Hundreds drive to Shelburne to see Beckett Family perform

August 17, 2015 · 0 Comments

There were 450 tickets sold to see the Beckett Family perform at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex in Shelburne on July 6th as the opening entertainment for the 65th annual Canadian Open Old Time Fiddle Championships. Chair Sandra Gallagher says that more than half of the visitors to the show were from out of town. Good news for the Championships and good news for Shelburne businesses.
Visitors like Bev and Dave Money who travel over two hours from Scarborough to see the show and the Championships and have done so for more than 15 years and going strong. The two seniors says they love fiddle music and come for dinner at the Agricultural Centre, take in the show and drive back to Scarborough, often to return on Saturday for the finals…all for the love of the music. Bev says her Mom played fiddle and her Dad called square dances so she and her sister grew up on it. She and Dave are big fans of Scott Woods, who attended the Beckett concert Thursday, and have seen more than 30 of his shows. The couple saw the Beckett Family perform last year in Shelburne and were excited to be back for another show.
Sandra Gallagher said of the show, “The Becketts were invited back after giving a great performance last year and no one was disappointed this year. They put on a great show with a variety of song, step-dance and some old time favourites.”
The stars of the show, Linsey and Tyler Beckett, are both past fiddle contest winners, and Linsey is an award winning step dancer. The two are also two time Canadian duet fiddle champions and three time Ontario duet champions. Since graduating with a business degree, Tyler has played with Jason McCoy, Jason Blaine and Tara Oram, and with the award winning bluegrass band, The Chapman’s. Tyler is a judge at this year’s competition. Linsey, who has a smile that lit up the CDRC July 6th, toured with The Don Messer Jubilee Tribute Show starting at the age of 13, and now plays with the stage production Bowfire, touring across the United States, Mexico, Germany and Canada.
But the talent does not stop there, Dad John Beckett on guitar and lead vocalist has a warm country tone that delivered old favourites to an appreciative audience. Band members included pianist Mel Aucoine, who played with Al Cherney; Doug Johnston on steel guitar; Kenny Post on drums; and lead guitarist Steve Piticco who Linsey recently toured Europe with in the award winning country group South Mountain. Also featured were two fabulous, young Beckett fiddle and step dance students, Christian and Gabriel Routenburg-Evans.
With all the new growth in Shelburne it can be hoped that Fiddlefest attendance will get at boost from the additional residents in the future, as well as out of town visitors, so that it can continue to thrive for years to come. Sandra Gallagher says, “There has been some interest from the new residents, but I think it is too early to say. We are seeing a few more families and with admission free for 12 and under we hope to encourage more families.” Congratulations from the Free Press to Shelburne Rotary and all the volunteers who work so hard to make Shelburne the Fiddle Capital of Canada.

By Marni Walsh