Joel Fafard (Canada) with Special Guest Derek Lind

Award-winning guitarist Joel Fafard performs Southern roots and blues classics with the soul of a purist and the showmanship of a seasoned entertainer.
He sings with the sexy, sandpapered-sounding vocal style of the new-generation bluesman. He tells his hilarious between-song stories with the confidence of a late show host delivering his monologue. And when he lets rip a solo on his resonator guitar, it’s easy to hear how he once earned both a Juno nomination and a Western Canadian Music Award for his skills on the axe.

With his latest albums, Cluck Old Hen and Borrowed Horses, along with his live show, Fafard is using his uncommon skill as an entertainer to embark on a new musical mission: breathing new life into grand old numbers like “Ain’t no grave,” “Sitting on top of the World,” “Spoonful,” and “Long Black Veil.”
His performances are as authentic as those of a Beale Street busker but infused with a touch of contemporary urban attitude. And his live show is pure polish and professionalism.

Derek Lind has also performed at international festivals including Greenbelt Festival in England, Australia's Blackstump Festival, and the Cornerstone Festival in the USA. He has spent time visiting relief and development projects in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India the Philippines and Thailand for Tear Fund. He has a heart for issues of justice, compassion and equity, particularly for the oppressed minorities of the world.

Lind has played at major arts and music festivals in NZ and supported international acts such as Sam Philips, Michelle Shocked, and the Hot House Flowers.

Derek has recorded seven albums to extensive critical approval and has been awarded two NZ music awards and an APRA Silver Scroll nomination.