Salt Spring Folk Club (SSFC) is set to host three of B.C.’s best-known musicians in their trio known as BTU — Barney Bentall, Tom Taylor and Shari Ulrich — on the afternoon of Sunday, March 22 at Fulford Hall.
Bentall and his rock and roll band The Legendary Hearts recorded and toured throughout Canada in the late 1980s and 1990s. Bentall then became a Cariboo cattle rancher, but returned to recording in 2006 with longtime friend Jim Cuddy producing Bentall’s first solo record called Gift Horse. Salt Spring Islanders know Bentall well from bringing his inimitable Cariboo Express food bank fundraiser to Fulford Hall through the SSFC for several years.
Taylor is probably best known for his role in the Vancouver cult band She Stole My Beer, where he spent years touring and recording. Taylor also has three solo albums to his credit, including Pull Over Here, which was produced by Bentall. He is part of the roots rock band The Radio Grande, and last year released an album called Folk Signals with his new folk-bluegrass band The Southern Residents.
Ulrich first performed with the legendary Pied Pumkin band, along with Joe Mock and Rick Scott, beginning in 1973. She was also part of the Hometown Band (along with Salt Spring’s own Valdy) and others, and then UHF — Ulrich Henderson Forbes — and the High Bar Gang with Bentall.
BTU first played together in November 2007 at a songwriter concert on Bowen Island. Soon after, they released their Live at Cates Hill album, described on their website as “an eclectic mix of the character, voices and songwriting talents of these three unique artists.” Because all three musicians were so busy with other projects, it wasn’t until 2015 that they could record their second album: Tightrope Walk.
Since then BTU has reunited for a run of shows as often as possible, “always bringing new tunes to the table to work up as only BTU can. Their blend of acoustic guitars, mandolin, fiddle and swoon-worthy three-part harmonies along with their obvious love of performing together is enduring and inspiring.”
The March 22 concert begins at 2 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m. with food from chef Brody Paine’s Salt Spring Catering and mocktails from Moonshine Mamas available for purchase.
Tickets are sold in advance at Salt Spring Books (cash only) or at the door, if any are still available at that point.