Big Hank and The Kingpins: The Blues Songs of Christmas

Seating Disclaimer: To accommodate as many live music fans as possible, we offer both seats and standing room at our shows. Seats are first come, first served. We recommend arriving early if you’d like to be seated during the performance.

Blues legend Big Hank and his six-piece band The Kingpins perform live at the King Eddy for the hottest show of the season featuring their unique take on traditional holiday tunes.

About Big Hank Lionhart and The Kingpins

Big Hank has a long history of music in Edmonton that started in high school in 1964. He then went to art school in Seattle and fronted his own band the Clouds. After graduating art school, Hank moved back to Edmonton and joined the Sons of Adam, a top band in the Edmonton music scene. He then formed Sweet Salt and the band later became Coloured Rain and toured western Canada in the cabaret circuit. He returned to Edmonton and joined Legendary Blues Band Hot Cottage from 1974 to 1978—this is where he cut his teeth on the blues. After Hot Cottage, it was back to the west coast and his Uncle Wiggly’s Hot Shoes Blues Band. A lot of you Edmonton folks will remember Hank from his seven years with A Fist Full of Blues.

This former RCA recording artist and member of the Victoria Music Hall of Fame toured extensively in the 80s, opening for such legends as Muddy Waters, Joe Cocker, James Cotton, Koko Taylor and Paul Butterfield. Hank is known for his powerful voice and whether he is performing with gut-wrenching drive or gently caressing a moment of musical tenderness, you’ll feel the magic of the holiday blues right down to your toes. Take a turn on off the “traditional” path and enjoy a glimpse into the heart and soul of Christmas from a blues point of view.

This show is a collection of traditional blues Christmas tunes from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, by the likes of Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, BB King, Eric Clapton, Charles Brown, Etta James and more. It’s not the standard collection of carols, rather it’s a tribute that gives you a look into the souls of the fabulous music legends sharing their Christmas blues. A refreshing take on a holiday concert, it has played to sold-out houses and received rave reviews across British Columbia for the past four years.

Sound production equipment for the King Eddy is provided by PK Sound.