The McDonald’s Corners MERA Schoolhouse will be filled with joyous music on the afternoons of Sunday, April 12 and Sunday, April 26.
Come on out on April 12 at 2pm as vocalist Kellylee Evans presents her unique family show. Kellylee has a gorgeous voice and musical intelligence possessed by only an elite group of singer/songwriters. Equally comfortable with jazz, soul, pop, and hip-hop, Kellylee has the ability to deliver each live performance with a visceral energy that brings spellbound audiences to their feet.
After years of grueling international touring, six albums and multiple awards, all the while homeschooling her three children, Kellylee suffered a life-altering lightning strike in 2013, and subsequent concussions in 2015 and 2022. Since 2017, she has focused on her recovery, cautiously returning to making and sharing her music, as well as speaking publicly about her personal journey and sharing her inspiring message of self-care and finding one’s own superpowers. Her remarkable talent has since been matched by her positive resilience, producing three more recordings and continuing to bring joy through live performance.
Kellylee will be bringing a show for all ages with an inspiring message of love, resilience and growth through her words and music. MERA extends a welcome to families and youth to take advantage of the special pricing of $20 for anyone under 30 and their companion, available thanks to support from the Ontario Arts Council.
Then on Sunday, April 26 at 2pm, Terra Spencer in bringing her musical talents to the MERA stage. A very first impression of Terra’s music is one of comfortable melody sung confidently, accompanied by deft fingerstyle guitar or piano. But after the first verse you are wishing you paid more attention. There are stories unfolding here. Terra has been playing instruments from a young age, but her music career is barely a decade old. This follows a stint as a small-town funeral director, an occupation with a unique window into a community of stories. Wherever her stories come from, the styles and subjects of Terra’s compositions cast a surprisingly wide net: quirky, poignant, observant, fascinating. On stage, she brings easy gentle humour and spontaneous conversation that creates a thoughtful, intimate show.
The calibre of Terra’s songwriting has attracted collaborations with such musicians as David Gunning, David Francey and Ben Caplan. Terra’s latest album Sunset was named the 2024 Penguin Eggs Roots Music Canada Critics’ Choice Album of the Year (alongside Julian Taylor’s Pathways) and Music Nova Scotia Folk/Roots Recording of the Year, and garnered her ECMA and Canadian Folk Music Award nominations for Solo Artist and English Songwriter of the Year.
Tickets for both shows are available at Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434).