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On the surface, Kelowna’s Poppa Dawg sounds like many blues trios with shades of Stevie Ray Vaughan evident. However, Rick “Poppa Dawg” Halisheff sprinkles generously his wit and discernible self deprecation all over its What You Got .
He’s not as comedic a character as Rick Estrin of the Nightcats (though he comes close on I Ain’t Complaining), but he can be imagined smiling slyly while the record plays. He’s a confident guitar player, too, as he holds his own during a fiery exchange with JW Jones on Dub Step.
Tom Harrison - Vancouver Province
On the surface, Kelowna’s Poppa Dawg sounds like many blues trios with shades of Stevie Ray Vaughan evident. However, Rick “Poppa Dawg” Halisheff sprinkles generously his wit and discernible self deprecation all over its What You Got .
He’s not as comedic a character as Rick Estrin of the Nightcats (though he comes close on I Ain’t Complaining), but he can be imagined smiling slyly while the record plays. He’s a confident guitar player, too, as he holds his own during a fiery exchange with JW Jones on Dub Step.
Tom Harrison - Vancouver Province
Here's an interesting one... Dogskin Suit finds its home in the Kelowna, BC, region of Canada, and while not a straight-ahead blues band, they keep traditions alive while moving forward.
Led by Rick "Poppa Dawg" Halisheff on guitar and vocals, he's ably followed by Charlie Faulkner and Brian Maquire, holding rhythm section duties, Sig Schnellert on sax and keyboards, and Jamie Marshall's harmonica on occasion.
Logging in at three-quarters of an hour, the 10 song disc is a well-produced effort with lots of positive attributes. Halisheff's voice is strong, with a whiskey-soaked edge, and as a songwriter, he tackles interesting subjects with a humorous, tongue-in-cheek style, while his guitar work is focused and to-the-point. Standouts are the rustling "Too Fast To Love," which features some talk-box guitar effects, "Riley's Lament," an instrumental dedicated to B.B. King, and the smoldering, in-your-face slow blues of "You Don't Cry Anymore," where Halisheff seems to take on a Tom Waits persona. The driving "Struggle And Strive" boils along a chugging, lowdown groove with everyone locking in, while boasting a fine tenor sax solo. Closing out with "Trukk's Song," dedicated to Halisheff's father, the sweet slide tones and syrup-drenched harp bring you back to earth with ease.
Discs like this don't come along often enough, so it's truly appreciated when they do.
Craig Ruskey
Blues On Stage
November 2001 - Blues On Stage
Here's an interesting one... Dogskin Suit finds its home in the Kelowna, BC, region of Canada, and while not a straight-ahead blues band, they keep traditions alive while moving forward.
Led by Rick "Poppa Dawg" Halisheff on guitar and vocals, he's ably followed by Charlie Faulkner and Brian Maquire, holding rhythm section duties, Sig Schnellert on sax and keyboards, and Jamie Marshall's harmonica on occasion.
Logging in at three-quarters of an hour, the 10 song disc is a well-produced effort with lots of positive attributes. Halisheff's voice is strong, with a whiskey-soaked edge, and as a songwriter, he tackles interesting subjects with a humorous, tongue-in-cheek style, while his guitar work is focused and to-the-point. Standouts are the rustling "Too Fast To Love," which features some talk-box guitar effects, "Riley's Lament," an instrumental dedicated to B.B. King, and the smoldering, in-your-face slow blues of "You Don't Cry Anymore," where Halisheff seems to take on a Tom Waits persona. The driving "Struggle And Strive" boils along a chugging, lowdown groove with everyone locking in, while boasting a fine tenor sax solo. Closing out with "Trukk's Song," dedicated to Halisheff's father, the sweet slide tones and syrup-drenched harp bring you back to earth with ease.
Discs like this don't come along often enough, so it's truly appreciated when they do.
Craig Ruskey
Blues On Stage
November 2001 - Blues On Stage
Kelowna, British Columbia's Rick Halisheff - a.k.a. Poppa Dawg - turns in a solid set of traditional Blues penned by the excellent guitarist and singer.
'Nobody Here Feels Sorry For You' bounces between Hokum and Jump; 'Croc Talkin', a greasy, minor-key funk instrumental features some of the snarkiest wah tone ever waxed; and 'This Man' is a towering deep soul number. 'I Ain't Leavin' shuffles with Stevie Ray Vaughan power, '1, 2, Gone' swings like Ronnie Earl's best work and 'Cool Little Number' is reminiscent of Little Charlie and Rick Estrin's hipper stuff.
Great singing, tones, playing, songs and a refreshing
variety of approaches make Dawg's self-release
'Same Dog, New Suit a winner.
Tom Hyslop
Blues Revue Magazine
August/September 2006 - Blues Revue Magazine
Kelowna, British Columbia's Rick Halisheff - a.k.a. Poppa Dawg - turns in a solid set of traditional Blues penned by the excellent guitarist and singer.
'Nobody Here Feels Sorry For You' bounces between Hokum and Jump; 'Croc Talkin', a greasy, minor-key funk instrumental features some of the snarkiest wah tone ever waxed; and 'This Man' is a towering deep soul number. 'I Ain't Leavin' shuffles with Stevie Ray Vaughan power, '1, 2, Gone' swings like Ronnie Earl's best work and 'Cool Little Number' is reminiscent of Little Charlie and Rick Estrin's hipper stuff.
Great singing, tones, playing, songs and a refreshing
variety of approaches make Dawg's self-release
'Same Dog, New Suit a winner.
Tom Hyslop
Blues Revue Magazine
August/September 2006 - Blues Revue Magazine
Discography
Diggin' Up The Yard - 1999
Growlin' At The Gator - 2001
Same Dog, New Suit - 2005
What You Got - 2012
Photos
Bio
At 6 years old, Rick ‘Poppa Dawg’ Halisheff got his first guitar and never looked back! He has been a mainstay on the Canadian blues scene for almost 30 years now and after establishing the band Dogskin Suit, and garnering much radio play, Dawg also acted as a side man for a great
many blues men including Sonny Rhodes, Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne, Harpdog Brown and Sherman Doucette. While fronting his own 3pc group, he has opened for or shared the stage with blues greats such as JW Jones,
John Mayall, Jimmie Vaughan, Colin James, Jeff Healey, Downchild and many more.
In 2013, the band were semi-finalists at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and won over an entire new audience with their original tunes, re-affirming their faith in the music that means so much to them. The trip opened new doors and new opportunities including being recommended by the Powder Blues’ own Tom Lavin for a slot at the 2013 Calgary International Blues Festival.
With 4 albums now released, the latest CD, ‘What You Got’, features the great Canadian blues guitarist JW Jones on the track ‘Dub Step’ as well as a variety of original tunes including one penned by friend Brandon ‘Yukon Slim’ Isaak. The disc runs from gritty and soulful to deep and nasty and features the use of Poppa Dawg‘s trademark talkbox. It is still receiving airplay around the world as well as being featured on Saturday Night Blues on CBC, Galaxie and thorughout the US and Europe.
One of the tracks from ‘What You Got’, the moving, ‘Deepest Shade of Blue’, is the title and story line of a local short musical film and features Poppa Dawg in his acting debut as well as being credited with providing the soundtrack. A first for him and an exciting opportunity!
Poppa Dawg has now teamed up with Mario Brox and Concept Entertainment and gearing up to for another busy year with Europe and points South on the horizon. “The blues is a celebration of life.” he says, “So if you love the blues, spread the news. Cause if nobody knows, nobody goes!”
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