LAC LA BICHE - The June 15 edition of the 2024 Music in the Forest concert series will feature the folk-rock sounds of Danny Floyd Cole.
The show takes place at the Sir Winston Churchill Park campground ampitheatre at 7:30 p.m.
While Cole, who calls Spruce Grove home, is a big fan of most classic rock from the 1970s, he explained that his sound is more influenced by bands such as The Tragically Hip, U2, The Counting Crows, but also Tom Petty, Neil Young and Johnny Cash.
These days, Cole listens to a lot of Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers, and covers the songs of these artists as well. Furthermore, he is inspired by songwriters who tell real stories and share things that create an emotional response.
“I've always been a bit of a rock ‘n’ roller but also found a great appreciation for really well-crafted pop songs,” he told Lakeland This Week. “I'm also creatively inspired by some of the more meaningful episodic series on streaming platforms that centre around things like addiction & recovery, spirituality or the challenges of life in general.”
Music has become a vehicle for his own journey of recovery, which began in September of 2015, when he attended a treatment centre and began his road to healing. Cole went on to say that when he is on tour-as well as in his own communities-he will visit treatment centres and offer recovery concerts where his story and songs allow for a message of hope to reach those struggling with addiction.
However, he added, his show isn’t all serious.
“Recovery is about fun, laughter, joy and connection and I believe that we are all creating our own future through our beliefs and actions,” he stated, explaining that while there is a strong spiritual component to the work he does, that is not integral to enjoying his show.
His music has also highlighted the plight of survivors of Canada’s residential school system.
The song ‘Little One’, his most recent release, focuses on the harm caused by residential schools, which he says is perhaps a peculiar subject for a non-Indigenous person to lean into. Although he is not Indigenous, Cole says his own journey of recovery has been built on the foundation of Indigenous cultural practices.
“I've been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this song with residential school survivors and their families as well as many other individuals and a variety of facilitators that are working with truth and reconciliation in their offerings,” he said.
Over the years, Cole has released music and has been a part of many album projects, the most notable being with a band called Coldspot, in which he released two full-length albums. This was in addition to another project called Drive the Day that had two records as well.
‘Dream Your Destiny’ was Cole’s first solo effort, one that he plans to follow up with sometime in the next calendar year. Currently, he’s working on a new album with a duo he belongs to called Calan & Cole. For close to two decades, he has been periodically performing and writing songs with Jamie Calan and this will be the duo’s first full-length album.
People who attend the June 15 show, he continued, can expect to hear songs from his solo career as well as many collaborative efforts he’s been part of through his career.
When he isn’t in the studio recording, Cole is out on the road playing gigs. In March, he toured throughout the Canadian Rockies in Alberta and the Kootenays in BC. Immediately following this string of shows, he flew to the tropical island of Roatan in Honduras, where he did a couple more shows. Since returning home, Cole has been focusing on his new recordings while maintaining his tour schedule at different local venues.
“I have some wonderful dates I'm very much looking forward to, like this upcoming show in Lac La Biche, as well as a trip to Sun Peaks in BC and my annual trip to Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan at the end of August,” he said, adding that while he played in Lac La Biche a while ago with his band Coldspot, the June 15 show marks his first time out this way performing a solo gig.
In addition to being a full-time musician, Cole, along with his traditional performances, also offers music therapy for adults with special needs and those in recovery from addiction. Furthermore, he performs in long term care facilities for seniors, and just about anywhere where he can get an audience to support his work.
His talents don’t stop on music. He’s also a martial artist, scuba diver, photographer, and meditator.
Cole sees artistic expression as medicine.
“The therapeutic value of music is something I appreciate more than almost anything,” he said. “Songs tell stories and offer perspective that can be extremely healing.”
For the June 15 show, doors open at 6:30 p.m. while the music starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the show range in price starting from $20.
For more information about the show, and tickets, contact Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park.
The Music in the Forest series has been showcasing independent musicians to local audiences for the past several years. The unique events offer rural Alberta residents the opportunity to experience a wide range of Canada’s indi-music.
