Vancouver Folk Music Festival

July 14 to 16, 2023

Jim Byrnes | BC

One of the great experiences of folk music festivals in the ‘classic’ period of Newport and Mariposa was the opportunity to listen to the grizzled veterans of blues music – John Hurt, Son House, Johnny Shines… you know. That generation is gone but the kids who sat at their feet, somewhat grizzled themselves now, are still here to carry the tradition on.

One of them is Vancouver artist Jim Byrnes. Jim grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, a good place to marinate in the blues – a local bar band was Ike and Tina Turner. A dozen records, three JUNOs, a Maple Blues Award, a Canadian Folk Music Award and countless, really! countless! shows (his first professional gig being in 1964), Jim has been a fixture on the Vancouver music scene since the seventies.

A gifted actor, whose film and television credits rival his musical ones, he combines his musical and thespian skills to also be a great raconteur. Guitarist, singer, songwriter and interpreter, Jim Byrnes is a classic in his own right. Amongst other things, Jim will be part of a celebration of a classic Americana recording- “American Beauties: Songs of the Grateful Dead Re-Visited” that will be presented at this year’s festival.