Blues...Live at the Explorer

Skarecrow criss-crossed Canada innumerable times, blending humour into their stage act and featuring their original material geared to display their marvelous 4-part harmony. All four men wrote, sang lead on various songs, with the others doing the backup. Skarecrow performed with Charlie Pride, Harry Hibbs and backed up the legendary Jimmie Rodgers for an album he was recording in western Canada.

They appeared on TV several times, had a song "(We Don't Need) Rene Levesque" confiscated by the R.C.M.P., and are listed in "Profiles Of Canada's Pop Music Pioneers" (Canadian Music Fast Facts). Skarecrow was presented with the Ontario Country Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award and Krys was named Songwriter of the year in 1996. They have received congratulations from both provincial and federal governments for their longevity in the music business.

The group has survived various heart attacks, amputations, and surgeries to release two new CDs: "Surfing In The Maritimes" and "Cool Wheels". The title cut "Cool Wheels" refers to the wheelchair George is now forced to use after having both legs amputated due to diabetic complications. However, this contains a positive, upbeat message and attempts to de-stigmatize the concept of people using wheelchairs - they are the same as before, only the means of locomotion has changed. This song was adopted by the Golden Horseshoe Wheelchair Athletes after Skarecrow performed it live outside the Ontario Legislature to kick off the wheelchair marathon. George had just undergone the second amputation a few weeks before. "Bullets And Books (don't mix)" is a very hard-hitting acoustic message about the repercussions of mixing education and violence. Several Regional police departments and the Canada Safe Schools Network are using this with their in-school presentations. "Surfing In The Maritimes" is a fun-packed tribute to the Canadian east coast. The title cut is a Beach Boys-style and is being played (and ordered) all across Canada. There is a myriad of styles on this CD including blues, doo-wop motown, and ballads. It touches on the history, culture, and joy of life that is the Maritimes.

George Cook Jr. passed away on August 26, 2002. He was only 55 and had developed further diabetic complications after having his right arm amputated. George was subjected to 10 amputations in his last five years, all intended to "be the one that stopped the infection". It never was."
-Mary Brown

Krys Val Lewicki was born in England and his family moved to Toronto when he was six. He has worked as a solo artist doing session work and commercial jingles. He worked with Art Snider as a writer and arranger. He has written medical books, he published a book of poems called Verdigris, and in 2005 he wrote a childrens book "Thanksgiving Day in Canada"

Ace Briand (L'Ardoise, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia): vocals, percussion, bass
Krys Val Lewicki (Toronto, Ontario): vocals, bass, harmonica, percussion, guitar
Terry Sept: vocals, drums
Wolf Rene (Sudbury, Ontario): vocals, guitar, voicebox & slide
George Cook Jr. (New Waterford, Nova Scotia): rhythm guitar

Produced and arranged by Krys Val Lewicki
Engineered by Bill Ross
Mixed by Krys Val Lewicki & Bill Ross
Supervised by Krobin the Mysterious
All Mistakes by Skarecrow & Gravity
Bill Ross: audio, video & scientist stuff

Recorded live at The Explorer (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada) on a 2-track, 2-mike Pioneer RT 1020L & mixed onto an AKAI 4000DS MK 11 around halloween 1977. The occasional crackle you hear is the bar cash register.

Mastered, pressed & printed by Maple Haze Records & Lestra Electronic Industries, Edmonton, Alberta

Thanx to Auntie Pat & to Auntie Zee, all the bar staff at The Explorer, Clancy, all our friends & Yellowknife (Mukluk, Mukluk, Celebrity Cooks).