History / Gallery
BACK PORCH BANJO
BackPorch Banjo became an active bluegrass band in 2010 at the SandBar Cafe
one night in Qualicum Beach. We noticed we all had the right instruments for
a bluegrass band and we thought we sounded like one too. Since that time the band has continued play traditional bluegrass music and old time fiddle tunes. We play tunes we know and love, and continue the tradition of playing at markets, festivals, events, parties, etc, locally.
BackPorch Banjo members live on Vancouver Island, BC
Here's the current members of the band (2024):
Dave Haggblad - Parksville B. C.
Acoustic Bass, Vocals & Harmonies
Ramona Ruf - Qualicum Beach, B. C.
Rhythm Guitar, Lead vocals & Harmonies
Mimi Shell - Parksville, B. C.
Fiddle & Vocal Harmonies
Linda Thorburn - Qualicum Beach, B. C.
5 String banjo
Ted Granger - Qualicum Beach, B. C.
Mandolin, Lead Vocals & Harmonies
The newer lineup of the band has spent the past summers very busy with gigs.
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2010
BackPorch Banjo formed in the fall of 2010 and took off like a lightning-speed banjo roll. The highlights of the first summer included performing at the 1st Annual Lighthouse Bluegrass Festival, where BackPorch Banjo shared the stage with Canada's premiere bluegrass band, the Foggy Hogtown Boys from Toronto, and the international bluegrass supergroup, Long Road Home featuring Pete Wernick aka Dr. Banjo, from Colorado.
Later in the month, BackPorch Banjo performed at the Chemainus Bluegrass Festival, playing on the same stage as mandolin wizard John Reischman & the Jaybirds. BackPorchBanjo capped off their festival-rich summer by performing at B. C.'s longest running bluegrass festival, the Coombs Bluegrass Festival sharing the stage with Oklahoma's Mark Phillips & 3rd Generation and Special Consensus, one of bluegrass' long running touring groups from Chicago. In early September BackPorch Banjo played at April Point Resort, Quadra Island.
Having firmly established themselves on the Vancouver Island festival circuit, BackPorch Banjo settled in for a cosy winter of jamming and repertoire-building.
Notice that we are playing in the woods, the back porch is not yet built!
OUR ORIGINAL LINEUP FEATURED:
Kazimea Sokil on mandolin, banjo, vocals
Earl Purvis on double bass
Bob Slater on guitar and vocals
Linda Thorburn on banjo
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2011
Here we are at Coombs Bluegrass Festival, August 2011
Earl, Kazimea, Bob and Linda
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2012
The 2012 core line-up consisted of:
Linda Thorburn on banjo
Ted Granger on fiddle
Kazimea Sokil on mandolin, clawhammer, & vocals
Bob Slater on guitar & vocals
Note the back porch has been constructed here as a log cabin... a little rustic. We're working on that!
2012 saw another busy year for BackPorch Banjo! Along with private parties and public gigs, the highlights of the summer were playing to an enthusiastically appreciative audience at the Bowser Legion, then going on to take part in the Lighthouse Bluegrass Festival, in Qualicum Bay where we reconnected with fellow musicians -
Mark Phillips & 3rd Generation of Oklahoma,
High Rise Lonesome of Vancouver,
Elena Yeung & Kootenay Special, Creston,
and the Andrew Collins Trio of Toronto.
At Ukie days in July 2012, we squeezed into the Four Frames photo booth - with ALL of our instruments! Quite a challenge, considering we had bassist Mike Brooks (of Victoria) with us for the gig.
What can we say, we're a close-knit group!
In July, we filled a barn at the Forbidden Plateau Concert House, a new experiment in hosting and marketing our own concert. It was fun, we'll have to do that again! We also played in front of spectacular scenery at the Courtenay Rod & Gun Club Family Day, took in the west coast air at Ukie Days in Ucluelet, & rounded off our summer with another journey to the Coombs Bluegrass Festival. In Coombs where we were happy to be joined by 30 great musicians for the Biggest Band in BC event.
A highlight for both Kazimea & Linda at Coombs, was jamming around the campfire with Pete Wernick (Dr. Banjo) & his wife Joan. He had left his banjo behind, so he played Kazimea's for HOURS!
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2013
Revitalized with a new player and a bright, well blended sound, BackPorch Banjo is ready to embark on another exciting season of bluegrass! Listen for us at the Lighthouse Bluegrass Festival & Coombs Bluegrass Festival and other sites around the mid-island. On June 23 2013 Linda broke her arm, and cannot play for the summer, a lesson too late for the learning, lol
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2014
Still Linda cannot play very well with her arm....
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2015
Still have no guitar player and Linda's arm isn't right yet
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2016
We're on the steps... leading UP to the back porch. Feb 2016...a new group of folk on the backporch. Getting our tunes in order. BackPorch Banjo is ready to go......
Sept 2016
A new line up, with our very own fiddle player, getting ready!
BACK PORCH HISTORY - Nov 2018
We had a terrific summer playing lots. Thank you to the many kind people who came out and supported bluegrass music. And to all the people who sent us photos, you rock. Thank you, we appreciated it! We welcome you to have a listen to tunes from our previous line-ups up to the present, available here on the sound files page.
BACK PORCH HISTORY - Sept 2019
Around this time we decided to make a CD, so we worked very hard to learn 12 tunes perfectly.
BACK PORCH HISTORY - Jan 2020
We went into the recording studio and made the cuts. Further editing much later in September 2020, then our CD's arrived, only to find we weren't allowed to play anywhere due to Covid restrictions.
The band lineup was:
Ramona Ruf guitar, Ted Granger Mandolin, Luigi Calvori Bass, Miriam Mimi Shell Fiddle, Linda Thorburn Banjo
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2021-2022
We made 3 you tube videos.
Ted Got sick and had to quit the band.
By the end of 2022 we still had not found a replacement.
BACK PORCH HISTORY - 2023
In spring of 2023, Ted returned to the band having made a full recovery with his surgery, then we have played lots once again.
Thank you again for the incredible support for this band
This new season welcomed two new band members, and Dave Haggblad on Stand-Up Bass & vocals and Jane Dunnett on mandolin & vocals. Sadly, Jane left us before we got going with the 2023 Festival Season but her impact on the group is still appreciated today.
The band played a number of gigs over the 2023 Festival season, including celebratory events at the Bowser and Qualicum Beach Legions, the Chemainus Bluegrass Festival, and the Coombs Bluegrass Festival to name a few.
In October we played for the 40th Lighthouse Hall Birthday Celebration
Nov 4th we played for Jim Brown's inauguration into the BMAC Bluegrass Hall of Fame
Playing at the Nimblefingers Reunion at the Heriot Bay Inn, missing are Dave and Ted. Filling in are Dan Parker on mandolin and Luigi Calvori on Bass
BACKPORCH BANJO HISTORY 2024
So far this year we have played at quite a few places..
Here we are at the Bowser Legion
April Bluegrass Jam at the Crown & Anchor
Thank you to all our friends who showed up to listen and play for this fun time!