Dubbed 鈥渢wo Canadian legends and the number one draft pick,鈥� the eclectic trio Bentall Taylor Ulrich is making Squamish one of their first stops in a tour celebrating the release of their second CD.
Canadian singer-songwriters Barney Bentall, Tom Taylor and Shari Ulrich will be performing at the Brackendale Art Gallery on Saturday at 8 p.m.
鈥淲e love singing together. We have lots of great harmony, and also a lot of humour. Road trips are full of laughs,鈥� said Bentall, a pop/rock icon best known for his 1990s-era band Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts.
The trio first played together in 2007 at a songwriting concert on Bowen Island near Bentall鈥檚 home, and have just released their second album Tightrope Walk under the Canadian label Borealis Records.
BTU鈥檚 first album, Live at Cates Hill, was recorded live at Cates Hill Chapel, a small church on Bowen Island. For this CD, the trio set up camp in Bentall鈥檚 house with Ulrich鈥檚 daughter acting as engineer and Bentall鈥檚 two golden retrievers 鈥� Haddie and Tilly 鈥� providing inspirational tail wags.
The Brackendale Art Gallery is one of Bentall鈥檚 favourite venues. He been performing at the location for 15 years, and Ulrich has visited since the mid-鈥�70s.
鈥淭hey have become friends because they have performed here so many times,鈥� says the BAG鈥檚 owner Thor Froslev, adding that there may be tickets left at the door but the show is likely to sell out.
A side project for the three artists, BTU is now their main focus as they promote their new CD.
鈥淲e write the best songs we can and capture them in the best way we can,鈥� said Bentall, who travelled extensively in the late-鈥�80s and 鈥�90s before trading rock-and-roll for the life of a cattle rancher in the Cariboo in 2000. An entrepreneur, he has also owned a barbwire fencing company and a firewood business.
Bentall still owns the ranch, but eventually realized music is his true calling. In 2006, he headed back to the studio with life-long friend Jim Cuddy and began work on what would be his first solo record, Gift Horse, which received a Juno nomination.
In addition to performing solo acoustic shows, Bentall is also a part of the Cariboo Express, which includes his son Dustin, Ridley Bent and Kendal Carson.
Written by Bentall, 鈥淰ancouver 1914,鈥� a song on BTU鈥檚 new CD, is a historical love song about a man who enlists in the First World War.
鈥淔or a song to be compelling, you have to be able to find something of yourself in the material,鈥� said Bentall, listing Bruce Springsteen as a 鈥渢errific example鈥� of a narrative songwriter.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been interested in history, so I usually include one song of this type.鈥�
Ulrich, whose eighth solo album earned her Songwriter of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2014, wrote a song about struggles of Robin Williams, an actor whose fight with depression she says touched many people鈥檚 lives.
Taylor, who spent most of his musical career playing in Vancouver cult band She Stole My Beer, also wrote songs for the album.
The three now have the chance to come together on stage at a favoured place to play this weekend.
鈥淚 really like Squamish and the people,鈥� said Bentall, who enjoys the intimate atmosphere of the Brackendale Art Gallery. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always nice to play there and see the fireplace burning in the background.鈥�
Tickets are $20 at the Brackendale Art Gallery, 41950 Government Rd., or at Xoco Westcoast Chocolatiers, 38020 Cleveland Ave. For more information, call 604-898-3333.
