Biography
One of Canada's foremost roots rock ensembles, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings unites three seasoned figures from the blues, folk, and rock realms—Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden, and Tom Wilson. Performing under the shorthand BARK that their admirers favor, the trio fuses acoustic and electric textures across country, blues, rock & roll, and modern folk, producing a visceral sound that balances raw edge with emotional depth. Launched in 1996 as a tribute project titled High or Hurtin': The Songs of Willie P. Bennett, the group soon pivoted toward its own compositions and live work, highlighting its collective identity on 2006's Let's Frolic and 2014's South while recruiting guest vocalists for the 2011 album Kings and Queens and its 2017 sequel Kings and Kings.
Vancouver-born and Irish-raised, Stephen Fearing moved back to his birthplace in 1981 and has issued numerous well-reviewed records since 1986, earning several Juno Awards along the way. Toronto native Colin Linden has worked with an eclectic roster that includes Leon Redbone, Bruce Cockburn, Robert Plant, and the Band, while also producing projects for others and maintaining his own solo output. From Hamilton, Ontario, Tom Wilson fronted the acclaimed blues-rock outfit Junkhouse before establishing himself as a solo performer and songwriter.
Longtime associates who had already guested on one another's recordings, the three musicians assembled in 1996 to honor Southern Ontario songwriter Willie P. Bennett, whose evocative narratives had earned him a devoted audience and, later, a Juno. Recording under the name Blackie & the Rodeo Kings—an allusion to Bennett's own 1978 album—they released High or Hurtin': The Songs of Willie P. Bennett to strong reviews and sales, then reconvened in 1999 for Kings of Love, which mixed interpretations of various songwriters with several originals. Their 2004 release Bark marked the first project centered on self-penned material and cemented the band's robust, unpolished merger of blues, country, and rock elements.
In autumn 2006 the group delivered Let's Frolic, supported by its customary rhythm team of bassist John Dymond and drummer Gary Craig plus guest singer Pam Tillis. Material from those sessions yielded the companion set Let's Frolic Again in spring 2008. Returning to collaborative territory, 2011's Kings and Queens paired each of its fourteen songs with a different female vocalist, among them Emmylou Harris, Pam Tillis, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Cassandra Wilson, and Patti Scialfa. The more austere South followed, restoring emphasis to the trio's songwriting. Five years after that, Kings and Kings revived the male-duet concept with contributors including Nick Lowe, Raul Malo, Vince Gill, and fellow Canadians Bruck Cockburn and City and Colour. Marking twenty-five years of partnership, the band signed with Warner Music Canada and issued its tenth studio album, 2020's King of This Town.
Vancouver-born and Irish-raised, Stephen Fearing moved back to his birthplace in 1981 and has issued numerous well-reviewed records since 1986, earning several Juno Awards along the way. Toronto native Colin Linden has worked with an eclectic roster that includes Leon Redbone, Bruce Cockburn, Robert Plant, and the Band, while also producing projects for others and maintaining his own solo output. From Hamilton, Ontario, Tom Wilson fronted the acclaimed blues-rock outfit Junkhouse before establishing himself as a solo performer and songwriter.
Longtime associates who had already guested on one another's recordings, the three musicians assembled in 1996 to honor Southern Ontario songwriter Willie P. Bennett, whose evocative narratives had earned him a devoted audience and, later, a Juno. Recording under the name Blackie & the Rodeo Kings—an allusion to Bennett's own 1978 album—they released High or Hurtin': The Songs of Willie P. Bennett to strong reviews and sales, then reconvened in 1999 for Kings of Love, which mixed interpretations of various songwriters with several originals. Their 2004 release Bark marked the first project centered on self-penned material and cemented the band's robust, unpolished merger of blues, country, and rock elements.
In autumn 2006 the group delivered Let's Frolic, supported by its customary rhythm team of bassist John Dymond and drummer Gary Craig plus guest singer Pam Tillis. Material from those sessions yielded the companion set Let's Frolic Again in spring 2008. Returning to collaborative territory, 2011's Kings and Queens paired each of its fourteen songs with a different female vocalist, among them Emmylou Harris, Pam Tillis, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Cassandra Wilson, and Patti Scialfa. The more austere South followed, restoring emphasis to the trio's songwriting. Five years after that, Kings and Kings revived the male-duet concept with contributors including Nick Lowe, Raul Malo, Vince Gill, and fellow Canadians Bruck Cockburn and City and Colour. Marking twenty-five years of partnership, the band signed with Warner Music Canada and issued its tenth studio album, 2020's King of This Town.
Albums
O Glory
2022
King of This Town
2020
Kings and Queens
2011
Swinging From The Chains Of Love (Best Of Collection)
2008
Let's Frolic Again
2007
Let's Frolic
2006
BARK
2004
Kings of Love
1999
High or Hurtin': The Songs of Willie P. Bennett
1996
Singles
