Huron Carole a sell-out at Edmonton debut

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It was a sell-out crowd that greeted folks attending this year's Huron Carole Benefit Concert at the University of Alberta Meyer Horowitz theatre December 3.

Although it was the first time that the concert was staged in Edmonton , the public did not disappoint. They packed the house. Consequently, it most certainly paved the way, and then some, for the concert to return in future.

The Edmonton Food Bank was undoubtedly smiling from ear-to-ear since they were the designated recipient of the profits from ticket sales of the fund-raiser.

And the man largely responsible for making it all happen was none other than

Tom Jackson, a Manitoba Metis who is better known to most of the public for his role as former Chief Peter Kenidi on CBC TV's hit series, north of 60.

Jackson's a man who is accomplished in many ways -actor, singer, pool player, businessmen, etc. However one of his truly notable achievements over the past few years has been his humanitarianism in organizing this Christmas concert to help the needy at Christmas time.

He began the concerts a few years ago in Toronto, included Winnipeg the following year, and added Calgary last year.

"It wasn't easy that first year in Toronto. We barely made our expenses. But that's changed, and how! A year later, they raked in $30,000 from the Winnipeg concert. Last year, in Calgary's Convention Centre they sold out. This year, in Edmonton, they did likewise."

Jackson hopes to build it more nationally by adding the cities of Saskatoon, Regina, Montreal, Vancouver, the Maritimes, and perhaps, Victoria. That's his dream, and anyone who knows Jackson knows just how possible his dreams are of coming true.

The Edmonton concert had local favorite Laura Vinson and her Free Spirit Band kick off the evening with a barrage of high-spirited numbers, many of them accompanied by colorful Indian dancers. Exciting to be sure.

The following acts offered a fine cross-section of songs with mixtures of performers' usual fare as well as the Christmasy stuff. Vinson was succeeded by the ever-popular Bill Bourne, another local favorite.

The increasing popularity of bluegrass music became very apparent from the reception that Jerusalem Ridge received. The four-piece group was featured last year at Big Valley Jamboree.

Finally, the artist that everyone had been waiting for, Tom Jackson, stepped up and thrilled the audience with his superbly rich baritone vocals. Backed by three females and one male vocalist, Jackson did a rather laid-back enjoyable set which more than demonstrated his abilities along folk lines, as well as voice control and smoothness as he ran through his tunes with ease and gentleness.

Some of the tunes he performed are from his recently released compact disc, No Regrets.

The event was admirably co-hosted by another Native actor, Auggie Schellenberg, and by CBC Television's Bonnie Valleyvand, who hosts the country music show Country Beat.