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LL: You have some wonderful musicians contributing to “Blues Calling”. Would you tell us
about them please?

RH: Alec Fraser Jr, bass. Alec was scheduled to produce “Blues Calling”, [and] was instrumental
in arranging and demo recording all 12 tracks. His résumé speaks for itself, (Jeff Healy Band ).
Jack de Keyzer, produced, on Alec’s recommendation, and as Jack was scheduled to play guitar

initially, turned out to be a good call. Great ears, inventive, and centurion work ethic. Both Alec &
Jack Juno & Maple Blues honours. Alec Cross brought some of the swampiest grooves and fat back
rocking rhythms to this record. His work with Big Sugar is noteworthy. From Jack de Keyzer touring
band, Eric Lambier laid down righteous, Little Richard steeped excitement on the ivories, (‘Hard
Times & Retsina’), and some Bob James-ish Fender Rhodes fills, (‘Sharp Curves’). Richard Thornton

(Jack’s sax man) dropped in some conga and rain-stick percussion, ( ‘Sharp Curves’).
LL: How did the global pandemic affect your work and music career, and has it fully
recovered now?

RH: The Global Pandemic was a game changer for me. I simply do not have another minute to
waste. I have been re-awakened to my life’s purpose. Because I was not touring or gigging during
the worst of all that, I did not have to suffer the loss of income, like so many performing artists

did.

Fully recovered? Never going to happen, we live in a very different world now.

Where René Huard Project can go now, is a great unfathomable unknown. Trying to be optimistic
in a world saturated by media, everybody fighting for eyes and ears, the LIVE music scene swamped

by a tsunami of bona-fide concert acts….all aware that the only money they’re likely to make is in
performances. Forget publishing royalties, or unit sales, as digital distribution has strangled the
golden goose.

So much for my optimism, eh? I will endeavour to play locally and dream globally, ‘cos, without
dreams, creativity is stifled.

LL: What can your fans look forward to coming up for you?

RH: Shooting a video for “Blues Calling” in April/24. I am being encouraged to build a website.
Writing new music to add to our original music show and get recording as often as I can afford it.
~ © Lawrence Lebo 2024

Lawrence Lebo is an award winning, critically acclaimed Blues recording artist living in

Northeast Ohio, USA. She can be found on the web at www.lawrencelebo.com