Blu & Kelly Hopkins

Blu & Kelly Hopkins Winners of BCIMA Awards for 2007 2008. Blu Kelly Hopkins are a songwriting multiinstrumentalist duo. Focusing on original material, their extensive repertoire lets them blend traditional and contemporary tunes into their show with a dash of humour to achieve an entertaining, exciting, yet mellow brew of good times good tunes! Biography Singers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Blu & Kelly Hopkins have been travelling, writing songs and performing them for many years. A true troubadour, Blu's influences include everything from Bill Monroe and Woody Guthrie, to Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers. His storytelling songwriting style reflects his experience working and performing across Canada. Blu has lived the songs he sings. He's been nominated sixteen times for Okanagan Music Awards and BC Interior music Awards in both Songwriter and Folk Artist categories and with Kelly as Folk Roots/Bluegrass band of the year. The duo have shared the bill with many well known artists including, Kelly Joe Phelps, Allen Dobb, Bill Henderson, Ben Mink, Veda Hille, Jim Byrnes, Roy Forbes, Todd Butler, Valdy, Ken Hamm and Gary Fjellgaard. Kelly is also an accomplished songwriter, her songs ranging from rollicking & fun to heartfelt & poignant ballads. She is a great acoustic bass player, and her mandolin compositions are traditional sounding yet fresh tunes that are delighting audiences and other musicians everywhere. Kelly's warm harmonies combine nicely with Blu's smokey baritone voice for a wonderful relaxed sound. The couple have also produced and recorded several acoustic projects for other artists in their "Silvercreek Studio" and Blu hosts a weekly radio broadcast of Acoustic music and interviews with songwriters and performers called "The BluJay Cafe" on CKVS 93.7 FM Salmon Arm. Following the release of Blu's two solo projects "Never Say Never" in 2001, and "Canyon Wind" in 2004, Blu & Kelly released their duo CD "Homegrown" in 2007. Described as "like a visit with two old friends, sharing their songs", the CD was recorded by them in their home studio over a couple of months, with the help of several of their musical friends. The duo then got together with Bassist Jim Leduc and virtuoso multi instrumentalist, Gord Milne, to record a bunch of their favorites live in Silvercreek studio . The result is a mellow blending of feel good tunes and story songs titled "Shakin' The Dust Off". Blu & Kelly have just finished their latest project “Home Fires” featuring a mix of original songs and their most requested cover tunes in time for summer touring. Charismatic, engaging and humourous, Blu and Kelly and their brand of "Organic Acoustic Music" are winning new fans and charming audiences wherever they play. Discography Blu Hopkins "Never Say Never" Independent 2000 Blu Hopkins "Canyon Wind" Independent- produced by Roy Forbes 2004 Blu & Kelly Hopkins "Homegrown" Independent 2007 Blu Hopkins & Silvercreek "Shakin' The Dust Off" Independent 2008 Scorpion Awards compilation CD 2004 Scorpion Awards compilation CD 2005 Blu & Kelly Hopkins “Home Fires” Independent 2015 Blu Hopkins" Canyon Wind" has recieved national and regional airplay across Canada and the U.S. on CBC radio One, Galaxy satellite radio and public and campus radio stations. Third Coast Magazine charted "Canyon Wind "as #30 in airplay for North American Public Radio in May 2004 and the album has charted in the top 100 on Campus radio across Canada since it's release. The Hopkins' have also produced and performed on recording projects for: Jim Karr, "The Lonesome River" 2006 Len Fardella , "Shulaps Serenade" 2006 Storyteller James Murray "A Fair Exchange of Gifts" release date 2008 Dale Crocker "Feels Like Magic" - 2010 Colin Butchart "Tradition Distilled" -2011 Tracy Jones and Danielle Prince "Gone"- 2011 Larry & Jane Stephenson "Pathways" 2014

Salmon Arm, BC