Famous trick fiddler Scott Woods is bring his show, Swingin’ Fiddles, to the Shatford Centre on June 9.
Making their way across Canada the show features Woods, who is a multiple winner of the Canadian Open and Grand Masters Fiddle Contests. Woods and his band bring alive the music of the 30s to 50s, including pop standards, big band, gospel, western swing, country and plenty of old time favourites in a two-hour, uplifting, old time show.
Hailing from Fergus, Ont., Woods is a sixth generation fiddler. He was the musical director and played the part of Don Messer in Memories of Don Messer’s Jubilee that toured extensively throughout Canada for eight years. He now travels across the country continuing his own family tradition of old time music started by his father and The Merv Woods Orchestra back in 1950. His mother Carolyn still plays the piano and travels with the band today.
Woods has won competitions and performed throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. He can turn somersaults and step dance while playing the fiddle. This keeps the tradition started by his father, Merv, who started playing old time music in 1944 and formed a band known as the Merv Wood Orchestra that later included his four children. By the mid 1980s, Merv’s role as the leader of the band was passed on to his son.
Joining Woods on the second leg of his cross-Canada tour is his mother, Wes Dymond (drums), Emily Yarascavitch (fiddle and step dance) and Ben Norris (drums, fiddle, guitar, bass and mandolin). Swingin’ Fiddles features three fiddlers playing together in harmony western swing, big band, pop standards, country, gospel and plenty of old time fiddling to pack the program.
Step dancing, home spun family humour and of course Wood’s famous trick fiddling that earned him the Canadian Novelty Fiddle Championship title and The Flippin’ Fiddler nickname, round out the all ages show.
The band travels across Canada performing a limited number of engagements, most of which to help support local charities. Proceeds from this concert will help support the Shatford Centre. Advance tickets for the 2 p.m. June 9 show are $20 for adults, $10 for kids (12 and under) and kids under five are free and available at the Shatford Centre or by calling 250-770-7668.