The Legendary Downchild Blues Band has thrilled fans for over 55 years with the best blues music Canada has ever hosted. Led by Donnie “Mr Downhild” Walsh the band has decided it’s time to wind down touring and currently are conducting their farewell tour.
Ken Wallis interviewed Chuck Jackson and Gary Kendall for the radio show BluesSource Canada. The following are excepts from those interviews, edited and amended for brevity and clarity.
Ken Wallis
Thursday November 28th, Downchild’s Farewell Tour hits Hamilton at the First Ontario Concert Hall. Joining us is lead vocalist Chuck Jackson. Chuck, it's great chatting with you again.
Chuck Jackson
Ken, always a pleasure.
Ken Wallis
In case people don’t know, where did the name Downchild come from?
Chuck Jackson
It’s based on the Sonny Boy Williamson tune. Basically a downchild was a slave person that was born, and then behind the 8 ball, and had to ordeal slavery and civil rights. So I believe that's where the name that Mr. Downchild and Sonny Boy Williamson had in mind.
Ken Wallis
Downchild’s Farewell tour has been going on for a while. How has the audience been reacting so far?
Chuck Jackson
It's been unbelievable, like standing ovations as we walk out and plenty of encores. The really great thing is, we've got fans that have been coming to see us for 55 years. They're bringing their children and their children are bringing their children. We're getting 11- year olds, 12-year olds that are saying they're listening to Downchild and learning guitar, playing harmonica and it's a real honour. So it's. quite a devoted fan base.
Ken Wallis
And you've been with the band for quite some time now. What emotions are you going through? It must be somewhat bittersweet.
Chuck Jackson
It's exciting, but it's going to be a very sad time. Our Hamilton show is our second last show, and our final show will be in London and it's going to be tough. We're hoping that maybe we can occasionally get together. But as a touring band, that's coming to an end.
Ken Wallis
Downchild has always closed out the Southside Shuffle. Will that still be a tradition?
Chuck Jackson
Unfortunately, we won't be finishing the Shuffle as Downchild, but the Hogtown All Stars, which have five members of Downchild in the band, including Teddy Leonard, formally from Fathead. We'll probably introduce some of the backup singers that we had on our album. And hopefully, if Donnie’s up to it, we'll get him up as a guest to do a couple of songs.
Ken Wallis
Hogtown is a fabulous band, so it's not like it's going to be a letdown seeing them perform. Chuck it’s been great chatting with you, and the good news that I take out of all of this is that maybe Downchild won't be touring, but Chuck Jackson will still be around singing up a storm.
Chuck Jackson
I am continuing to do that, and you know, Donnie wrote a song years ago called All My Friends, They're Dropping Like Flies, but there's another one that I identify with, and that's called Bop Till I Drop and I'm going to do that.
Ken Wallis
And we hope you do, Chuck, it's been great chatting with you again. Thanks so much for your time.
Chuck Jackson
Always the pleasure to talk to you.
Ken Wallis also chatted with Downchild bassist Gary Kendall and Gary had this to say:
Gary Kendall
Downchild personally has been a big part of my life since 1970. That would be the first time I saw the band playing and they became my favorite band. They were a band that I would go out to see whenever possible.
A year later in 1971, I was fortunate enough to join a band, the James Hartley Band, who were being helped out by Donnie Walsh, Downchild’s long-time leader, Mr. Downchild. And I got to know all the band members and by 1979 I was a member of Downchild.
I stayed in the band for 3 1/2 years, then took a 12-year break and rejoined in 1995. And I’ve been there since. I’ve played on a lot of records and did a lot of touring.
I think it should be mentioned that the band has been around for 55 years. But the current band, that’s won the Juno awards, got the Juno nominations, won the Maple Blues Awards, there's some longtime members in that band with Donnie Walsh. Donnie has been in the band for 55 years, and Pat Carey our saxophone player, he’s been in the band for at least 40 years.
Chuck Jackson, lead vocalist, the longest lead vocalist and most consistent, he’s got to be 35 years. Combining my two stints, I've done this 32 years along with Jim Casson, who's back in the band for his second run. The newest member, Tyler Yarema, has a fabulous solo career on his own. And to tour with us this year is Peter Jeffrey, trumpet player, and Peter has been on all the records. He just didn't tour, but now he is. It's a hard-working seven-piece band and we're on The Farewell Tour and it will be all of us with Donnie Walsh crossing the finish line.
Note from the writer: If you’re a blues fan, you’re gonna miss Downchild’s thrilling live performances. The good news is there are plenty of albums out there that fans can listen to for years to come. Let’s doff our collective blues fedoras to The Legendary Downchild Blues Band.
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