David Essig Solo Concert @Char's

Thursday October 1st 2026

doors 6:30pm concert 7:30-9:30pm

An intimate evening of songs, stories and dazzling guitar, from one of Canada's finest musical storytellers. With over 50 years on the Canadian folk/roots scene, David frames the human condition with compassion, humour and enough Delta slide guitar to peel the petunias off your mother's porcelain.

David has performed at every major folk festival in Canada and in concerts across Europe and Australia.

As a 12-year-old listener said at a recent soundcheck for a gig in Vancouver, "the dude can shred."

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T-I-C-K-E-T-S =>
ADVANCE $25 SHOWDATE $30
applicable taxes included
OR eTransfer name(s) to tickets@charslanding.com
OR text/whatsapp/call +1 250 730 1636
OR at the door

2026: David Essig: First-Person Bio

I was born in Frederick, Maryland in 1945 and spent the early part of my life in the Washington, DC area where I became immersed in two intense musical traditions: bluegrass and country blues. I had the good fortune to work at the Arlington Music Company where I learned to play the guitar and mandolin from John Duffey, founding member of the Country Gentlemen and the Seldom Scene.

While I was absorbing the high, lonesome sound of bluegrass, I was also blessed to meet and learn from two of the masters of the Delta Blues tradition: Mississippi John Hurt and Neamiah Skip James. Well-grounded in those roots, I came to Canada in 1971, took out citizenship on the first day I was eligible, and have been here ever since - living for the past 34 years on the Gulf Islands in British Columbia.

The most important lessons I learned from my musical mentors were, first, to be true to your own vision and second, to create your own music that extends the boundaries of tradition. When I arrived in Canada, I had the extreme good fortune of being taken into a group of young folk artists in Ontario who were growing and evolving the folk music process, primarily through the songs they were writing.

With the encouragement of new musical friends like Willie P. Bennett, David Bradstreet, Doug McArthur and Stan Rogers, I started to write my own songs, creating a landscape of the imagination, set mostly in rural Canada and populated by characters inspired by my new life in the Almaguin Highlands of Ontario.

I began to perform in the coffeehouses and folk clubs across the country and was fortunate to be part of the emerging Canadian folk festival scene in the mid-70's, appearing at festivals including Mariposa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, London, and many more. I have performed at every major folk festival in Canada and continue to do so - most recently, I was a featured performer at the 50th Winnipeg Folk Festival in July, 2025. It was my 14th appearance as a performer at the WFF.

Now, in 2026 I have experienced the most wonderful realization that I am presently about the same age as many of the musical mentors I learned from back at the early festivals in the 1970’s - thinking especially of Bucka White, Sam Chapman, Roosevelt Sykes, and the Lily Brothers.. Our musical traditions continue to evolve and I am very pleased to be part of that process.

I am often asked “what kind of music do you play?” The best answer I’ve been able to come up with is “authentic.” I make songs that combine the narrative style of my literary heroes, Alden Nowlan, Raymond Carver and Richard Ford, with the intense, blues-flavoured slide guitar playing that’s often associated with Ry Cooder. I’m basically a finger-picker, working a lot in open tunings, and building songs out of blues and country traditions.

While I’ve always considered myself foremost a narrative songwriter, the most popular piece of music I’ve composed is a guitar instrumental, in DADGAD tuning, called “Berkley Springs,” that has been recorded by dozens of artists, including the brilliant guitarist Don Ross.

In 1973 I started Woodshed Records to release my own first album, “Redbird Country.” In the process of recording this work, I met and learned from the third great mentor of my life: Phil Sheridan at Thunder Sound in Toronto, who taught me the practice of producing music in a recording studio. I went on to release 20 more albums of my own music and produce nearly 80 albums for other artists.

My record label, Woodshed, was one of the first artist-owned labels in Canada and we released albums by friends of mine, including Willie P. Bennett, Doug McArthur, the Original Sloth Band, Cathy Fink, and the Humber River Valley Boys. I have continued my recording practice and now operate Watershed Studio out of our home on Protection Island, BC.

In addition to writing and performing music, I’ve also written a novel, Dancing Hand (2014) and a book of short stories, all based on songs I’ve written and recorded, Fair Days (2022). The latter is a unique project - I recorded fresh versions of all the songs that inspired the stories and released the recording in conjunction with the book. Both works have garnered new audiences and made me lots of new friends around the world. I am currently at work on a second volume of short stories based on my songs, to be titled Last Stop on the Train. We’re hoping to have it out before the end of 2026.

Over the 55 years that I’ve been making and performing music in Canada, I’ve pretty well opted out of the music industry awards scene, sincerely believing that our work is better served by collaboration than competition. Consequently the only award I’ve ever won is from the Paris, ON Fair for growing the largest kohlrabi in Brant County. And I’m fine with that.

As my song says, it’s been a “long, sweet, ride” and I’m still in the saddle - performing songs, old and new, and sliding my socket wrench the best I can on that guitar. The nicest compliment I’ve ever received was from a 12-year-old at a sound-check: The dude can shred

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Char's Landing Hall & Hostel4815 Argyle @5th, Port Alberni, BC
all ages listening venue Kids<=6 FREE
www.charslanding.com/events
text/whatsapp/call +1 250 730 1636
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NOTE: Please accept our most sincere thanks for purchasing advance ticket(s). All ticket sales are final so if you are unable to attend, we encourage you to pay your ticket forward, as a way to support our Touring Artists.
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David Essig Solo Concert @Char's

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