Leisa Way starring in Early Morning Rain: The Legend of Gordon Lightfoot

LEISA WAY  – Singer, Concert Creator & Producer

Originally from Sudbury, Leisa got her start at age 12 singing for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.   At 20, she was cast as “Anne”of Green Gables, a role she played for 6 seasons at the Charlottetown Festival, including tours of Canada, the U.S. & Japan, taping for CBC Radio, filming for television, & three Royal Performances. Her career has taken her to more than 50 countries, and she’s performed at major theatres across Canada and the US in roles such as Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday; Guenevere in Camelot; Peter in Peter Pan, and Justine in The Love List (including playing that role here at UCP).  An avid fisherwoman, Leisa travels with her fishing rod, and is also a certified yoga teacher.  This show marks the 12^th concert Leisa has created. Concerts include: Sweet Dreams (Patsy Cline), Rhinestone Cowgirl (Dolly Parton),Country Jukebox (duets); You Give Me Fever (Peggy Lee), Wichita Lineman, Have Yourself A Swinging Little Country Christmas, Across The Pond, Mistletoe Magic, Opry Gold, Oh, Canada, We Sing For Thee! (which toured to 44 cities across Canada), Rock n’ Roll is Here To Stay and now, Early Morning Rain (Gordon Lightfoot). Leisa is incredibly proud to work with this talented group.  In 2020, Leisa and the band will perform over 100 concerts together. Her cd’s are available here, or at  www.waytogoproductions.ca

Fred Smith – Lead Vocalist, Guitars

Fred is a versatile musician and singer, grateful for the many opportunities in his satisfying career. Performing for over 35 years, he’s backed names including Bobby Curtola, Jack Scott, Del Shannon, Frankie Ford, Leslie Gore, The Drifters, Ben E. King, The Supremes, Lou Christie, Sam Moore, The Coasters, Spencer Davis, The Platters, Bowzer (Sha Na Na), The Fifth Dimension, Peter Noone, The Platters, Gary U.S. Bonds, The Chi-Lites and The Mamas and the Papas …to name a few!   Kitchener Ontario’s “Fred Smith Studio” opened in the ’80’s where Fred produces his own music, corporate voice-overs, commercial music, radio commercials, bands and singer-songwriters. He enjoys working with award winning actors in post-production for TV and film. Renowned actors such as Colm Feore, Christopher Plummer, Brian Dennehy, Cynthia Dale and Stephen McHattie have sure made things interesting in his studio. Lately, the studio has been providing dialogue replacement for Orphan Black, House of Cards and The Umbrella Academy.

Closer to home, Fred recently performed for Drayton Entertainment in, Ghost, The Musical, Footloose, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, Twist and Shout: The British Invasion, and Sorry…I’m Canadian.  Fred is thrilled to be performing with Leisa on all her remarkable shows along with her team of great people…a beautiful family.

BOBBY PROCHASKA – Lead Vocalist, Bass

Bobby, a native of Toronto, had his life-long love for music fostered early, studying voice and piano at The Royal Conservatory of Music. He picked up other instruments along the way, and has enjoyed a versatile career in show business.  His own band, Silent C, released an album of original roots-pop-rock, Past Time.  Along with arranging and producing, he has also performed with other acts, such as Hank Williams Live 1952, Selina Martin, Jim Clarke, Danny Williams, and The Human Statues, and has appeared in concert with The Kitchener / Waterloo Symphony. 

Bobby has also worked as an actor in film and television, and his roles in theatre have taken him to Broadway, and across Canada and The United States. Some theatre credits include Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Crazy For You, and Jolson (Mirvish Productions), Eighteen Wheels, and A Christmas Carol (Theatre Orangeville), Rock and Roll (Warrack Productions), and Blood Brothers (Drayton Entertainment). One memorable moment where his music and theatre careers collided found Bobby onstage as part of an all-star jam that featured Paul McCartney, Dave Edmunds, Ben E. King, The Crickets, and members of The E Street Band.

Bruce Ley –  Arranger, Musical Director, Piano, Guitar, Vocals

Born in Hamilton, Bruce is a man of many talents having enjoyed a long and steady career. A regular on television for many years, he played piano for both The Tommy Hunter Show, and The Ronnie Prophet Show.  He has also worked with many Nashville artists including Don Everly, Chet Atkins and Brenda Lee, who was mentored by Patsy Cline. Bruce composed music for Sesame Street, the Polka Dot Door, has written scores for many television dramas and was nominated for a Gemini for best dramatic score. He scored “The Painted Door”, a film that was nominated for an Academy Award. Over his eclectic career, he made his mark in the blues field as lead guitarist and singer in the award-winning Trouble and Strife Blues Band and in the jazz world, his Bruce Ley Trio is much sought after.  Bruce moved to Mulmur 15 years ago to open up his recording studio on his 80 acre farm.  Leisa and Bruce met working for Theatre Orangeville, where Bruce played Home & Away, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline and Ned Durango, and musical directed MESA, and Eighteen Wheels. Bruce has arranged eleven of Leisa’s concerts, including this one. Bruce’s blues influenced recording “The Peacock, the Deer and the Moon” is available for your listening pleasure. For more information, go to bruceley.ca

DON REID – Drums, Lead Vocals

From Goose Bay Labrador to Los Angeles, Don has traveled much of North America starting in the early 80s as a professional musician. Don has worked with Orchestra London, Marie Botrell, Terri Sumsion, The Dublin Corporation, Pauly and the Goodfellas, Old Chicago’s Blues Band and The Georgian Sound Big Band just to mention a few. Theatre credits include “Doo Wop to Motown”, “Fire”, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”, “Oliver!”, “Memories of Hank Williams and Patsy Cline”, “Whole Lot O’ Hoagy”, “The Music Man”, “The Wizard of Oz”, the “Rat Pack”, “Sweet Soul Music”, “Cowboys and Outlaws”, and “Blue Suede Shoes”.   From the mid 80’s to the mid 90’s, Don was a partner in a music production company, Take Note Productions. He wrote and produced musical scores for video, radio and TV programs including “Teen Video”, ‘Wedding Album” and “Muskoka Memories”.  When not on stage, Don teaches private music lessons and has served with the Georgian Triangle Music Teachers’ Association for several years. He is also involved in the Healing Arts as a certified Reflexologist since 1996. Don is music director of the Trinity Band at St Mary’s church (Collingwood) since 2004. He studied privately with Ass. Professor Bob Hughes (UWO) and also attended Music Industry Arts (Fanshawe college, London). Don is currently studying privately with Steve Mancuso (Humber College).  As always Don thanks Marilyn, J.T. and Callum for their never-ending support. 

BRANT GARRATT – Guitar & Lead vocals

Based in Toronto Ontario, Brant Garratt is a multi-instrumentalist and singer with a passion for the acoustic guitar. About 4 years ago, while studying Jazz Performance at Humber College, Brant went through a musical paradigm shift when he discovered the magic of Bluegrass and acoustic Folk music. Perhaps reminded of his early childhood exposure to traditional east-coast fiddle music, and the songs of Canadian folk legends like Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, and Stan Rogers, Brant has gone back to his acoustic roots. He performs solo acoustic arrangements of classic American and Canadian Folk and Country music in a style known as “Flatpicking”. Brant has spent the last 8 Years as a career freelance musician and part-time music educator in the GTA and surrounding regions, working for a wide variety of artists across many musical forums.