Talespin - a weaving of words and a spinning of yarns

When storyteller James Murray and the singing-songwriting duo of Blu and Kelly Hopkins are not performing on their own, they enjoy combining their talents to form Talespin, a unique blend of spoken word, songs and music.

Both James Murray and the duo of Blu and Kelly Hopkins bring much experience to Talespin.

Murray has performed on stage everywhere from the McNee Centre to Music By The River, the Revelstoke Mountain Arts Festival to the Stseptekwle Storytelling Festival, the Shuswap International Writers Festival to the Kalamalka Women's Institute, the Bohemian Cafe to the Annual Fair Exchange of Gifts Benefit Concert for the Food Bank. Murray also performs regularly at theatres, coffee houses, seniors homes, elementary and high schools and colleges. Performing on average over 60 shows a year, Murray has shared the bill with the likes of Ted Crouch, Valdy, Garnett Rogers, Greg Sczebel, Bill Bourne, Andrea Roberts, Siri Hermanski, Okanagan Symphony concert master Denis Letourneau, Susan Shaeffer and, of course, Blu and Kelly Hopkins.

Murray's heartwarming and poignant story A Fair Exchange of Gifts, about what he would give his old dog Duffy for Christmas, brought tears to many a listener's eye when is first aired on CBC Radio. Since then it has become a perennial favorite on radio stations at Christmas time.

Over the years Murray has received much recognition for his writing and storytelling, as well as, numerous awards including the highly coveted Jack Webster Award, two Ron Miller Storytelling Awards, a number of Best Newspaper Column of the Year Awards from both Black Press and the Outdoor Writers of Canada. Most recently, Murray was honored with a Paul Harris Fellowship.

Blu Hopkins has been surrounded by music and musicians all his life. Even as a child growing up in southern Ontario, Hopkins recalls how "their living room was the scene of many a late nite jam session with local and touring musicians playing and singing 'till sunrise."

At the age of fifteen he hit the road and lived a troubadour's lifestyle, travelling across Canada, hitchiking, riding freight trains and performing on the streets of Canada's cities and towns from Halifax to Vancouver. While on the road he met, fell in love with and married Kelly Porteous. He was seventeen and she was sixteen. The two have been making music together for over thirty five years. Hopkins has worked in logging camps, sawmills, as a farmer, a trucker, a railroader, a heavy equipment operator and mechanic, all the while, performing as a singer, songwriter and musician.

Kelly Hopkins is an accomplished songwriter and musician in her own right. Her songs range from rollicking to heartfelt and poignant ballads. She is also a respected mandolin and bass player. Kelly's warm harmonies combine with Blu's smoky baritone voice for a comfortable and relaxed sound. Blu and Kelly Hopkins have shared the bill with a long list of well known musicians including Jim Byrnes, Bill Henderson, Roy Forbes, Ken Ham, Todd Butler, Kelly Joe Phelps and more. The duo has played together at venues throughout British Columbia and Alberta including the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, Sorrento Bluegrass Festival, Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival, Whatshan Lake Festival, Pemberton Folk Festival, Kelowna Life and Arts Festival and many others. The two are also the perennial guests of Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard on their tours of the BC Interior.

Blu Hopkins was awarded the Okanagan Music Award for Bluegrass Artist Of the Year in 2007 and the BCIMA Award for Bluegrass Band Of The Year in 2008. He has been nominated twelve times in various categories including Folk Roots Artist of the Year, Bluegrass Artist of the Year, Male Performer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Album of the Year.

When Blu and Kelly Hopkins are not busy writing, performing, giving workshops and collaborating with other performers, they are hard at work recording and producing music in their Silvercreek Studios.

Click here to visit bluhopkins.com

Talespin will be touring throughout the province during 2011.