Folksinger and songwriter Stephen Fearing has a return engagement tonight at the Elks Lodge with the Black Knight Inn and Valhalla Pure Outfitters handling tickets; I imagine one can pay at the door as well. Andy White opens the evening with show time 8 p.m.

For end-of-the-week unwinding tonight, consider dropping by the Velvet Olive for an evening of song with Corin Raymond (The Undesirables), Scott Cook, and Raghu Lokanathan. The show starts at 9 p.m.

Sunday brings another night of bluegrass as The Special Consensus comes to the Elks Lodge for a 7 p.m. show. Tickets available at 53rd Street Music, Parkland Mall, the Key Hole, Red Deer Book Exchange, Jackson’s in Innisfail, and Novel Ideas in Rocky Mountain House as well as at the door.

Angel Records has A Night with Our Stars with Alberta artists Alex Dion, Lenny Howell, and Tim Harwill March 26. A fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House of Central Alberta charity, tickets for this Memorial Centre show are available at the Black Knight Inn. Details at AngelRecordsCanada.com.

Ontario-based guitarist Ray Montford travels to The Matchbox Theatre March 31. Montford peforms a range of roots and jazz sounds blended into mind-catching instrumentals. Tickets at the theatre and Ticketmaster.

The Good Lovelies make a boomerang visit to Red Deer when they arrive at The Matchbox, April 4. The award-winning Ontario-vocal group recently had a featured spot within the Vinyl Café.

Raghu Lokanathan is an impressive component of the lively western Canadian roots and folk scene. He brings his songs to The Hub on Ross April 14. Appearing with Lokanathan are area favourites Jesse Dee & Jacqui B. For information, call 403.340.4869.

This week’s disc review:

Tim Harwill & Friends

Self-released

Thorsby troubadour Tim Harwill’s third collection of life-infused country music has arrived.

Harwill, a veteran of the taverns and halls that make up the North American honky tonk circuit, has recorded an album that should appeal to all looking for the homespun essence of country and roots music.

Harwill’s voice isn’t especially dramatic, but it is personable and gently identifiable with a stylistic catch in his voice and a lurch in his rhythm.

Traveling toward a dream with resulting isolation is a theme that recurs across the album. Only in a finely crafted song is it not only accepted but expected that a fella will act like a jerk, break a few windows, and yet still be sympathetic enough for listeners to care that he’s “lonesome, heartbroke and then some,” which is the case in Barely Alive.

Harwill’s vocal phrasing is terrific, effective and distinctive on songs such as No TV Show. He mixes some southern country soul into his presentations, causing Larry Jon Wilson, Eddie Hinton, and Mel Street to come to mind.

The Alberta-based instrumentalists shine with harmonica punctuating The Road Less Traveled and the insistent drumming of Sittin’ in a Hotel Room serving a similar function. Vocal guests Steve Young (yes, that Steve Young), James Talley, Tim Hus, and Delores Hershey make memorable contributions.

Harwill’s manner lends a simple sophistication to words, less poetic than Ian Tyson perhaps, more workmanlike that those of Guy Clark, but insightful and revealing of the truths long withheld. Whether autobiographical or not, the album’s title track provides a back story that could flesh-out a secondary Crazy Heart character.

Harwill is scheduled to appear at the Memorial Centre March 26.

Also in rotation this week: Devon Sproule Don’t Hurry for Heaven; Carrie Newcomer Before & After; Various Artists East Nashville: Volume 3; Jenny Whiteley Forgive or Forget; Split Lip Rayfield I’ll Be Around.

Donald Teplyske is a local freelance writer who contributes a twice-monthly column on roots music; visit fervorcoulee.wordpress.com for additional reviews. If you know a roots music event of which he should be aware, contact him at fervorcoulee@shaw.ca.