Blair Packham
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | INDIE
Music
Press
"...But no song provides more convincing evidence of Packham's mastery as a songwriter than the CD's centerpiece, the starkly acoustic "Little Fish," a deceptively pretty ballad, lullaby-like in form and delivery, yet imparting the realization of ultimate futility, an elegy worthy of Beckett or Eliot." - The Toronto Star
"'One Hit Wonder' alone is worth the cost of the entire Blair Packham album or any number of albums. Never mind that the subject matter itself is tantalizing enough--about a Bobby 'Boris' Pickett appearance-- the song's concept and execution is absolutely brilliant. An outright pop music classic for Dr. Demento." - Larry LeBlanc, Billboard Canada
"Packham's sophomore album shows why he's been heralded by Ron Sexsmith and others within the fraternity. With production help by former Odds singer Craig Northey, Packham's title track is the melodic highbrow pop with a hint of gospel backing vocals in the vein of Costello or, particularly, Squeeze or Crowded House… An ample amount of care went into this clever and great album." - Pop Matters
"If showbiz were a meritocracy his song Everything That's Good would be a top-10 hit." - National Post
"Superbly crafted pop...tuneful, honest, sharp-witted, and performed with style and confidence..." - The Toronto Star
"One of my faves from the year...Everything That's Good is exactly that from one of Canada's best unsung pop writers..." - CBC Newsworld
Discography
Could've Been King, 2004 Blare! Music Inc.
Everything That's Good, 2000 Blare! Music Inc.
Louder Than Words, The Jitters, 1990, EMI Music Inc.
The Jitters, The Jitters, 1987, EMI Music Inc.
Photos
Bio
Called "one of Canada's best unsung pop songwriters" by friend and fan Ron Sexsmith, Blair Packham began writing songs as a teenager at the end of the '70s. Wanting to emulate the witty and emotional music heroes John Prine and Steve Goodman, Blair was later also influenced by the punk and New Wave sounds of Elvis Costello, the Clash and XTC. Forming a band called the Jitters in 1981, Blair wrote five Canadian hits between 1987 and 1991, including “Last of the Red Hot Fools” and “’Til the Fever Breaks” (co-written with Jules Shear). The Jitters rocked the house, touring Canada endlessly, playing some the country's biggest (and smallest and dumpiest) venues. Notably, they received a standing ovation at Wembley Arena in London, opening for Heart (Nikko McBrain, drummer for Iron Maiden, said "You rocked!" And then he said it again. And again. Apparently, The Jitters rocked.)
Blair finally released his solo debut, called Everything That’s Good, in May 2000. The Toronto Star called it “superbly-crafted...tuneful, honest, sharp-witted, and performed with style and confidence”. Written over Blair’s post-Jitters decade, songs from the collection appeared on film & TV soundtracks and on Canadian radio coast-to-coast.
In late 2003, enduring a few years of writer’s block and enduring a midlife crisis, Blair wrote and recorded the followup disc, Could’ve Been King, in Vancouver with pals Craig Northey, Doug Elliott and Pat Steward (from the great band Odds). Together with ex-Doug and the Slugs’ Simon Kendall on keyboards and engineer Colin Nairne, they created a “live band” album, with what Richard Flohil has called “lots of delicious snapshots”. For instance, "One-Hit Wonder", the song about Bobby “Boris” Pickett reprising his only hit in a Florida parking lot, dressed as Frankenstein's monster, or "The Opportunists", about a blonde starlet, breasts spilling out of her dress at a press conference. The album was released to critical acclaim in early 2004.
Blair's love and main preoccupation is songwriting; from 2002 to 2007 Blair co-produced (with Shari Ulrich) the Bluebird North national tour, which has featured such luminaries as Lynn Miles, Danny Michel, Russell DeCarle, Haydain Neale, Sarah Slean, Damhnait Doyle, Jenny Whiteley, Justin Rutledge, Barney Bentall, Matthew Barber, Jane Siberry and Emm Gryner. A genial and self-deprecating host, Blair made the stage very comfortable for the spontaneous collaborations that inevitably occurred.
Blair has appeared at the Edmonton and Calgary Folk Music Festivals, at Summerfolk in Owen Sound, Mariposa (on Toronto Island), the Frostbite Festival in Whitehorse and at Folk On the Rocks in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (with his former partner, the wonderful Arlene Bishop).
In December 2005, Blair produced a Top Five Canadian hit with "What Ever Happened to Christmas?" by pop music legend Andy Kim, featuring Ron Sexsmith who co-wrote the song.
Currently (Spring 2009), Blair is writing and recording another full-length release. (See a video of one of the songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKNcbhzeCQw)
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