EAST COAST
PRODUCTIONS RESURRECTED
Gerry Taylor
Downhome music
As published on page D3 on November 2, 2006
"Whatever happened to Gerry
Wilson and East Coast Productions?" I've been asked many times
in recent months.
Usually the inquirer thought Gerry had "passed on," which means
I'd either missed the obituary or he'd headed west like so many
others. So I was certainly relieved when he surfaced a couple of
weeks ago, alive and enthusiastic about a new venture.
On Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. the East Coaster's staging their
first show in a year at Saint John's Main Street Baptist Church.
This new venue might seem strange to people who have only seen
their Imperial Theatre shows, but their first half dozen gigs
were in a church - Portland United - and were gospel-oriented.
For this return to their roots they've assembled an inspired
roster, including our fastest-rising gospel-singing
multi-instrumentalist, Stephanie Mainville. This Darling's
Island resident has been honoured with Juno, ECMA and Music N.B.
Week showcases and was a featured artist and nominee at the
Mercy Awards, Shai Awards and Canadian Gospel Music Association
Awards. Her debut CD Family has earned seven award nominations
since its New Year's 2004 release, winnning the 2005 New
Brunswick Gospel Hall of Fame Recording of the Year.
Stephanie's mother, Carolyn Murray, who released an acclaimed
album herself last year, will also perform, as will the Singing
Ultramar Man, Danny Joyce, who kicks off many hockey games with
his flawless bilingual rendition of O Canada;
multi-instrumentalist Carl O'Donnell; dobro and banjo wizard
Harvey Arbo; country singer Albert Hebert; the Pastor's Quartet
of Joe Page, Rev. Steve Mullin, John Knight and Peter Chasse;
the North Main Quartet of Willie Owens, Shirley McPhee, Dick
McAleer and Gerry Wilson, plus singing guitarist John Martin.
It's a great evening of gospel for a freewill offering. Proceeds
go to the Neighbourhood Hope Mission.
