Jeremy Fisher isn’t one to shy away from a little hard work.
Not only is he a musician, a songwriter, an animator and a music video director, but the folk singer is also one hell of a storyteller.
Dubbed the Rocky Mountain Hop 2013 tour — a play on the Led Zeppelin song Misty Mountain Hop — Fisher’s solo show will bring the singer to Cochrane for the first time. Hosted by the Cochrane Valley Folk Club, the musician’s artistry will be on display at the Cochrane Alliance Church on Feb. 8.
“I love performing live — I get to put each of the songs in context,” said the 36-year-old artist over the phone from Ottawa, Ont.
“Storytelling is something I love when I watch musicians perform live. It makes the performance memorable and music is a trigger for memories — it makes us feel a certain way. Any additional information or stories just adds to the experience.”
His fifth and latest album, Mint Juleps, features the two-time Juno Award nominee at his storytelling best, compiling together original songs with cover tunes he has performed live over the course of his career.
Trying to steer away from heavy production, Fisher said the album was more about capturing the essence of a live performance.
Each of the album’s tracks was recorded live. No headphones, said Fisher, just a few musicians sitting around a studio, playing songs.
“It was just a lot more exciting to make,” laughed the musician.
The artist will be hitting the stage solo for the Friday night performance, save for his guitar and harmonica. As for what concertgoers can expect, Fisher said that was a question he couldn’t answer.
“Everything is dependent on the audience — I’m there for them,” he said.
“With my first two records, I had a hard time making a good set list. Now, I have too many to choose from. Audiences can expect each of my albums to be well represented.”
Fisher got his start playing piano as a kid in Hamilton, Ont., eventually moving on to pick up a variety of instruments — like the organ, guitar and harmonica. He lists “master storytellers” like John Prine and John Hiatt as his influences. In fact, Fisher’s version of Hiatt’s “Gone” is Mint Julep’s opening track.
“Music is something I’ve just always done,” said Fisher. “It was my first job and, really, my only job. That was my template to follow.”
Hometown singer songwriter, and Canadian Folk Music Award winner Lucas Chaisson will be opening for Fisher for the local show. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show is slated to start at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased for $25 at cochranefolkclub.com, Phantoms Music and Cochrane Coffee Traders.
