John Rutherford Trio with Papa King

Online Tickets are available now.

After December 15th, tickets will be available at our ticket partners: Analog Books, D&N Kitchen, Cuppers Coffee, Theoretically Brewing, and Casa.

“This (Midnight Microphone) is an individual take on the blues, by an artist very much in tune with the music but unafraid to put his own spin on it. I liked this a lot.” – Norman Darwen

— Blues In The South Magazine, England, 2023.”

The Lethbridge Folk Club presents The John Ritherford Trio with Papa King opening.

Growing up in Toronto in the 60’s and 70’s John Rutherford first laid hands on a guitar at age 10, and at 16 told his guitar teacher he wanted to play some of the popular rock songs of the day. Rutherford was told “if you want to play rock ’n’ roll you’ll have to learn the blues”

Lessons were spent digging into classic blues guitar recordings, studying the rhythm, feel and form of the music. Rutherford took his homework seriously swinging by Sam the Record Man on Yonge Street each week to purchase whatever blues album they’d been working with. This process spawned both a passion for the sound of the blues but also a sprawling record collection. Rutherford’s blues library and his earliest influences began with works by John Mayall, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Johnny Winter, Hubert Sumlin, T-Bone Walker, Otis Rush,  Freddie, Albert and BB King. Rutherford never learned those rock songs of the day, he stuck with the blues.

Maintaining a long running residency at Calgary’s current home of the blues, The Blues Can, Rutherford performs solo shows and routinely rocks the house with his blues trio while honing his signature guitar sound and storytelling songwriting style.

Rutherford’s solo career began with the release of the 2010 LP Echo Broadcast which reached #1 on the Alberta public broadcaster CKUA top 30 chart and received glowing reviews internationally. The leap to branch out on his own blossomed into appearances at clubs, concert venues and major music festivals across Canada.

Adding to a long list of projects, accomplishments and career milestones Rutherford is pleased to announce the release of his latest EP in 2023 entitled Midnight Microphone.

Produced by legendary guitarist Tim Williams, and joined by Thom Moon on drums and Bill Price on bass the new songs express Rutherford’s will to push the blues form beyond traditions or expectations in a search of his own honest connection to the feel and power of the music.

“Papa” King Cole is a solid, hard-working Albertan who has supported his family as a class 1 truck driver by day and singer/songwriter musician by night.

His music and songs reflect the life he lives and observes.

Driven with love and passion, this is music for all ages.

His original songs all engage with his audiences, and they leave with a good taste in their soul.

Music is heartfelt, melodic, rhythmic and dynamic. Various styles make each song unique. Lyrics drawn from personal experience and Alberta landscapes convey universal themes.

Doors open at 6:30 PM

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