Aaron Young, simply put, is ‘a bloody brilliant guitar player and musician’. Having exceptional musical talent from an early age, by the time Aaron Young was in his early 20's, he had already produced, arranged and performed on many albums. With influences ranging from Lenny Breau, Chet Atkins, Danny Gatton, Randy Rhodes, Eddie Van Halen, Muddy Waters, Pat Metheny, George Benson and Brad Mehldau, to name a few, Young absorbed it all while honing and shaping his eclectic, and now world-class, guitar chops.
On the number of albums Young has produced or performed on, well, he stopped counting at 100. He has also become a prolific songwriter. Add in his experience of having many thousands of live performances, on local and international stages, with many respected and loved music personalities, and it all makes Aaron the incredibly talented artist that he is today.
Aaron Young
Lead Guitar, Vocals, Songwriting
There is an inexplicable X-factor with Blake and it starts with his songwriting. Blake can so effectively bring a story to life with a few well chosen words and a simple harmony that to hear his songs is to almost always be transported to another time and place in your life. This is Blake’s true gift and is a testament to Blake as a true workingman’s poet, taking guidance from some of the greats like Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall and Kris Kristofferson. At the same time, Reid pays little attention to writing commercially formulaic hits. His songs are authentic and credible. They are a reflection of the only musical education he's ever had... playing music with his friends and family, learning to craft songs while sitting at the family’s kitchen table and listening to the radio in the trucks, tractors and combines he commandeered throughout his youth.
Blake Reid
Lead Vocals, Songwriter, Guitar, Banjo, Harp
Jason Valleau
Bass, Vocals, Piano, Woodwind, Ukulele, Songwriting
Jason, formally trained multi-instrumentalist, born of a musical family, raised on love and music lessons, uber talented showman and one of the nicest and funniest guys in the business. Hang with Jason long enough though and you’ll soon see more than the amazing humor, you’ll recognize a man and musician of incredible depths and intelligence. Jason just gets it. In many ways, he’s the glue that binds the band. He carries himself in a way that shows how much he cares about his mates, himself, this world, and everyone in it. He is comfortable and more than capable of working and playing with the very best. He sings, he writes, and he can play his ass-off but never over-plays, always wanting to add to the song, to the performance, he is the epitome of a pro. He is our unspoken hero.
‘Jony’ is the smiling little brother of the band, always upbeat, a seasoned pro, he’s the man that keeps it all groovin. In Jony’s own words ‘I’m the guy that makes people want to dance… it’s a good job’. A product of New Hampshire, Jony grew up an avid music lover whose passion for the drums eventually saw him completing a BA in Music Performance, Jazz Studies at the University of Southern Maine, studying under greats such as Les Harris Jr. (USM), Nancy Smith (Portland Symphony Orchestra), and Yoron Israel (Berklee). Jon has played everything from Jazz, Folk, Avant-guard Rock, Classical, Bee-bop, Country and beyond with many amazing groups that offered him the experience of touring extensively throughout the USA, Canada, and Europe. As a talented composer, teacher, recording artist and player, Jon brings a thoughtfulness to his craft, allowing his talent and creativity to bridge any gap between genres.
Jon May
Drums, Percussion
Craig Bignell
Banjo, Vocals, Percussion
Craig, the quintessential artist, rarely ever speaks of his accomplishments which include multiple CCMA award nominees and winner of CCMA's Drummer of The Year, Special Instrument Of The Year (banjo), and Back Up Band Of The Year. Not just a great player, since the mid-nineties Craig has been the music director for, multiple Juno Award winning, Susan Aglukark, using a unique blend of traditional drum kit and world percussion to recreate her beautiful CD's for live performances. Craig also recently became a member of the highly touted Western Swing Authority and formed the acoustic folk duo Over The Moon with his wife Suzanne Levesque of The Travelling Mabels fame. Craig's creative genius and musical approach to banjo have found him at home in the Blake Reid Band where he continues to apply his trade with his friends and like-minded artists.
The Blake Reid Band pays homage to the craft of making authentic music rooted in the traditions of country and great storytelling. While incorporating flavors of folk, roots, red dirt, swamp, bluegrass, Americana, rock n roll, outlaw country and more. The Blake Reid Band stays true to the story and, in doing so, whether you were raised in the deep south of the USA, the evergreen forests of Northern Canada, the countryside of the UK, or anywhere in between, their sound, their energy, their stories, will awaken your heart, stir your soul and take you home.
Blake’s incredible, and what seems like effortless, songwriting brings to life heartfelt folktales of real life experiences that we can all instantly relate to. Songs of hardship, pain, joy, remembrance, family, friends, hope, and love. They are often centered around working class, blue collar, salt-of-the-earth people. Characters who work hard, deal with tough times, usually working with the land or their tools, applying their craft to earn a living and to make a life for themselves and their loved ones.
Blake and the guys are first and foremost friends, bonded by common values, love of music, performing, and a mutual appreciation and respect for their incredible abilities as musicians. There are no weak links in this line up as each of the members brings an impressive and honest musical repertoire to the group. In short, these guys can play... they are the real damn deal.