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2009 Canadian Christmas Update
Deck the halls, and pick
up some non=perishable food items while you're at it folks! (ha, Ha!)
Get on in with some food goods to your local food bank it's that time
of the year. We're hitting the road to celebrate the season and we may
very well be in your area. We aim to please!!
First off a BIG! and somewhat early Merry Christmas to everyone reading
this, it's yours truly Sean Hogan here. Well we're a week out from the
big Canadian Country Christmas (fairly national) concert tour which
is hitting 4 provinces this year. All in the name of seasonal fun and
giving back to your community, and indeed your neighbours and dare I
say, in doing so yourself.
As I write this there's fire in my hearth here on the banks of the North
Pacific ocean. It's been hectic past four months of intense planning
that has snowballed up to this point in time, like it always does the
tour begins, one week out now as I write this at the cusp of this year's
Country Christmas fun! My pals and I mean "pals", C.C.M.A.
award winning artists Jamie Warren, Duane Steele, Julian Austin, and
some new friends Juno Winning Sue Medley, Saskatchewan Male Artist of
the Year, Codie Prevost, and Saskatchewan's Female Artist of the Year
2009 too, my friend Darlene Tuletta AND!! local regional up and coming
favourites including Rick Stavely and my buddy Tonya Kennedy, are also
on deck for this year's show.
The amazing band (known on the inside for the Christmas spirit as "the
Ho, Ho, Hos!" (lol) accompanying us this year includes Paul Chapman
who has played with most Ontario based Country artists and played well
pretty much on everyone's albums (literally ) over the years including
mine, Jamie's, Duane's and Julian's. Then we have on the bass, Mr. Andrew
Affleck who has toured with again nearly everyone including George Fox,
Susan Aglukark, Bev Mahood, Me, you name it...the list is endless. In
addition we have Mr. Eric Reed on Guitar and mandolin who's been touring
with me, Barney Bentall, Tiller's Folley, many more, and last but not
least Jesse Peters, on keyboards and piano, who surely an artist in
his own right who has toured supporting Samantha King, me, Paramedic,
many a jazz ensemble and oh ya, Shane Yellowbird. Well without going
crazy with further credits, you can see once again it's an all star
band as well.
There's a fire in so many people that I have met in my life to make
a difference in the world we live in. However I once met a Canadian
Country artist maybe ten years ago who told me "we can't change
the world Sean", I just looked at him and said maybe not, but we
can make a difference. And no I'm talking MAKE A DIFFERENCE, we all
get a chance and this is just another way we can all do just that. Not
just at Christmastime no, that's right everyday of the year. I think
this time of the year is nice time to celebrate that fact. In fact that's
what Christmas is to me, no matter what religious stripe you wear.
So here we are it's been 6 years and we have covered a lot of great
Canadian ground since 2004. This year we'll be once again helping the
Children's Development Center in Prince George,the food bank in Olds,
Alberta. We're going to strive to make awareness of the needs of the
food banks in Kelowna and Campbell River, B.C. too. We're going to raise
awareness and funds for Muscular Dystrophy battle efforts in Duncan
B.C., as well community support services in Peace River, Alberta,the
food bank in Fort Mac Alberta, the Radiology research program in Barrie
Ontario, the Salvation Army services in Sudbury, the music program in
Timmins O'Gorman highschool, The highschool grad program in Porcupine
Plain Saskatchewan, the Rock to Read initiatives in Waterloo Ontario.
Could be it's a tall enough order all righty!, but we're revved up and
ready to roll! No maybe it's not the biggest tour we have ever done
but definitely not the shortest either. Join me and don't forget, "give
the whole year through, like it's Christmas time!"
Sincerely, Sean Hogan
EMAIL:
Sean
Hogan
2008
Canadian Christmas Update
Hey Country Christmas Clubers! Well I've got to
come up with some moniker for you folks that love to come to these shows,
right? (lol) Just playing with ya! Seriously this is kinda like a club.
Yes it's Sean here and this is the 5th year pre tour update. This year
I'm gonna have a Country Christmas Club list for you to sign, when you're
at any of the shows, as well as postcards to take with you and mail
back, or fill out and leave with me at the end of each show. I wanted
to bring you up date on this year's concert season for the Canadian
Country Christmas tour.
I hope this finds you all doing well. Wow it's October 29th already
and the Christmas tour starts up in a little over a few weeks time in
Ontario. Once again we have a good number of shows lined up for the
tour this year a total of 15 it looks like.
We start in Sudbury Ontario on Friday the 21st of November.
The Fraser Auditorium, at Laurentian University is one place we have
not played yet, but I know with KICX 91.7's assistance, we're bound
to have great evening. My friends Duane Steel, Jamie Warren, and a talented
new comers Chris Henderson and Shane Chisholm oh yes and of course myself
will be taking the stage there at 8:30 pm. This show is for the Salvation
Army and we promise not to disappoint you. Tickets are available at
the box office or by calling 705-674-8381 ext. 21 Don't miss it!
Sunday November 23rd we're back up in Timmins. Yes home to some famous
person hmm... who was it now,...hmm oh yes Shania! (lol) who could forget?
Though she won't be there, a young woman who sings way better if you
ask me, will be there. Samantha King she is all of 23 and truly an amazing
vocalist. Of course again with my buds Duane, Chris, Jamie at the Sylvia
Gravel Theatre at O' Gorman High school contact the school for more
info. I am working again with World Vision this year. I sponsored two
children in Malawi a year ago and we had I believe another 26 kids sponsored
throughout the Christmas tour. I know in Timmins the kids at the high
school are going to being getting deeply involved there to bring awareness
to people in their community. Tickets available in Timmins at Shoppers
Drug Mart and at our show.
On Monday November 24th we are playing the Gordon Lightfoot theatre
in the Orillia Opera House. This is a beautiful old theatre and I look
forward to working with KICX 106 to bring the show back there . We have
not played this venue since the first tour in 2004. We'll have the five
of us there so if you're in that area please come out to our show for
the local Salvation Army. Maybe we'll get Duane to sing Gordon Lightfoot's
"If You Could Read My Mind Love", he does a killer job on it!
We fly out on the 26th for the West and begin our concerts in Olds,
Alberta on Thursday November 27th. Now as usual, our Western dates are
changed up a little from the Ontario shows. I like bringing a new artist
or two on board to keep us on our feet. This year Nashville based singer/songwriter
Steve Fox who did the Ontario shows last year, is on to the bill. We're
playing the Olds Community Centre. This show is brought to you in conjunction
with our friends CKFM. As with last year's show the net proceeds here
are for the benefit of the Food banks in the area of Olds. We've raised
a few thousand dollars for this food bank in the last couple of years
Also on this show is newcomer Calgary resident Sarah Beth Keeley. Sarah
has recently released her second album and I look forward to hear a
few cuts live. Ticket info can be found at the station in Olds and at
the door before for the concert as well.
Sunday November 30th sees us taking the stage for another year in Fort
Mc Murray AB. Boomtown casino, and it begins to feel like a second home
as we head for our 3rd year there. We've raised several thousand for
the food bank there and hey if you like to play the games too, well
you're a double winner this night. Show time in the lounge is set for
around 9 pm.
December the first begins with us as a first as well for this show as
a new venue for the Canadian Country Christmas Concert. The only honky
tonk for this year's tour. Actually, I understand it's gonna look pretty
classy in this saloon on the night we hit "The Electric Rodeo" in Spruce
Grove. Join us if you can just 40 minutes East of Edmonton, for our
inaugural evening there. Show starts at approx. 9:30 pm this night and
sorry but it's adults only at this venue.
What the? Okay get out the egg nog, December 2nd is a day off well we
knew it was bound to happen so we'll kick back in Jasper maybe?
Okay this next show on the 3rd of December has been one since I first
put this tour together in 2004. We're playing at The Prince George Playhouse
for the Child Development Centre. My friends we will have a rand time
as we alway do and we may need bigger venue for P.G. if this year goes
as the last few have and we have or biggest crowd here yet. Tickets
are available at "Studio 2880" for the show and yes kids are certainly
invited tot his venue too. As with most shows there is a break for kids
from the adult cost.
December 4th finds us back in Alberta and back for the third year in
Whitecourt but for the second year with the crew raising money for an
orphanage in Africa. Last year an amount of close to $3,000. was raised
by the show and the kids at the Hilltop high school where we performed
were very cool about the event. I tell you what I wish we were that
proactive when I was in school.. If you live in this area contact XM105
for the ticket info.
December 5th we're on the road again heading for Peace River, Alberta
where we will be cheering in "the Season" with the first of two nights
at The Belle Petroleum Centre. Last year over $10,000. was raised through
one show for further research into a drug to fight cancer with. This
year both the Friday night show and the Saturday night performance will
again be aimed at the research efforts. Please contact Peace River Belle
Petroleum Centre for ticket info at 1-888-602-5546.
December 7th is night off, thanks we'll need it. (lol)
December 8th is the unofficial grand finale often it's the biggest show!
We have raised over $12,600. for the Dawson Creek and District Hospital
Foundation in the past few years and this alone makes it huge in it's
impact. Now this year the spotlight is being placed on the South Peace
SPCA as the beneficiary of the event's net proceeds. This show of course
is much like the other shows but the fact s that after raising the most
ever in this Community there's bit of an extra feeling that Dawson does
Country Christmas like no other place. Perhaps this a different town
will take the cake for Christmas central.
However not to be forgotten and certainly it could be, that we will
outdo what we did last year on for this charity. As we return to a theatre
to perform for what as I recall which was an exceptionally supportive
crowd in for the Boys and Girls Club of Kelowna.
Okay gotta fly for now hope to see you soon.
Sincerely, Sean Hogan
EMAIL: Sean Hogan
2007 Canadian Christmas Update
Hey
folks, here’s the 2007 Canadian Country Christmas update from
yours truly Sean Hogan. Okay we’re getting set to announce all
the dates on the tour this fall. I say fall because after all winter
doesn’t start till December 21st right? Ha ha, okay sorry couldn’t
resist. Yes it does feel like that old man winter starts much earlier
in Canada but our shows will likely wrap up somewhere around the 17th
this year. The tour this year starts on the 19th of November.
News
item # 1
Remember
that song I wrote called "It's Christmas time?" That tune
started me in the direction of planning this now annual tour. Well here’s
the scoop, it’s on a Christmas album this year that Standard radio
and Universal Music are releasing called Canadian Country Christmas..ya
sound familiar? (lol). Pretty cool, lots of big names on it, and a portion
of the proceeds from sales of the disc will go to Food banks across
Canada . We’re heading into our fourth year of this show’s
tour and we have raised over 40,000 dollars for various charities across
the Canada so far . From food banks to hospital foundations, to service
group organizations and clubs like the Knights of Columbus in Hanmer,
ON. Children’s Development Centre of Prince George, B.C. a long
term care facility, in Peterborough, the Rotary club, of Camrose AB.
and yes even the United Way in Timmins, and the odd High school too,
like say Porcupine Plaine SK.. I won't list them all here, but let me
assure you, it has been amazing. To say the least.
There's
a tremendous spirit for the nature of the Canadian Country Christmas
tour, and the volunteers involved have also made a serious contribution
to presenting the shows. In return me and my friends are bringing some
solid artistic entertainment to the public for the Christmas Season.
This year we’ll have most of our past partners back on the have
a few new partners, as well such as the Boys and Girls Club of Kelowna,
as well as Wild Horse Theatre, and raising money and awareness for cancer
drug research.
News
Item # 2
This
year in Ontario Artist newcomers to the tour include Steve Fox, Greg
Hanna, and Samantha King . My buddy Jamie Warren who has joined me now
for a couple years on the Christmas tour will be returning, and so will
Duane Steele. It’s always great to have artists back who have
been on the tour before, as it adds to the memories of the past live
performances not too mention our personal humorous experiences we have
while travel Canada hi-ways. Truth is the entire event is much more
of a seasonal family gathering I have to admit,. Speaking of which Out
West the roster includes Julian Austin, Duane Steele, Greg Hanna and
Samantha King. Duane has been on the tour before in the first year and
Samantha last year but a lot of these dates are new so it’s great
to have veterans back.
News
Item # 3
Now
for some major news about this year tour. I am for the first time working
in partnership with World Vision this year, after sponsoring a couple
kids while taking the One Life African Village tour at IPSCO Place in
Regina this year. I have been on the fence about working with any groups
in the past but after meeting with the people at World Vision in Canada
and the U.S. I have faith the money raised is going to a very worthy
organization providing much needed assistance in third world countries.
Wow,
for now at least I'm done gabbing on. I appreciate you all taking the
time to review the changes for this year's tour and please feel free
to send me your thoughts.
As
usual, We're trying to make the tickets affordable for families on every
stop. I hope you'll have the time and interest to come out and celebrate
the Country hits and Seasonal favourites that make the fun times, great
music, and supportive community spirit. For now all the best to you
and your family,
Sincerely, Sean Hogan
EMAIL:
Sean
Hogan
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