Bio's of the Band Members
Dave Vaillancourt - Guitar/Vocals
Dave was born and raised in Corbeil, just outside of North Bay Ontario. Growing up listening to country and rock music, led him to learn guitar and pen some of his own songs. He has been singing and playing guitar since the early 1980's.
In 1989 he joined a band in Southern Ontario playing bass guitar. After moving back to Northern Ontario in the early 1990's, he has done mostly solo work in an accoustic setting.
Although his love for music spans many genres, his natural voice lends well to country music and his rock and roll heart provides the lively beat. When asked what music he listens to, he responds "anything from Hank Sr. to Zeppelin".
Guy Noel - Guitar/Vocals
Guy Noël was born and raised in Timmins Ontario. He studied Forestry in Pembroke and Geology in Sudbury to go with his natural resources and environmental background. He moved to North Bay in 2005.
He got into music at the age of 15 by picking up his father’s old guitar to pass the time on a rainy day. “Suddenly it was cool” to play guitar.” Even though his father and all his brothers play guitar, they all have different tastes and styles in music.
His main influences are 60's and 70's classic rock bands such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin & The Doors. The more earthy or acoustic influences came from the francophone bands such as Sudbury based Cano, Beau Dommage and Harmonium. The Eagles also played a big role as they seem to blend a style which crosses over many genres including country, blues and rock making their music appeal to a large audience.
Improvising is one of his favorite aspects of his style. He likes to build leads around the basic rhythm chord patterns. Entertaining people and watching them enjoy it, provides the passion for his music.
Besides music, Guy is into outdoor activities and he also enjoys woodworking. He has even built some guitars in his younger days.
When asked what he likes most about music, he says -- “for me, music is a universal language that knows no frontiers. Everyone enjoys music and being able to play an instrument is like knowing how to speak that language.”
Bear Claw Bob - Bass/Vocals
Bear Claw Bob's musical career spans four decades and numerous styles and genres. He first performed as folk singer/songwriter in the 1960's, then during the early 1970's did a stint as a rock and roller with Toronto's Live Bait Band. In the 1980's he played country music with Huntsville, Ontario's George West & the Northlanders, then switched to rhythm and blues with The Empties and the Allied Band (both Muskoka-based). In 1999 Bob formed The Bear Claw Blues Band and focussed entirely on classic blues in the styles of masters such as Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin' Wolf.
I grew up listening to country, western, gospel, church hymns, and classical. In the early 60's I was listening to British Invasion bands like everyone else in North America, as well as "main stream" folk acts like the Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul & Mary. From '65 on I was mainly driven by the music of the Dave Clark Five, the Animals, Rolling Stones, Sir Douglas Quintet, and Bob Dylan. In 1970 I stumbled on Muddy Waters, Hound Dog Taylor, BB King. Little Walter and Buddy Guy. I never looked back from that. I had to play country music for my supper in the '80's, and discovered Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Freddy Fender, Johnny Cash and John Hiatt. I've always listened to Buddy Holly - never could get much into Elvis. Neil Young has been a major influence, too, along with Randy Bachman and Gordon Lightfoot. Canadian blues influences include Jack DeKeyser, Morgan Davis, Big Dave McLean, Sunny Fournier, Dutch Mason and Peter Pelletier. I've learned a lot listening to Snooky Prior, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Otis Spann, and naturally, Willie Dixon.
Vern Vaillancourt - Drums/Vocals