FERGUS – Scott Woods is back again with his Old Time Country Christmas tour. The tour has stops in 43 towns across 5 provinces and will be making its grand finale in Fergus on Dec. 22 at the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (325 George St. W, Fergus).
“It’s a nice way to end [the show], back in the hometown and in the church that I grew up in as a kid,” Woods told the Advertiser.
“It’ll be a little bit extra special in Fergus for sure.”
Proceeds from the Fergus show will be going towards Hearts for Haiti, a faith-based ministry that makes regular mission trips to Haiti.
The country Christmas show brings Canadian fiddle music, traditional country, gospel, step dancing and lots of family-friendly humour to the stage.
Woods added that he makes sure the event shows the Christmas spirit through and through. The fiddler said many times Christmas shows do not play much Christmas music at all, but save it until the end.
“They just play their normal repertoire and they call it a Christmas show,” he began. “It’s my pet peeve.”
“Our show is Christmas right from the beginning,” he said.
Woods is a multiple winner of the Canadian Open Fiddle Contest, the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling competition and was named Canadian Fiddle Entertainer of the year.
In 2018, he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association for his promotion and preservation of Canadian old time fiddling.
Joining Woods on the tour is his sister, Kendra Norris. She is a champion fiddler and well-known for her tribute to “Cousin Minnie Pearl.”
Doing her part in the show, Norris also covers essential piano parts, bass, accordion, fiddle as well as harmony, lead and vocals.
Steve Piticco will be playing electric and acoustic guitars. Playing drums, fiddle, singing and dancing is 19-year-old Leo Stock. Canada’s Yodelling Cowgirl, Naomi Bristow will be a special guest on the tour as well.
Woods will also be doing some trick fiddling on his tour.
“I’ve been known for a long time as the Flippin’ Fiddler,” said Woods.
When he was just 11 years old, Woods began practicing somersaults with two drumsticks before moving onto completing the movement while playing the fiddle.
He can also play the fiddle behind his back, and has a few other tricks up his sleeve.
Tickets to the Fergus show are $45 each and may be purchased using a credit card by calling the Scott Woods Band Office (toll free) at 1-855-726-8896. They can also be purchased online at: scott-woods.myshopify.com.
“It’s always a little bit more nerve wracking to have the hometown crowd as the audience, [and] the tickets are probably three-quarters sold already,” said Woods.
For information and to find a full list of locations where the Scott Woods Band will be playing, visit scottwoods.ca.
