Whiskey Jack & Friends Bring a Canadian Legend Roaring Back to Life

jaybroderick
13 minutes ago
5 min read

By: Jay Broderick

Toronto, Ontario - The Guess Who, Neil Young, The Tragically Hip... from a music standpoint, nothing much else screams Canada... unless of course your name is Tom Connors. If the name itself doesn't bring a Canadian smile to your face, then perhaps you are Gen Z. Wait... that's no excuse either! Just ask Will Sharp! The 24 year-old fan knows Stompin' Tom well!

There are anniversaries, and then there are moments that feel like the country itself is raising a glass. Stompin’ Tom Connors’ 90th Birthday Celebration at The Horseshoe Tavern was absolutely the latter. With Stompin' Tom's band Whiskey Jack, and a number of very special guests, it was a night where history, humour, and pure Canadian pride collided inside one of Toronto’s most storied rooms, to honour the country singer who left us far too soon.

The Horseshoe is no stranger to legends, but this one is different. Tom Connors was just 11 years old when the ’Shoe opened its doors, and decades later, his 1972 performance here became one of the venue’s most iconic live recordings. Walking in tonight, you could feel that history with the buzz in the air. The place was packed... not just busy, but shoulder-to-shoulder with fans dressed in full country gear. Including Will Sharp who made the trek from Manitoba. It's the kind of crowd I don’t typically see at the shows that I cover here in the TDot.

Whiskey Jack perform live at The Horseshoe Tavern. Photo By: Jay Broderick

Canadian actor and comedian Sean Cullen kicked things off with a few jokes before leading the room into “O Canada,” exactly as Stompin’ Tom would have done ahead of his live shows. Every single person in the building sang... loud (as we love it), proud, and smiling. From there, Whiskey Jack launched straight into “Bud the Spud,” and the crowd didn’t miss a word. It quickly set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Fiddler Billy McGinnis took over on the second song "Maple Sugar". Man, that sound! It gives me a feeling of longing for my ancestry on Canada's East Coast, and McGinnis' voice blends perfectly with his instrument of choice. Then Duncan Fremlin on the banjo (another iconic stringed instrument that brings a smile to my face) followed with a tune introduced by the story of his “No 51st State” banjo.

With a few special guests promised on the bill, the first was "wild guitarist" Mike T. Kerr. Kerr stepped in and told the crowd that we had yet to hear a song about New Brunswick, a fact at which he immediately changed. The rumours of Kerr being able to make that acoustic sing were proven true. The cheers from the excited crowd were thunderous.

Amongst stories poking fun at Connors and how much he drank and smoked, the songs came as highlights of an unmatched career. “The Moonman Newfie” spiraled into a medley of the "Ketchup Song", “Goodnight Mirazha,” and “Tilsonburg”, the crowd practically shouting “TILSONBURG!” on cue. It was chaos in the best possible way possible as everybody inside the music venue was quickly having the time of their lives.

Meredith Moon performs live at The Horseshoe Tavern. Photo By: Jay Broderick

Duncan Fremlin then introduced the evening's second special guest as a last minute addition they “had to get before she got too famous.” Toronto's own Merideth Moon joined the band on stage. Her voice soared through two songs, including a gorgeous rendition of “Prairie Moon,” which she called her favourite Connors track. Not unlike Stompin' Tom's Canadian legacy, Moon's father is another extremely well known Canadian icon, one whom I also get chills thinking about. With Gordon Lightfoot's blood running through her veins, there is no wonder Moon's voice is so mesmerizing.

With the evening split into 2 sets, the first wound down with “Bar Hopping Spree in Sault Ste. Marie” which turned into a full-band workout, with banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass, and drum breaks earning applause mid-song. Sean Cullen returned for “Less I Know,” of which my eyes opened wide at the man's voice. I had heard him sing during Andy Kim's Christmas, but man, this one hit differently. This man can sing! And he enthralled the audience too as they belted along once again.

Then came the moment everyone was hoping for... good old birthday cake!!! How is a birthday party complete without it? The stage filled with the musicians of the evening, and the entire room clapped and sang “Happy Birthday” Whiskey Jack style... exactly the spirit of the night. After birthday cake, they closed the first half with “Sudbury Saturday Night,” and the room erupted before intermission.

Whiskey Jack perform live at The Horseshoe in Toronto. Photo By: Jay Broderick

The band returned with more Stompin' Tom Connors gold with tracks like “Goin’ to the Barn Dance Tonight,” and “Cross Canada,” where each member created a verse that meant something personal to them. “TTC Skedaddler” and “Snarly’s Hill” kept the energy high.

A comedic highlight came when Doug Cameron dropped to his knees. A fan climbed onstage to help him up, and the band jokingly asked for pills. Doug explained he’d just turned 70 and was suffering from the "OLD”... a Whiskey Jack original that had the crowd howling.

Russell DeCarle performs live in Toronto, Ontario. Photo By: Jay Broderick

The third, and final guest of the evening was none other than Canadian country music royalty. Multi-JUNO winner and Prairie Oyster frontman, Russell DeCarle joined for “Gumboot Cloggeroo” and “Singin’ the Blues.” What a collection of musical talent that was assembled here. Fremlin announced that the band had partied with friends and fans each year, and the 80th birthday celebration 10 years ago was something special, but he proclaimed this 90th celebration to be the greatest one of all. I wasn't personally at either of the other shows, but I'll agree, this was something else!

And I know the crowd held my sentiment. They were having the time of their lives singing "Margo’s Cargo,” at the top of their lungs and then the inevitable eruption for “The Hockey Song.” The band barely needed microphones as the audience carried the vocal duties.

Whiskey Jack closed with “Stories and Songs,” drinks raised high, toasting the man who gave Canada its soundtrack.

This was a reminder of how deeply Stompin’ Tom Connors is woven into the fabric of this country. The jokes, the camaraderie, the singalongs, the sheer joy. It all felt like a room full of people celebrating an old friend.

What a celebration. What a crowd. What a night for Stompin’ Tom Connors! While the music wasn't "LOUD", the party was!!!

Concert Photo Gallery (all photos by: Jay Broderick)