Hayley Verrall

Burlington's Hayley Verrall is representing our city as part of the Ontario Country Music Association International competition, leading to international opportunities as the singer/songwriter heads to Tennessee in March as one of 10 singers chosen to represent Ontario.

"I went to the first round and made it through," recalled Verrall, who recently returned from Chatham where the provincial finals took place. "(In the finals) I came in first in my age group from 20 to 49 (years). It opens doors for me, to know that I can make my music out of Ontario and represent Ontario and to be able to go to Pigeon Forge and be able to work on my career and make my dream come true. My whole goal was to make those connections. I want to be able to make my music and meet the right people so my music can be heard all over Ontario, all over Canada and internationally."
Selected finalists travel to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in March for the annual North American Country Music Associations International hall of fame show and awards, which gives local musicians a chance to perform in front of industry professionals.

Verrall released her first album, You Ain't Seen Trouble Yet, in 2014 when she was 17 years old. Since then, she has graduated a college music program and is now focusing on new music.
"I've been learning and working on writing better," she explained. "Since being 17, I learned that once I experience more in life, everything changes. My passion grew for it, my whole goal was to inspire people through my music and write lyrics people can relate to."

The young songwriter said she enjoys classic country music due to its classic storytelling.

"I enjoy older country more because it tells a story; I write older country style lyrics but put them in a newer country way because that's what people are listening to," said Verrall.
She is in the recording process of her new music, including a new single Like You Mean It, with the help of her boyfriend's band, Lense, as backing band.

"I went to a program in Toronto called CMI, Canada's Music Incubator, from August to September and after being in that program, I did a lot of collaborating and songwriting," said Verrall. "My writing became better and that's how I wrote Like You Mean It."

Having just performed in Milton Street Festival last weekend, Verrall continues to perform locally, including tomorrow (Dec. 14) at 5 West Brew Pub. She can also be found in senior living homes performing classic country for the elderly. - Inside Halton

Very young, yet very motivated, Burlington singer Hayley Verrall is taking every stage she can to showcase her talent and love of music.

Since she is only 17 years old, Verrall regularly performs at the Black Swan’s open mic, Sunday Knights Jam, hosted by soFX, and credits this platform with her improvement as a performer.

“The exposure is awesome,” said Verrall. “It doesn’t matter how many people are there, the experience and practise matters. On Sundays, at Black Swan, there is a live band which gives you the experience of working with others.”

She also performs at J&N Pub’s open mic, hosted by Burlington musician Jeff Pilon, on Friday nights, and at Bo’s Sports Bar’s open mic with local country musician JP Yantha on Monday nights in Milton.

This coming Thursday, on Oct. 23, she performs in the North Burlington’s Got Talent Flood Relief fundraiser at M.M. Robinson High School.

During the summer, Verrall competed in the Magna Hoedown Showdown talent competition in Milton, placing in the semi-finals, participated in Brantford’s Got Talent finals, as well as Off the Streets Charity Talent Competition finals. She made it to the semi-finals in the Western Fair’s Rise 2 Fame competition.

“Any placement is fine as it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it matters who hears you and how you feel you did,” she noted.

Verrall also performed in Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s Culture Days and performed as part of the soFX team for Friends for Harmony (a music project against bullying) in Milton’s Culture Days.

She is also recording her first album with Burlington producer Michael Shotton. Verrall thinks the album, entitled You Ain’t Seen Trouble Yet, will be available in the next couple of months.
For the album, she stays true to the country music with which she was raised, paying homage to country artists such as Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton.

“I like country music because I like how you can be free with what you can do with it,” she explained. “I like the older feeling of country better. I’m told I sound like Patsy Cline with a Johnny Cash vibe.”

Her inspiration when she writes her original songs comes from her motivation to inspire others to do what they love.

“I think all my music aims to inspire others to follow their dreams,” said Verrall. “You have to go where your heart is; if you want to sing and perform, just do it. I wrote one of my songs, Young Gambler, because you have to take chances to do what you want. You have to take the risk.”

For more information, visit www.hayleyverrallmusic.com. - The Burlington Post

It won’t be the cowboy hat and the blue jeans Monday evening for Haley Verrall, the Nelson High student, who will take to the stage and lead the people at the Performing Arts Centre in the singing of O’Canada as they witness the Swearing In of the new city council.
Hayley is a young, 17, Burlingtonian who is fashioning a career as a singer song-writer who wants to change the world with words and music.

She took part in the city’s culture week and was recognized by Angela Pap Paparizo at city hall and then got a call from the Mayor’s office asking if she would be interested in singing the national anthem for the Swearing In.

Both Hayley and her Mom Kim couldn’t say yes fast enough. The question then was – “Do I have to wear a dress” asked Hayley.

She will sing the national anthem at the Performing arts Centre during swearing-in of new city council.

The budding artist has six songs written, a CD with her picture on the cover and more lyrics in the works. Her preference is country and western – with bluegrass where her heart really lies at this point in her career.

Hayley plays piano, trumpet, ukulele, banjo and guitar – you know which the favourite is as she slides the guitar strap over her should and adjusts the instrument to her body and strokes the strings.

Hayley plays around town wherever she can get herself in front of a microphone in Burlington. She has a spot in Waterdown that makes her welcome as well.

The guitar is her instrument of choice. Hayley Verrall singing “Follow Your Dreams”.

Besides being a musician, Hayley is a gamer. She thinks university is in her future with McMaster or Western as the destination for her. Teaching music is something she thinks she could do quite well – but the long term career isn’t the real focus for Hayley. Right now it is writing some and playing wherever she can find people who want to listen

Her Mom, Kim gets a credit as the co-writer for several of the songs written so far. Described as a musician with influences as diverse as country, rock and pop Hayley has been written up as “a versatile performer who blends her instinctive attitude for fresh melodies with a consistent background as a skilled classical pianist.”

Music for Hayley is more than simple entertainment; it is a medium to inspire, share and tell stories that can relate to an audience in a unique way.

We won’t get to hear the true love music on Monday – not unless Hayley rolls from the national anthem to “Young Gambler”, a featured piece on her CD titled: You Ain’t seen Trouble Yet. - Burlington Gazette

Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Burlington Performing Arts Centre for the inaugural meeting of the 2014-2018 Burlington City Council.

At this time, I would like to acknowledge some of the special guests that are with us this evening.

Burlington MPP – Eleanor McMahon
Halton Region CAO – Jane MacCaskill
Interim City Manager – Pat Moyle
General Manager of Development and Infrastructure – Scott Stewart
The Senior Management Team of the City of Burlington

I also want to acknowledge and thank:

Hayley Verrall for her great rendition of O Canada
The Venerable Dr. Steve Hopkins from St. Christopher’s Church for doing the invocation
The Honourable Mr. Justice Dale Fitzpatrick for commissioning the declarations of office
The Burlington Concert Band’s Saxophone Ensemble – Sax’nSyn
Rob Bennett and the World Renowned Burlington Teen Tour Band
Special Keynote Speaker – “Dr.” Ron Foxcroft
Staff of the Clerk’s Office and Mayor’s Office for organizing the inaugural meeting tonight.

First, I want to talk to and about the 61 people, who stepped up as candidates to put their names on the ballot for Regional Chair, Mayor, Council and School Board in the 2014 Municipal Election. Putting your name on a ballot is an act of courage and a true testament to your commitment and love for Burlington. You put your ideas, reputations, and yourselves on the line, offering to serve your community and share your skill and passion. This is democracy at its best.

I do ask and invite you to continue sharing your talent, ideas, creativity, and passion to shape the Burlington of today and tomorrow.

Congratulations to all my council colleagues:

Rick Craven
Marianne Meed Ward
John Taylor
Jack Dennison
Paul Sharman
Blair Lancaster

Special thanks to all our families and campaign teams as we would not be here without their tremendous support. At a personal level I would like to say a special thanks to my wife Cheryl and our blended family of 7 daughters and their partners for their unwavering support.

Your successful election campaigns are an endorsement of your tireless efforts and results. We must continue to work diligently and collaboratively, to earn the trust of our constituents. We have been provided a mandate collectively to continue to serve our fellow citizens to address the issues, opportunities and challenges that continue to face us. It is only by working collaboratively, respectfully and in an atmosphere of trust that we can thrive as servants of the residents of Burlington.

I firmly believe that holding elected office is an honour and privilege that should never ever be taken for granted. Whether you have served on council for 4 years or 26 years, let us never forget how and why we ended up here. At the same time, we all have to realize that we must make decisions that balance current and future needs. We have to be leaders, not politicians, and be ready to make decisions that may not necessarily be popular in the short term. Getting re-elected should not be our goal. Serving the 180,000 residents of our community is the lens that we need to look through and at the same time be ready to hear and listen to all views on all issues that may result in revised and enhanced decisions.

In our decision making, we must embrace differences in view points and opinions. Having every major decision be unanimous is not our goal. Having thoughtful, informed, forthright, and respectful dialogue is our objective, not just among ourselves, but also with city staff and the community.

While we have done great work together, we have much more ahead of us and the community has heightened expectations for us to realize.

My Vision for Burlington

In the last 4 years and during the election campaign, I have connected and had dialogue with 1000s of residents. Residents made positive comments and some suggestions for improvement. What I heard and I believe we all heard is that our residents love living in Burlington and are proud of their community.

My mom and dad moved to Burlington when I was 3 and I have lived here ever since.

In 1960 Burlington was a great place to raise a family and that has not changed.

My vision for Burlington builds on our past achievements and on where we need to be: a community that is healthy, sustainable, prosperous, safe, inclusive, caring and fun, and has a strong sense of who it is; balancing the vibrancy and amenities of a modern 21st century city with a distinctly rural character that is nestled in majestic and natural splendor is a big part of who we are.

In all that, this balance is manifested in a true, ‘community’ feel, which is best represented by our waterfront, where young and old celebrate large scale, world class festivals, intimate community events, or through a simple stroll, jog, bicycle ride, roller blade, or reflection.

But the reality is that Burlington is, in fact, at a critical juncture: we cannot stand still because we have to balance our revenues with the services and infrastructure that residents need us to provide and deliver. We cannot burden ourselves, our children, and future Burlingtonians. The challenge in front of all of us is what we prioritize, how we innovate and design, and what we deliver.

In the brief time I have with you this evening, I will give you a flavour of the challenges ahead of us. The heavy lifting is to come and we need the involvement of the community.

Our challenges are best viewed as three over arching pillars: Vibrant Neighbourhoods, Prosperity and Excellence in Government.

I am sure many in the room recognize these pillars as those are the themes in the 2010-2014 City of Burlington Strategic Plan. Council with input from staff and the community will review and improve on this document.

Vibrant Neighbourhoods

After decades of unprecedented growth in traditional green field communities like the Orchard and Alton, we have virtually no more room for such development. Councils both current and past have been resolute in protecting the 50% of Burlington that is rural and agricultural. The area north of the Dundas/407 corridor with the Mount Nemo plateau, the Bruce Trail, Lowville Park and the unique hamlets of Lowville and Kilbride makes Burlington unique and contributes to the quality of life of the whole city. This area with the tremendous amount green space and woodlots is truly the “lungs” of Burlington.

If the rural north is the lungs then downtown is the “heart” and soul of Burlington.

I meet people on a regular basis who have moved to our downtown from other areas of Burlington or Canada. They love it. Why – because you can walk everywhere. Shops, services, restaurants, the waterfront, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, the Art Gallery of Burlington and the Joseph Brant Museum all contribute to downtown being one of the most walkable neighbourhoods in Canada.

We need to apply the same thinking in establishing walkable, compact and amenity rich neighbourhoods in other areas of Burlington. The desire to live in more amenity rich – transit supported neighbourhoods has increased dramatically.

I have been talking about this for the last 4 years. I have realized for the vast majority of people in Burlington there is a disconnection and a lack of understanding about why we are in this position and the benefits of a more urban environment. The context needs to be communicated and we need to engage our residents in this discussion so we can receive input resulting in development that is appropriate for Burlington.

We will also be investing in maintaining and improving infrastructure such as roads and technology that can move people and goods more efficiently, while also including bike lanes and enhanced public transportation, to promote healthy living, less traffic, a cleaner environment, and cater to the diverse needs of our community.

Prosperity

As a result of slowing residential growth and residential build out, we must strike a new balance between corporate and residential tax revenues by attracting new businesses for the reasons Ron explained so well. This is especially important given our rapidly aging population, which is higher than most neighbouring communities.

More importantly, these businesses can provide employment opportunities to Burlingtonians who want thriving, challenging, and rewarding career options, but want to work close to home to spend more time with their families or to simply achieve a life balance. Reduced commuting times can also mitigate financial and environmental challenges.

I also want to encourage and foster entrepreneurship. Such companies create a stunning 80% of new jobs in Canada and create business clusters, which, in turn, attract young people and families. Entrepreneurship also creates a culture of innovation and creativity that not only fuels those enterprises, but can also cultivate a mindset that can help find better ways for us to live, work, serve each other, collaborate, and govern.

Excellence in Government

The Drummond report that was published two years ago commissioned by the Ontario Government discusses the importance of living within our means in an environment of slower growth. The concept of doing more with less will continue and is particularly applicable to Burlington. The transition to Service Based Budgeting for the 2015 fiscal year is not a panacea or cure for all that ails us. However, it does provide us with a framework that will assist in effectively prioritizing, designing, evaluating and funding programs and services that meet the evolving needs of our residents.

As an organization we need to and we will continue to embrace the concept and practice of continuous improvement. As individuals, as a team and as a city, there is always room for improvement.

Let’s not allow the fact that we are already a very desirable city to live, work, play, raise a family and retire contribute to any complacency.

The City of Burlington does not operate isolation. There are many partners that we need to continue to work with in addressing our complex challenges and opportunities including Halton Region, other cities, the province and the federal government. An example of this was the tremendous teamwork that was exhibited with Gary Carr, Eleanor McMahon, and Indira Naidoo-Harris to secure funding from the provincial government to assist affected residents re-build after the devastating flood of August 4.

We are fortunate in Burlington to have a spirit of cooperation and collaboration with other orders of government in large part because of the efforts of Gary, Eleanor, Indira and Mike Wallace who are all committed to be bold and innovative in advocating for Burlington.

The intense storm on August 4 that was unique to Burlington and resulted in flooding to 3500 homes, and the Ice Storm last December, are local evidence confirming the fact that we have to be prepared for warmer, wilder and wetter weather that is extremely unpredictable. On August 4, certain parts of Burlington received as much rainfall in less than a day that was equal to an average July and August combined. Just across the border in Buffalo and western New York, in an area that is used to receiving significant snowfall annually, received the equivalent of one year’s average snowfall, not in the winter months of January or February but in a few days in mid November. In 9 out of the last 11 years, the insurance industry has paid out more in homeowner claims than they collect in premiums. Currently, Canada is the only G8 country that does not have overland flood insurance for homeowners in the market place.

Being a more resilient city should be the goal for every municipality. I assure all of us that Burlington will be a leader, working with the other orders of government, in addressing climate change adaptation.

Conclusion

In short, my vision is to make this city ours. Not yours and not mine but ours. We will do this by working closely with residents to make a city that works for all of us and a city that we continue to be proud to live in.

What can you do?

Burlington is an inclusive community, but we need to be more so and we need your help!

We will need your help to shape the Burlington of the future; we have the opportunity to continue to build and redesign our City to meet the needs of today and the changes needed for tomorrow. There are many opportunities through the Official Plan review process. In concert with the Strategic Plan, this document is the blue print for our City going forward.

There are many volunteer opportunities on community organizations and committees.

Or it can be participating in community meetings or initiatives such as “Insight Burlington” and Let’s Talk Burlington where we need your views on specific issues, where you can make a difference and leave a lasting impact.

Even during the best of times, there are always challenges to address that are formidable and daunting. But we are emboldened with confidence given our national recognition as being one of the very best cities to live in Canada. The talents, passion, and leadership of everyone in this room and across our entire community will continue to make Burlington a great city where opportunities abound for everyone.

As many of you know, I am a lifelong sports fan and one of the pioneers of coaching and leadership is former Green Bay Packers’ Coaching legend Vince Lombardi: “Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

Let us work all together and, over the next four years, make real progress and a real difference for the Burlington of today and tomorrow.

In closing, I want to leave you with this quote from Rev. Peter Raible

We build on foundations we did not lay
We warm ourselves by fires we did not light
We sit in the shade of trees we did not plant
We drink from wells we did not dig
We profit from persons we did not know
We are ever bound by community
May it always be so.

Thank you for your support and trust and let’s move forward together! - Mayor Rick Goldring's Blog

Seven familiar faces took the oath of office Monday night for the next term of Burlington city council.

While the names were the same as at the 2010 inaugural council meeting, the venue was changed from Burlington City Hall to the Burlington Performing Arts Centre as a way to accommodate interested members of the public.

Although it wasn’t a large crowd, with about 150 people attending, it appeared to be a happy group.

There was a large representation of city staff, as well as supporters and families of Mayor Rick Goldring, Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven, Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward, Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor, Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison, Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman and Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster.

Inspiring pearls of wisdom about working towards a greater good were shared early in the evening.

“We ask that you bless all of us who live and work in Burlington and we commend this city to your care,” said Steve Hopkins of St. Christopher’s Anglican Church during his invocation. “Give us strength and courage, creativity and courage, and concern for others, that we may build here a community of justice and peace where all are welcome and the dignity of each in return.”

Burlington Concert Band quintet Sax’nSyn entertained guests as they arrived, with the Burlington Teen Tour Band colour guard and trumpet section adding vibrancy to the event. Burlington high school student Hayley Verrall lent her talents for the singing of O Canada.

Justice Dale F. Fitzpatrick commissioned declarations of office.

A new addition to the proceedings was keynote speaker, Ron Foxcroft.

Mayor Rick Goldring noted in his introduction of Foxcroft that the longtime Burlington resident known around the world as the inventor of the Fox 40 whistle is one of his two favourite people he’s had a chance to work with the past term of council.

He identified the second as the formidable Mayor Hazel McCallion, who recently handed over the reins after 36 years at the helm of Mississauga.

Foxcroft issued a challenge to council to dedicate this term to making Burlington an even better city.

“We’ve been recognized as the best medium-sized city in Canada in which to live, play and work but that’s just the beginning,” he said during a light-hearted speech that was sprinkled with humour. “I know that council has the skills required to raise the bar even further. As I said, this council can take us from great to greater.”

He noted there is room for improvement in such aspects as affordable housing, customer service at the City of Burlington and new business attraction and retention.

“You have the courage, you have the judgment, you have the leadership, now it’s time to reel them in and help them grow,” said Foxcroft of the latter. “Let’s roll out the red carpet, but not the red tape.”

He reminded council that to earn respect, you have to give respect.

“In the culture of leadership, you must have the courage to say no sometimes,” he said. “If a constituent calls with an idea, and that idea is bad for Burlington, then say no, but do it nicely. People will often forget what you said, people forget what you did or forget what you accomplished, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.”

Mayor Goldring closed the evening with his inaugural address.

He thanked the 61 candidates who ran for various positions in the 2014 municipal election.

“Putting your name on a ballot is an act of courage and a true testament to your commitment and love for Burlington,” he said. “You put your ideas, reputations and yourselves on the line, offering to serve your community and share your skill and passion. This is democracy at its best.”

Holding elected office is an honour and a privilege that should not be taken for granted, Goldring told the crowd.

He noted decisions, while sometimes unpopular, have to be made if they are in the public’s best interest.

At the heart of that decision-making is open dialogue and respect, he added.

“Having thoughtful, informed, forthright and respectful dialogue is our objective, not just among ourselves, but also with city staff and the community,” he said.

The mayor, who returns for a second term wearing the chain of office, said city council has done good work the past four years, but there is much more to be done.

“My vision for Burlington builds on our past achievements and on where we need to be: a community that is healthy, sustainable, prosperous, safe, inclusive, caring and fun, and has a strong sense of who it is,” he said.

The mayor stated the three challenges for this term of council are vibrant neighbourhoods, prosperity and excellence in government.

He said although Burlington enjoys a good reputation, city staff and council can’t rest on their laurels.

“Let’s not allow the fact that we are already a very desirable city to live, work, play, raise a family and retire contribute to any complacency,” he said.

He called on residents to join him on the mission to take Burlington from great to greater.

“Even during the best of times, there are always challenges to address that are formidable and daunting,” Goldring said. “…The talents, passion and leadership of everyone in this room and across our community will continue to make Burlington a great city where opportunities abound for everyone.” - The Burlington Post

Culture Days, an afternoon of free arts events, will be held Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.

The event features a myriad of artists and cultural groups coming together to offer hands-on interactive activities that offer the public a behind-the-scenes look at the world of artists.

Festivities begin at 1 p.m. with the KooGle Theatre Company which will host a surprise event on the plaza.

Between 1-4 p.m., inside the Community Studio Theatre, Ben Robertson will present his multimedia art installation, And All Was Bright, while in the Lobby, visitors can browse through an Artists Showcase where local artists and artisans will demonstrate their skills.

Between 3:30 and 4:15 p.m., the Symphony on the Bay invites visitors to be a ‘conductor for the moment’ in the Main Theatre. Participants will receive coaching tips before the ‘performance’ in front of a live audience.

Burlington Resounds, Culture Days Grand Finale featuring artists from music, theatre, dance and spoken word, professional and amateur, rounds out the event between 4:30-6 p.m. Each will present a five-minute showcase.

Artists will include musician Stuart Laughton, pianist Renee Barabash, singers Charlene Santoni and Jason Hales, singer-songwriter Andy Griffiths, conductor-composer Charles Cozens and violinist Janet Horn, as well as Hayley Verrall and members of Burlington Student theatre.

Participating organizations include the Burlington Teen Tour Band, KooGle Theatre, Form Contemporary Dance Theatre and Tottering Biped Theatre.

The Grand Finale, hosted by Burlington producer Robert Missen, will also feature Jennifer Mook-Sang, Marie Joelle van der Burgt and a choir of local community and church singers, as well as the new Lowville Festival Choir, under the direction of Wayne Strongman.

Admission to all events is free.

Culture Days is a nation-wide celebration of the arts. - The Burlington Post

In an event to showcase young musicians in a developing music and arts community, Classified: Live Bands & a Jam features several bands and songwriters taking the stage at the Boston Manor on Sunday, Nov. 6.

Bands performing include When Earth Sleeps, Johnny Mac Slater, James Favron, Keith Danby with Bobby J. Jr. & the Magic as the house band to back guest performers.

Young performers include Alyssa Mackenzie, Shaylyn Slaght and Hayley Verrall.

“(This event) gives us an opportunity to showcase our talent and get used to being on stage,” said Mackenzie, 15, who will be performing her own music.

“When you’re younger, it’s really nerve-wracking, especially performing with adults and bands. It’s a good opportunity to improve your stage presence and show your work.”

Born and raised in Burlington, When Earth Sleeps frontman Alex MacPherson said events like this support youth musicians and the arts.

“The idea behind the event is to promote youth in Burlington and for [people] to see local artists and what they have to offer,” noted MacPherson. “I remember as a kid in high school going to YMCA shows and idolizing bands like Silverstein, Boys Night Out, and the Pettit Project. There are so many amazing bands coming out of Burlington; it’s a weird phenomenon. We need to rekindle that energy. I’m excited to help promote this musicianship.”

When Earth Sleeps will headline the event and perform music from its debut album Our Future and the Skybound Kids (2012) as well as songs from its upcoming album, the Gardener.

“I take great pride in the lyric writing process,” explained MacPherson. “I think it’s a lost art. People tend to forget it’s poetry at the end of the day. The new album is a concept album, really telling a story with a lot of metaphors and imagery.”

Now Toronto-based, MacPherson plans to record the new album with producer Scott Komer (of the Pettit Project) again after having worked with him on Our Future and the Skybound Kids.
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Classified: Live Bands & a Jam is presented by soFX Canada, an entertainment and development organization offering performance guidance for individuals or bands, to support the arts and culture of Burlington and the development of talent, stated organizer Bobby J. Mayor Jr., who will be performing along with his band.

For more information, visit www.bostonmanor.ca, www.sofx.ca and www.soundcloud.com/whenearthsleeps. - The Burlington Post

If you don’t know about the Canadian Original Live Music Series being launched on Sunday, October 29, 2017 (from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM), at Boston Manor in Burlington, then you have been living in a cave.

If that’s the case, then you need to change all that. But that’s okay, we are here to help.

That’s right, Robert J. Mayor, the founder and owner of soFXCanada, is unveiling this very unique and dynamic music series.

Robert J. Mayor, the founder and owner of soFXCanada, is the head organizer of the Canadian Original Live Music Series that’s being launched later this month at Boston Manor in Burlington.

The theme for the launch is ‘the world under one roof,’ as Burlington is alive with arts, culture, diversity, passion and growth. This fundamental theme will be reflected in performances by an array of local musicians who have a distinct connection with the world in many aspects and who hail themselves as global citizens.

Paul Fitzgerald, author, publicist, journalist and talk show host with Salt & Pepper Media Inc. in Burlington, and James Spalding, TV Producer with YourTV, are also actively promoting and supporting the big event. The evening will all be captured on camera and online radio for a special news documentary being produced by Fitzgerald and Spalding collaboratively, along with Mayor and his organizers.

Mayor and his team anticipate that the event will draw in hundreds of Burlingtonians who have appreciation for what drives Burlington as a city – music, arts, culture and innovation.

“It’s going to be a night I hope everyone will remember forever,” says Mayor during an interview.

“The Canadian Original Live Music Series being launched will showcase local talent – all of whom have a deep connection with the world as we know it. Burlington has so much to celebrate on the arts and culture fronts and our launch will truly bring ‘the world under one roof.’”

Mayor plans to make the Canadian Original Live Music Series a monthly event to promote collaborations with the city and local talent who are writers who perform their own original songs and play cover songs as well.

Most importantly, Mayor has created a theme and a place to gather together, to band together as a network of lively citizens with multiple interests and passions.

Meet The Headline Acts

The 4 Featured Bands in the line-up for this evening is impressive: The Hell Bent Rockers, The Do Gooders, Adelaide, and Leatherdust. All solid bands of performers!

Future featured acts are encouraged to come to this launch event that is guaranteed to encourage the highest levels of performance. Performer awareness will be incredibly heightened in front of a live studio audience, and multitude of media ranging from TV to Online Radio to News reporters, to fellow artists and business leaders.

The Spotlight Acts for the evening include mini features with local original artists of all ages and layers of experience: Hayley Verrall (20), Alyssa Mackenzie (15), Sarah Campbell Mills (14), Liam Koal, James Favron, Shawn Brush ~ the Krooked Cowboy, Bruce Boudreau, Samantha Lafontaine, Matthew Humphreys (Nervcast), Robb Ryan, Trevor McGhee, Rich Cloke, and BobbyJjr., and more magic like an original song duet by Alyssa Mackenzie and James Favron.

And don’t forget about “the Magic,” BobbyJjr.’s community-styled events Houseband, consisting of a variety of dynamic collaborators from different cities, and bands that work together to provide this “steps2stage” level of stage experience and fun, big smiles kinda fun!

For this launch event “the Magic” includes; BobbyJjr, Host, acoustic guitar and vocals; Keith Danby, lead guitar and vocals; Bruce Boudreau, steel pedal guitar, acoustic guitar and vocals; Kevin Pownall, bass; and Rick Doupe, drums.

On the Main Stage:

You will witness five hours of neat band changes and guest speaker collaborations throughout the evening, with creative business and community examples of leadership.

You will hear from people like Michael Shotton, Julie Cole (Mabel’s Labels), Clinton Howell (Sales Representative with Re/Max Escarpment Realty Inc., Brokerage), and more giving back to this cause.

TMS Tax Management Services, MonkeyPen Collective, Black Swan Pub & Grill, HairXtacy Academy, Adaa Artisty Inc., Clinton Howell – Re/Max Escarpment Realty Inc., Brokerage, Evans Fresh Seafood and soFXCanada are all official sponsors for the event.

VIP Supporters include: Rob Walker (Boston Manor), Lee Lakin (HaltonHitz.com and FM108.ca), Julie Cole (Mabels Labels), Dan Dexel (Cool Canuck), Kim Verrall (Hayley Verrall Music), Brad Hill (Guitars To Kids), Sandy Gemmill (Nelson the Giant), Rocky (the Original “Rock”) Johnson, Richard Allen (Bark & Fitz), Dave Miller (Sound of Music), Morgan Muscat (Moonlit Road Entertainment), Jeff Collins (Loft Doors), Paul Fitzgerald (Salt & Pepper Media Inc.), and James Spalding, Producer (YourTV).

“Our launch event is one you sure don’t want to miss,” adds Mayor. “The whole night – from start to finish – is designed to redefine the scope of the music scene in Burlington and beyond, in the theme of fun. The event’s deeper function is to create good, kind and relevant tools that equip talent beyond music. The mission really stems from a passion to create events and themes that can best promote the genius minds of talent and musicians in any hometown, in any city, in any continent, anywhere around the ‘worlds under one roof’.”

For more information on the Canadian Original Live Music Series, please visit www.sofx.ca or soFX.ca on FB. - Toronto Tribune