A Parksville-born but Chicago-based musician is coming to Campbell River for a Buddy Holly-inspired Christmas concert on Dec. 12.
Zachary Stevenson will be at the Tidemark Theatre, supported by The Lovettes, as part of their Holly Jolly Christmas Tour, which supports Stevenson's Holly-Day Christmas album.
The 10-track album features Christmas hits such as "Run, Rudolph, Run", "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Deck the Halls," and more.
"One of the best aspects of the holiday season is music," said Stevenson. "A lot of the classic holiday songs come from the 50s and 60s. So, I thought it would be a fun idea to adapt the Buddy Holly tribute concert, I've been doing into a "Holly-Day" theme. The concert is a mix of Buddy Holly hits, classic rock 'n' roll Christmas songs and a special feature with the Lovettes."
The record's recording was split between Vancouver and Chicago.
Stevenson won acclaim for his portrayal of Buddy Holly in the musical The Buddy Holly Story.
"It was something I fell into to some degree," said Stevenson, who auditioned for the role in 2006. "Like most theatre contracts, I imagined it would be a summer gig and then onto the next thing. But productions kept popping up in different cities and started calling me. Next thing you know, I've been cast over a dozen of them."
Since then, he has been running a Buddy Holly tribute concert, which features hits such as “That’ll Be the Day,” “Peggy Sue,” “Oh Boy," and “Rave On”. In between songs, Stevenson shares stories about Holly and his own.
Stevenson has made a career of impersonating performers who have passed on, with Hank Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Phil Ochs as part of his repertoire.
Apart from his career impersonating artists, Stevenson also fronts the Oh Boys and The Fortunate Sons, a tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival.
The Lovettes, based in Chicago, is a tribute group to the women who shaped rock n' roll during the 40s,50s and 60s. They perform songs made popular by Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Patsy Cline, The Chordettes, LaVern Baker, Linda Rondstadt and more.
The show at the Tidemark Theatre starts at 7:30 p.m. and is the last show of the tour, which has dates in Victoria, Nanaimo, Duncan, and on the Mainland. Tickets are $62 and are available at the door or online on the Tidemark's website.
"The Tidemark is a very fun theatre. Not just because it sports the best paint job on the circuit. It really is one of my favourite stops. It’s nice and an intimate space with a great staff, and the audiences have always been enthusiastic," said Stevenson.
