Colin James Pours His Heart Out Before Kempenfest

Colin James Coming TO Barrie

The Blues-Rock legend is coming to Kempenfest to headline the Saturday night show, but before he does, we had the chance to chat about a lot of things.

From why he's not too sad about Ozzy's passing, to how he disagrees with people who say that old-time rockers should retire at some point, Colin James gets very honest & philosophical during our conversation.

We talk about his early musical influences, and how he handles the role of being other people's musical influence, including how he balances playing with and mentoring his band.

Get your tickets to Kempenfest here!

More About Colin James

The Saskatchewan-born six-string slinger who’s been setting stages on fire since the '80s is a true Canadian blues rocker. James burst onto the scene when he was hand-picked to open for Stevie Ray Vaughan and that tour didn’t just change his life, it jumpstarted a legacy.

His 1988 self-titled debut album made a splash with hits like Voodoo Thing and Five Long Years, blending blues, rock, and a shot of swagger. From there, he bounced between straight-ahead blues, swing revival with his Little Big Band, and roots rock that while distinctly Canadian, was certainly world-class.

Across the decades, James has collected multiple Juno Awards, toured relentlessly, and kept the flame alive for blues and rock in a country that sometimes forgets how gritty and soulful we can be. His guitar tone is instantly recognizable: clean, sharp, and dripping with attitude; and whether he’s covering classics or tearing through originals, Colin James always delivers.

If it’s been a minute since you revisited his catalog, do yourself a favour. Fire up National Steel, crank Blue Highways, or go deep with Miles to Go. Colin James isn’t just a great Canadian artist, he’s a cornerstone of our rock history and he's still out there proving that the blues never go out of style.

More about Colin James here!