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At various points during its 36-year career, Downchild has called itself “Canada’s Blues Band” and described its music as “Good Times Guaranteed.” Promotional slogans notwithstanding, Downchild has a continuing career that has seen the band playing at clubs, festivals, and concerts across Canada and the U.S.
Starting in a tiny Toronto bar in 1969, the band has since made 14 albums (not counting a variety of best-of compilations and reissues). Its most recent CD, “Come On In”, features a host of long-time Downchild friends and fans, including James Cotton, Jeff Healey, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds pianist, Gene Taylor. Along the way, Downchild has trained some 80 musicians, who’ve been through the band (although the current lineup has been virtually intact for the last decade). They have also inspired their friend Dan Aykroyd to form The Blues Brothers, and they have played some 7,500 gigs.
It’s been a long journey, marked with good times and hard times, triumph and tragedy, a lot of laughs, and a few tears—and, through it all, an amazing amount of great music. And the Downchild tradition continues.
Donnie “Mr.Downchild” Walsh uses NickelSteel Electric REG on his Fender Stratocaster, and on his Epiphone Riviera slide guitar (D tuned), he uses NickelSteel Electric MED. Gary Kendall goes for the Ground Round Wound MED on his Fender Jazz and Precision Basses.
Be sure to visit the The Downchild Blues Band website at:
www.Downchild.com.
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