Local Musicians To Headline Boat Show

Local musicians will headline the musical line-up for the 28th Annual Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show and Festival of Arts, Friday, August 12, and Saturday, August 13. The line-up includes Jeff King and Ken Izzard’s band “The Beach Chickens,” the Sault Swing Band, and Callie Hausler.

Friday night’s pre-Boat Show events will include a street dance from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in Hessel, featuring the sounds of Jeff King and Ken Izzard’s band, “The Beach Chickens.”

A long-time Hessel resident now living in Pickford, Mr. King sings and has played the guitar since he was 12. Mr. Izzard has played guitar for more than 30 years. They met at Lake Superior State University and have played in various theatrical productions, and with bluegrass, blues, and rock bands since the 1980s. Other members of the band have changed as often as the name, but the band’s popular sound remains the same. The band recently welcomed Mr. Izzard’s son, Josh, age 20, who has been drumming for seven months with the group. His sister, Lauren, 17, also sings occasionally with The Beach Chickens, and is expected to perform Friday night. She has been singing all of her life in theatrical productions and with school and church choirs. The band will be joined by Cody Carmichael on guitars. A Cedarville High School student, Mr. Carmichael performs with his own band, “Bacon’s Rebellion,” which was last seen at Music and Art Dockside in Hessel a month ago. He is the son of Sally and Dan Carmichael of Cedarville.

Mr. King and Mr. Izzard have also played with “The Bait Shop Boys” bluegrass band, and “North Country Band,” both of Cedarville.

Opening ceremonies for the Boat Show will begin at 10 p.m. Saturday, when longtime Hessel resident and frequent Boat Show performer Callie Hausler will sing the national anthem.

Mrs. Hausler is the daughter of Sue and Glenn Rye of Hessel and has sung in public since she was a child. She was a frequent local performer with “The Bar Flies” rock band while attending Lake Superior State University; and she now lives with her husband and daughter in Petoskey.

Sault Swing Band will make its eighth appearance at the Boat Show Saturday afternoon, playing classic big band, swing, jazz, and blues tunes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

A favorite act around the Eastern Upper Peninsula, the band will again feature vocalist Lise White of Sault Ste. Marie. Members of the 16-piece band hail from the Eastern Upper Peninsula and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

The hobby band has been together for more than 15 years and features saxophones, trombones, trumpets, bass, keyboard, and percussion. The band rehearses every week and gives close to a dozen performances a year, including a spring concert in Sault Ste. Marie.

Their performance will include Big Band, jazz, blues, and dance tunes.