Years active 1971–2007 Name Willie Bennett | Role Singer | |
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Birth name William Patrick Bennett Occupation(s) singer/songwriter, mandolinist, harmonica player Labels Woodshed, Duke Street, BNatural, independent. Died February 15, 2008, Peterborough, Canada Similar People | ||
Willie P Bennett : If You Have To Choose
William Patrick "Willie P." Bennett (26 October 1951 – 15 February 2008) was a Canadian folk-music singer and song writer, harmonica player, and mandolinist.
Contents
- Willie P Bennett If You Have To Choose
- Willie p bennett lace and pretty flowers
- Life and career
- Awards and tributes
- References
Willie p bennett lace and pretty flowers
Life and career
Born in Toronto, Bennett was part of the 1970s folk music scene in Canada, alongside such figures as Bruce Cockburn, Stan Rogers and David Wiffen. He released his first single ("White Line") in 1969 and his final solo album (the Juno Award–winning Heartstrings) in 1998.
While commonly regarded as a major talent, Bennett did not become as famous as his contemporaries until 1996, when Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden and Tom Wilson formed Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, a supergroup named for Bennett's 1978 album, and recorded a tribute album featuring Bennett's songs. Bennett's first subsequent album of new material, Heartstrings, won a 1999 Juno Award for Best Roots and Traditional Album – Solo. On 10 September 2010 in Edmonton, Alberta, Bennett was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame during the Canadian Country Music Awards. The award was accepted by his mother, sister and nephew.
While Bennett was highly regarded as a songwriter and solo performer, early in his career he formed and fronted the newgrass group Bone China Band, touring through Ontario. Throughout his career, he kept busy as a sideman in bands fronted by other artists. From 1974 to 1979 he toured and recorded with the Dixie Flyers, playing harmonica. Bennett also played harmonica live and on recordings with Joe Hall, Doug McArthur, Sneezy Waters and several other pop and country artists. In the early 1990s, Bennett was a member of Toronto-based Pat Temple's band, the High Lonesome Players, playing live and appearing on their 1991 album, Connecting Lines. In 1991 he joined Fred Eaglesmith's band, the Flying Squirrels, with whom he toured and recorded, playing chiefly mandolin and harmonica and singing backup vocals, also serving as road manager, until shortly before his death. During a 2007 Victoria Day weekend concert in Midland, Ontario, he suffered an on-stage heart attack – which he played through but which forced him to stop touring.
He died of a heart attack on 15 February 2008, at his home in Peterborough, Ontario. At the time of his death, he was recording an album and was planning on rejoining Fred Eaglesmith on tour. His sister inherited his music rights.
Awards and tributes
Bennett co-wrote the song "Goodbye, So Long, Hello" with Russell deCarle. The song was recorded by deCarle's band Prairie Oyster, released as a single, and named the 1990 Song of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association.
His 1998 album Heartstrings won the 1999 Juno Award for "best solo roots and traditional album".
In 2010, Bennett was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Association's Canadian Country Music Hall of Honour.
David Essig, producer of Bennett's first three albums, paid tribute to him in the song "Willie P", released on the 2009 album Double Vision (with Rick Scott). Canadian country singer Corb Lund wrote a song for Bennett on his 2009 album Losin' Lately Gambler, entitled "It's Hard to Keep a White Shirt Clean". Canadian songwriter Ian Tamblyn's 2009 album Gyre included a song he wrote for Willie called "Hurricane Heart". Americana songwriter Kenny Butterill wrote a song for Willie, "Wille We Miss Ya", released on his 2014 release Troubadour Tales.
In 2014, the "Willie P. Bennett Legacy Project" was launched online, providing a space to share stories and new versions of Bennett's songs and to start a memorial award in his honour.