artist Smokey

I started performing songs publicly in the 80s  while working with ACT for Disarmament, a peace group in Toronto. I played at demos and was the host at their coffeehouse, “The Fallout Shelter”.  Since those days I’v

e played strikes, rallies, picket lines, labour conventions, anti-poverty events, and anti-nuclear events and have written over a hundred songs for political events.  I also began to lead song-writing workshops with people as a way to involve them in writing their own political songs. 
A number of songs were written with the homeless community this way at the “No Place Like Home” conferences in Toronto. I’ve also written collaboratively with striking unionists, environmentalists, anti-globalization activists as well as with children. I even wrote a song over the phone from history supplied by a member of the American Indian Movement for the anti-Columbus 500th Anniversary events.      
    In the late 80s I compiled the first Canadian I.W.W. songbook. These songs were collected from songwriters from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island. The songbook hit the streets on May 1, 1990 when the Toronto Wobblies (I.W.W.) spread the last of Joe Hill’s ashes at the Sears picket line on Jarvis Street and at the May Day celebrations at Trinity Bellwoods Park.     
    I continue to write and to perform for antinuclear, anti-government, anti G-8 and anti-boss events from St. John’s to Vancouver Island with the odd foray into the U.S.    
    A recent project was in response to a call from the Christian Peacemakers group. With a small committee, I helped organize 6 Saturday performances at the El Mocambo rock club to raise money to help free C.P.T. members who had been abducted in Baghdad.    
    In June of 06 we held a CD release concert at the Free Times Café in Toronto with backup by Kevin Barrett of the Kevin Barrett Jazz Group and John Millard of Happy Day. Many friends and acquaintances, six political singers, several human rights lawyers and a few curious strangers attended. With a different, three member, band we packed a pub on Quadra Island for the west coast CD release concert.

Now, I'm living on Quadra Island, BC, and making forays up and down Vancouver Island, when I'm not operating or renovating my bicycle shop. The Vancouver Island IWW Branch is my local union Branchand they are a swell bunch of revolutionaries, if I ever saw on. As are the Edmonton and Ottawa Branches too. I'm rehearsing with regular band members for the first time ever.