More about Lily…

First Band: First band was in 1985, the year I joined the Hamilton Musicians’ Guild Local 293. Randall Cousins (Roto Noto Records) was the leader, and I was hired to play keys and some electric guitar. Turns out there was another keyboard player, which I thought would be a good thing, since I was such a beginner, but in retrospect, I’m sure I was to be his replacement, as “Mouse” was a heavy drinker and was about to get fired. So there I was in the deep end, playing a Yamaha DX7 resting on a wooden restaurant tray stand, and playing bars like The Queens on Ottawa Street in Hamilton, We opened with “Brown Eyed Girl” every single night, and I found myself riding in the back of a van that had no seats, sitting on amplifiers, and playing for draft beer pitcher drinking regulars. But I caught the bug, I guess, because 2024 marks 40 years of adventures.

Development: I paid a few dues over the years, to say the least, including a short-lived band called ESP. We had two gigs. We were fired from one of them, and double booked on the other. Two members of that band vanished and I later heard they were in the witness protection program. I continued with playing in bands for the last 2 years of my 4 years in university studying music at McMaster, playing here and there with a few top 40 cover bands, including a summer stint touring Ontario with Carmela Long (now with Glass Tiger), subbing for Peter Nunn, who was touring with Gowan and later The Jitters. Eventually, my friend and mentor, Alex MacDougall, (the guitar player from Bond, Crowbar, Harrison Kennedy and the Rockin’ Hurricanes, and many others) and I, started a band together. I drew the short straw on what to name the band and ended up with the unfortunate moniker “Sazzhoo”. Alex and I collaborated a lot between separate projects. I worked with him as a production assistant at various recording studios, and we used the downtime wisely by recording our own stuff, which afforded me plenty of time to learn how the studio process worked, and how to make the most of the time and space afforded to us. Tucked into those years were some memorable sessions writing and recording with Ray Materick, a songwriter I admire immensely, who had a hit in 1975 called “Linda, Put the Coffee On”. We called ourselves “True Spirit”, and although we didn’t record live, we spent years in studio and released singles and appeared on various compilations.

Then What: After a few years with Sazzhoo, which was a top 40 cover band with a bluesy/r’n’b leading, Alex and I eventually decided to collaborate again. By that time, my keyboard playing had developed enough that I could take solos and improvise, as opposed to covering stuff. The material we chose was more mature, and we introduced original material. The new band was called “Trailblazers”, and we played some great gigs and started to get some attention, until the vocalist quit during the recording of our 2nd CD, and we just ran of gas on that one. In 1995, I was invited to be the keyboard player in the Toronto Blues Society Women’s Blues Revue. At that time, it was presented at Trinity St. Paul’s on Bloor Street in Toronto. In 1996, I was asked to take over the position of musical director, and for 10 years, I held that position, helping to grow the show as we moved to Danforth Music Hall, and finally, Massey Hall. I continued as the keyboard player after stepping down as MD, until 2022. The WBR experience took me on many adventures (see highlights), and I’ll forever be grateful to have been a part of it.

Highlights:
Performing with Paul Shaffer, one of my musical heroes, along with a star studded lineup of vocalists that included Roy Kenner, Molly Johnson, Tom Wilson, Donnie Walsh, Haydain Neal, Jarvis Church, plus getting to meet future Oscar winner Brendan Fraser
Subbing for Kelly Jay a few times, playing with Crowbar with King Biscuit Boy
Performing
Playing the Grey Cup Festivities in Hamilton, backing King Biscuit Boy, Harrison Kennedy, and others
Touring with Canada’s Queen of the Blues, Rita Chiarelli
Finalists in the Toronto Blues Society Talent Search with Trailblazers, as well as Groove Corporation
Nominated for Maple Blues Award New Artist of the Year with Cootes Paradise
Being the piano coach for actress Bridget Fonda, and getting to meet Jessica Tandy, Hughm Cronen, Maury Chaykin, and others on the Deepa Metha film, “Camilla”. All thanks to Jocelyn Lanois via MIchael Birthelmer who recommended me
Playing with all the amazing vocalists and players that took the stage for the Women’s Blues Revue, including Jane Bunnett, Molly Johnson, Shakura S’Aida, Donna Grantis, Alana Bridgewater, Rita Chiarelli, Dawn Tyler Watson, Sass Jordan, Carole Pope, Lee Aaron, Serena Ryder, Salome Bey, Ellen McIllwaine, and the list goes on
Being nominated for keyboard player of the year, and blues group of the year at the Hamilton Music Awards
Winning “Most Popular Blues/R’n’B group” at the London Music Awards

Other Musical Involvements:
Toronto Blues Society board member from 1996 to 2024
Juno Advisory Committee member for the Blues Category from ? until present, and starting 2024-2025 as co-chair
Panelist at multiple conference and workshop sessions (OCFF - now Folk Music Ontario), Toronto Blues Summit, Hamilton’s Musician Entrepreneur Conference, etc.
Freelance writing
Member of the CFM/AFM (Hamilton Musicians’ Guild Local 293) since 1985
Member of the Canadian Songwriters Association
Member of CARAS

Personal Stuff:
2nd generation Holocaust survivor, raised by survivors, with no aunts, uncles, or first cousins, child of refugees
2 heart surgeries and breast cancer, death of mother all in 2023
Married to a United Church minister (retired now)
Low carb / keto way of life, along with fasting for health, led to maintained weight loss of 100+ pounds 2019-present
Mother of two stepdaughters, one of whom is a PhD in criminology after surviving incarceration for several years

Carole Pope / Chuck Jackson / Denzal Sinclair / Donnie Walsh / Ellen McIllwaine / Haydain Neale / Jackie Richardson / Jarvis Church / Kellylee Evans / King Biscuit Boy / Molly Johnson / Nikki Yanovsky / Paul Shaffer / Ray Materick / Robbie Lane / Roxanne Potvin / Salome Bey / Sass Jordan / Serena Ryder / Shakura Saidah / Sue Foley / Suzie Vinnick / Tom Wilson / Treasa Levasseur