The Kitimat Concert Association is proud to bring Mark Perry and his talented accompanists to Kitimat on February 8.
Perry is no stranger to our region and its ups and downs. He grew up in Smithers in the ’70s listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Rolling Stones, Gordon Lightfoot and Eric Burdon on late-night radio. A man with a tune, Perry traded an old lawnmower for a guitar and the rest is history.
In the mid-1990s, Perry, recorded his first album with Roy Forbes and Shari Ulrich and toured with Connie Kaldor as an opening act. Soon he sold out his own theatre shows. He has recorded more than a dozen albums to date and his music is very popular in Canada and around the world.
Mark has an impressive repertoire of lively and contemplative songs, ranging from ballads to dance music. He sings about things which Canadians – especially those from northwest B.C. – can relate to: sinking ferries, rising rivers, NHL dreams, or buying a car for “two cords of wood and 24 beer.”
He sings about towns dying, towns being born and small planes going down. He draws us in to reflect and to laugh as he pays tribute to real characters and events in rural Canada. Somehow his music connects us from coast to coast.
Perry receives high praise wherever he performs – from festivals to soft-seat theatres and intimate venues in small towns. Nathan Cullen says of him: “Mark Perry is to the Northwest what Gord Downie was to Canada – he captures our hearts by telling our stories in a way no one else does. His humility and humour join with an artist’s heart as he writes about the way we see ourselves.”
Carolina de Ryk, CBC Radio Host says: “The soundtrack for my life is taken from Mark Perry’s music. His song-writing, musical expression and stage presence emanates the very best, most magical qualities of life in a northern town. Perry’s music invites me in to sit by his fire and feel like a cherished neighbour for a while.”
These days, Perry is focused on writing and creating music in his home-based studio while also running a small horse farm with his wife in a beautiful mountain valley outside Smithers, B.C.
The Kitimat Concert Association invites you to get swept up in Mark’s musical world on Saturday, February 8, starting at 8:00 p.m. sharp at the Mount Elizabeth Theatre in Kitimat. Tickets are available from Bradley’s Bait and Tackle in the City Centre Mall or at the door.