“It was kind of a nice surprise.”
That’s how East Zorra-Tavistock’s Chuckee Zehr said after she and her band, SheWolves of London, won their second Forest City London Music Award at a ceremony on Sunday night in the blues category.
Zehr added the evening was a celebration of all genres
“There was a lot of energy in the crowd and they were paying tribute to all kinds of music – classical, jazz, world, hip-hop, rap, DJs, blues, rock and country. You name it, they are celebrating everything and there are a lot of younger musicians around now and they were really excited to be there.”
The group was playing a gig in London several years ago and needed to come up with a name.
“Someone said SheWolves and I said SheWolves of London! Just like the song, Werewolves of London. It stuck.”
The bandmates started playing just before the pandemic when they were forced to take a few years off. Zehr said the youngest member of the band, Sarah Smith, now lives in British Columbia and keeps a busy schedule.
“She’s full of energy and is playing all the time. She goes to Europe a couple of times a year and we are hoping to get the band over there. The other girls and I all play in different configurations with other musicians as well, but we like this one.”
Zehr, who retired once the family sold the Tavistock Golf Course, said at this stage in her life she is able to pick and choose when and where she performs.
“I still like to play. Cheryl (Lescom) and I do a lot of duos together and I do some solo gigs. I’m in another five-piece band with musicians from London and Niagara Falls, so it’s a nice variety, but SheWolves is probably the best combination.”
The Kitchener Blues Festival has a blues camp every year, which occurs the week before the event. Zehr said she and Lescom have participated as vocal instructors for the last few years.
“I also help with the keyboard and they have professional musicians teaching other instruments like drums and the bass. The kids then put on the first show of the weekend. It’s been great to see some of these kids grow up and turn into amazing musicians. The camp has broken many of them out of their shells and taught them to play multiple instruments.”
The band recently completed a live album, ‘SheWolves of London – live from London’, that is currently on CD and will be offered later this month on Spotify and Apple Music. The album was recorded at the Aeolian Hall in the Forest City.
Stratford residents Alison Dale and Anne Brendan are also band members.
