- Tickets on sale for Lynn Miles: Sunday, March 22.
- Greg Kelly benefit concert: Sunday, March 29.
- Tickets on sale for Gil’s Hootenanny: Friday, May 1.
- Rasputin’s Open Stage: every Monday.
Tickets on sale…
Lynn Miles
Sunday, March 22 at 2:00 pm
Westboro Masonic Hall,
430 Churchill Ave. N., Ottawa
Tickets: $25
“I live beside this dark coal mine
The whistle blows every day on time
When the rain pours down and the wind blows hard
Black flowers grow in my yard
When I lost my man down that old coal shaft
I swear I heard the devil laugh
And the angels left and they took my heart
Black flowers grow in my yard”
From: Black Flowers by Lynn Miles, 2001
Lynn Miles is a special kind of people’s poet and Rasputin’s is thrilled to present her in an intimate concert at the Westboro Masonic Hall on Sunday, March 22.
Expect to be fully engaged and entertained as Lynn performs favourites from her past 16 albums as well as new tunes from her ever expanding catalogue of original compositions. Expect to be intrigued and challenged by her fresh insights into human nature and the nature of our human culture. And of course, expect to have fun as Lynn shares her witty stories and sly asides with the audience.
Lynn’s peers, critics and fans alike praise her for her exceptional songwriting, emotive vocals and ability to blend folk, country and roots music. She plays guitar beautifully and is loved for her “honey-smooth and aching voice”. Stylistically, she’s sometimes compared to Lucinda Williams or Emmy Lou Harris. Lynn more than holds her own in exceptionally good musical company.
Where does all this excellence come from? It no doubt started in her childhood home where life was filled with an abundance of divergent musical styles and influences. Dad played harmonica and filled the soundscape with all kinds of jazz. Mom, on the other hand, championed country and classical music. Add into this mix, a child with Lynn’s absorbent mind and musical aptitudes and music is destined to pop.
Is it any wonder that at 10 years of age her inner musical spark burst into flame and she began composing the earliest of the 900+ songs in her catalogue of originals? Was it a surprise that by age 16 she was singing the next wave of her tunes to the delight of family, friends and a growing circle of fans? We think not. No surprises. Just excellence.
Next week we’ll pull the curtain back a bit more on what to expect when Lynn takes the Rasputin’s stage. We’ll also reveal who will be with her and just how special her special guest is. In the meantime, don’t wait to secure your seat for this afternoon of unforgettable music. Tickets are selling at a brisk pace and it’d be a shame for you to miss out.
C.A. & Sonny and Kathleen Johnson & Sally Thompson
by John Bond
Westboro Masonic Hall was again packed to the rafters for Spirit of Rasputin’s February show featuring C.A. & Sonny and Kathleen Johnson & Sally Thompson. This was a rare show with two feature acts and both delivered.
C.A. & Sonny opened the event with their infectious take on what they call the music of the 20th Century. They delivered their tunes on banjo, resonator guitar and fiddle. There was a mix of original and cover tunes that kept the crowd swaying and feet tapping. They provided crisp harmonies and some stellar whistling on songs like Queen of the Burlesque, Where You Been Last Night Caroline, and She Ain’t Rose. All in all, these first class musicians were just a tonne of fun. The mood of their show put me in mind of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band (high praise in my mind).
After the break, Kathleen Johnson & Sally Thompson took the stage with three friends accompanying. Claire McArthur, Katherine Haley, and Andrew Chapman filled out their sound beautifully. Kathleen and Sally are long-time friends who’ve been singing together for decades. The songs were almost all originals except a lovely version of Mary McCaslin’s Down the Road. All the songs were sung with fine harmonies and very cool vocal arrangements.
For the finale, C.A. & Sonny joined Kathleen & Sally and friends for a stirring version of Good Night Irene. It was a perfect closer for a fine afternoon of music. As one audience member put it, “This is the kind of show that makes you want to be a better musician.”
Note that this is not a Spirit of Rasputin’s presentation. It’s a celebration and benefit for one of our very dear friends and we encourage you to participate.
Tickets now on sale…
Gil’s Hootenanny
Friday, May 1 at 7:00 pm
First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa
30 Cleary Avenue, Ottawa
Tickets: $20 (children are free)
Ken Whiteley, a prolific songwriter, gifted and versatile musician and powerful singer, will headline the 17th annual and final Gil’s Hootenanny. Whiteley delights his audiences with his participatory humour, grace, and energy. His music communicates themes of freedom, love and social commentary, making him a perfect fit for the Gil’s Hootenanny sing-along concert format. Whitely will be accompanied by virtuoso bassist, Gord Mowat.
Whitely is one of Canada’s most respected roots musicians, with a rich background in blues, gospel and folk. His performing career began as a teenager in the 1960s with The Original Sloth Band, and he has performed with musical legends such as Leon Redbone, Mose Scarlett and Jackie Washington. A 7-time Juno nominee, Whitely has played at virtually every major folk festival in Canada and has recorded with a who’s who of musical icons like Pete Seeger, John Hammond Jr., Tom Paxton, Stan Rogers and Raffi.
2025-2026 Concert Lineup
Rasputin’s returns with a new series of concerts for the 2025-2026 season. We’re excited to present these artists for your enjoyment. Subscibe to our free newsletter to get notified when tickets for each concert go on sale.
Friday Oct 17th 2025
Spirit of Tony Turner Award Concert
Sunday Nov 9th 2025
Big Sing Ottawa!
Saturday Nov 29th 2025
Bayash Sisters
Sunday Jan 25th 2026
Lynne Hanson
Sunday Feb 22nd 2026
C.A. & Sonny and Kathleen Johnson &
Sally Thompson
Sunday Mar 22nd 2026
Lynn Miles
Friday May 1st 2026
Gil’s Hootenanny
Sunday June 14th 2026
Chrysalis 2026
Questions? comms@rasputins.org