Peter North
(b. 1954, Edmonton, Alberta)
Peter North was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta where he attended Victoria Composite High School (now known as Victoria School of the Arts) which has always been known for its outstanding fine and performing arts programs. Working in this multi-disciplinary arts environment had a lasting effect on Peter’s career as a writer, journalist, radio producer, radio announcer and music promoter. “I very much like collaboration, it can make for some spectacular music alchemy – it is a onetime thing, you’ll never be able to hear again” he said at the time of his appointment as the Artistic Director of the Salmon Arm Roots Festival in 2015.
Like many musicians, Peter developed a great ear for many musical genres, be it bluegrass, country, jazz or blues and as a result Peter accumulated a vast knowledge and insight on everything from folk to roots music of the North American Continent. As a music columnist for both the Edmonton Sun and the Edmonton Journal and a variety of publications, he engaged this wide and extensive knowledge and appreciation of music, as evidenced through his fair and insightful reviews. Complimenting his writing skills, Peter has also had an extensive radio career at CKUA. As a producer and host of Dead Ends and Detours for the past 15 years, and Points North from 2010 through 2015, his shows have led to worldwide exposure. Peter has also produced a number of major concerts in Edmonton over the years including shows with Jorma Kaukonen, The Derek Trucks Band, Ian Tyson, the Mickey Hart Band, Country Joe McDonald, Downchild, Maria Muldaur, Big Miller, John Hammond, T Model Ford with Cedric Burnside and a long list of others.
In the early 1990s, Peter booked blues acts at the Power Plant on the University of Alberta campus, such as James Harman, Luther Tucker, King Biscuit Boy, Amos Garrett, and a young David Gogo to name a few. From 2010 to 2015, Peter produced the first Winter Roots and Blues Roundup in collaboration with Folkways Alive at the University of Alberta, which continues to run the event. This successful program presented the community with a fine series of films, lectures, workshops and concerts which featured guests such as Mark Dufresne of Roomful of Blues fame, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Allen Toussaint, Jim Kweskin, and Big Dave McLean. North and Folkways also collaborated on a number of shows including one with David Honeyboy Edwards.
Peter produced the Come on in My Kitchen series from 1999 to 2010, hosted by Festival Place in Sherwood Park. The artists that made up the core were Mark Sterling, Brent Parkin, Ron Rault, and Dave Crawdad Cantera. The Kitchen revue toured across Western Canada supplemented by invited special guests that have included Big Dave McLean, David Rea, Harry Manx, Calvin Vollrath, and Willie McCalder. Over the years, more than thirty artists have participated in this amazing team—truly a phenomenal achievement to say the least. From this successful revue, a number of the aforementioned musicians—Ron Rault (vocals, bass), Gord Mathews (vocals, guitar), Dave Crawdad Cantera (vocals, harmonica), and Thom Moon (drums)—formed a new and unique band, and have just released an album in 2016 titled Front Porch Roots Revue Sugar Cube.
Peter’s achievements are many, resulting in numerous awards, most notable among them: Music Journalist of the year in 1996 from the Canadian Music Industry. Peter has been recognized six times as the Media Person of the year by the Western Music Association. In 2013, Peter was bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Calgary Blues Music Association and in 2015 he was awarded the prestigious Blues Booster Award from the Maple Blues Society of Toronto.
The Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame Foundation is proud and honoured to induct Peter North as a member of the Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame in the Builder category for 2016.