shots were limited to crowd shots from stage or, if time permitted,
side shots by band members during the show. Nevertheless, it was an excellent
road trip for the Chicago Transit show. We so enjoy our trips south of the border.
From: http://www.thespec.com/whatson/article/776500--crowbar-to-play-to-honour-member-s-late-wife
By: Rhiannon Russell
Thu Aug 09 2012 00:01:00
Crowbar to play to honour member’s late wife
It happened out of the blue. Kelly Jay Fordham, formerly of Hamilton and a Crowbar band member,
was at home in Calgary with his wife, Tami Jean, on July 27 when she had a sudden, fatal heart
attack.
“She basically died in my arms,” Fordham, 70, says. “It’s been a sad week. We’re still trying to catch
up and make sense of everything.”
It was heart disease that killed her, although no one knew she was sick. She was 50 years old.
Fordham was lead singer of Crowbar in the 1970s — which also featured for a time Hamilton’s
renowned King Biscuit Boy (Richard Newell).
Fordham moved to Calgary in 1986 and met Tami shortly after. They married in 2009 in Hamilton on a boat in Hamilton Harbour.
“I’ve had people from all over Canada call me about Tami and tell me about how sorry they are,” Fordham says. “She was such a vivacious, outgoing person.
No flies on Tami. She was always the life of the party.”
Fordham and his wife were planning to be here this weekend to appear at This Ain’t Hollywood on Saturday afternoon and the Festival of Friends on Sunday.
Tami was a big football fan, so they were going to catch the Thursday night Tiger-Cats game against the Calgary Stampeders.
When Fordham performs this weekend, he says he’ll be wearing his Ticats jersey, emblazoned with the number 70. It was a gift from Tami on his 70th
birthday last year. “I’ll be wearing it in tribute to my little football freak.”
As a show of support, a group of Canadian musicians has come together to perform Monday evening at Leander Boat Club. Original Crowbar members
Sonnie Bernardi, John “Ghetto” Gibbard and Roly Greenway, Trickbag, Tom Wilson, Ray Materick and Ian Thomas are lined up to play, among others.
The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and the minimum requested donation is $10.
“All of these guys, as soon as they heard it was happening, they wanted to come down,” Fordham says. “They want to raise some money and they want to
celebrate Tami’s life. I’m just thrilled to bits.”
Fordham is left with twin 17-year-old boys, and two girls, 19 and 21, and two grandchildren. A memorial for Tami will be held Aug. 18 in Calgary.
“It was really sudden,” he says. “My message is hug the person closest to you. Take care of them and love them to death because you never know.”
rrussell@thespec.com
It happened out of the blue. Kelly Jay Fordham, formerly of Hamilton and a Crowbar band member,
was at home in Calgary with his wife, Tami Jean, on July 27 when she had a sudden, fatal heart
attack.
“She basically died in my arms,” Fordham, 70, says. “It’s been a sad week. We’re still trying to catch
up and make sense of everything.”
It was heart disease that killed her, although no one knew she was sick. She was 50 years old.
Fordham was lead singer of Crowbar in the 1970s — which also featured for a time Hamilton’s
renowned King Biscuit Boy (Richard Newell).
Fordham moved to Calgary in 1986 and met Tami shortly after. They married in 2009 in Hamilton on a boat in Hamilton Harbour.
“I’ve had people from all over Canada call me about Tami and tell me about how sorry they are,” Fordham says. “She was such a vivacious, outgoing person.
No flies on Tami. She was always the life of the party.”
Fordham and his wife were planning to be here this weekend to appear at This Ain’t Hollywood on Saturday afternoon and the Festival of Friends on Sunday.
Tami was a big football fan, so they were going to catch the Thursday night Tiger-Cats game against the Calgary Stampeders.
When Fordham performs this weekend, he says he’ll be wearing his Ticats jersey, emblazoned with the number 70. It was a gift from Tami on his 70th
birthday last year. “I’ll be wearing it in tribute to my little football freak.”
As a show of support, a group of Canadian musicians has come together to perform Monday evening at Leander Boat Club. Original Crowbar members
Sonnie Bernardi, John “Ghetto” Gibbard and Roly Greenway, Trickbag, Tom Wilson, Ray Materick and Ian Thomas are lined up to play, among others.
The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and the minimum requested donation is $10.
“All of these guys, as soon as they heard it was happening, they wanted to come down,” Fordham says. “They want to raise some money and they want to
celebrate Tami’s life. I’m just thrilled to bits.”
Fordham is left with twin 17-year-old boys, and two girls, 19 and 21, and two grandchildren. A memorial for Tami will be held Aug. 18 in Calgary.
“It was really sudden,” he says. “My message is hug the person closest to you. Take care of them and love them to death because you never know.”
rrussell@thespec.com
It was a great pleasure for Powerhouse to participate in this event.
Pictured above to the far right, Kelly Jay sat in with us for a while. To
the right, clockwise from top left, Powerhouse members: Carlo & John,
Mark LaForme, Suzanne O (who also sat in with us on keyboard, Nick
and Danny Lockwood.
We'd also like to thank our friends Suzanne O and Brian Rutherford
from the local band UpFront for donating these pictures for our story.
Some pix are our own but most were taken by Suzanne and Brian.
Above right, from the local band, Trickbag, Sonny del Rio, Donna
Panchezak and, in the background, Michael Hickey on guitar.
Brian Rutherford from UpFront
and Bert Steen from the 905 Band
Ian Thomas
Suzanne O and Mike Eastman
Two more excellent local
musicians, Dean Rose from
UpFront and drummer, Dave King
From the band, Prairie Oyster: Denis Keldie on accordian,
Joan Besen on keyboard and guitarist, Russell deCarle.
From left to right: Denis Keldie, Jesse O'Brien,
Joan Besen, Lily Sazz & Suzanne O.
The always-entertaining Reg Denis and Patti
Warden from the band Crackers.
Kelly Jay, Russell deCarle and Danny Lockwood.
... and front and centre for the evening -- the tribute to Tami Jean Fordham
It's always a
pleasure to
play at the
Little Lake
Musicfest in
Peterborough's
Del Crary Park.
The park itself
is gorgeous, surrounded by the water of Little
Lake and the Trent Waterway system. In front
of the open-air bandshell sits a large, grassed
area, sloping upwards, away from the stage,
offering excellent viewing from anywhere inside
the spacious park.
By the time the show started, the park had
filled up nicely. The band opened with their
Chicago Transit show, went off-stage for a bit,
changed their shirts (laughing, here), then
came back on with their R&B Powerhouse
show. The people seemed appreciative and it
was another excellent night in Del Crary Park.
Carlo
John
Mark
Mike
Tony
Vince
Don
Roger
Nick
Suzanne
Danny
The next stop for the band was taking their Powerhouse show for a
return trip to the rather crowded Burlington Ribfest. As is always the
case with this festival, it was hot, it was crowded, the food was great and
the band came to put on a show. We had an excellent late Saturday
afternoon time slot and the crowd was large and very receptive.
It was hot, it was crowded and it was a good show in Spencer
Smith Park. And, as is always the case when the band plays
locally, it was nice to spend some time with old friends.
How could one think to have a
benefit for Kelly Jay without
Crowbar taking the stage?
Band members (from left to right): Ray Harrison (Hammond), Phil Gray
(trombone), Larry Fuedo (in the back on guitar), Andy Graviis (trumpet),
Sonny Del Rio. How could one think to have a benefit for Kelly Jay without
Crowbar taking the stage?
