Joe H Henry

Turn up the heat and make plans to join us the day before Valentine’s day, as we present Joe H Henry and Jamie Junger, two passionate, blues-and-roots-infused rising singer-songwriters, live on your Playhouse stage!

Some voices sneak up on you. Joe H Henry’s doesn’t. It hits like a thunderclap – stirring, soulful, and impossible to ignore. The Red River Métis singer-songwriter has been lighting up stages across the Maritimes and around the world with a sound that fuses Americana, grit, super-charged emotion, and a voice that’s been described as “powerful as a freight train.”

Drawing from a life encompassing experiences from a homeless train-hopping youth to a homesteading father of five in the Nova Scotia countryside, Henry’s songwriting is thoughtful and his storytelling captivating, the depth of experience resonating in every line he sings.

His debut EP, Keep the Fire Burning (2023) garnered significant recognition, including multiple award nominations. His eagerly-awaited second EP, Real Things, has already received critical praise, securing placements on SiriusXM North Americana and reaching #1 on the East Coast Top 30 and the Indigenous Music Countdown.

Performing with his trio, Joe H Henry consistently stuns audiences at major festivals, theatres, and on international stages, solidifying his reputation as an absolute powerhouse performer.

Opening the show is Chester favourite Jamie Junger, with his band, The Jungernauts. A past performer at the Playhouse’s By Folk-El Spectacular, Jamie started playing guitar and writing songs at home in Chester, NS at age 9. He moved to Vancouver in the early ‘80s and toured Canada, the USA and Europe with Sook-Yin Lee and their band, Bob’s Your Uncle, sharing the stage with JJ Cale, Billy Bragg, Sarah McLachlan, Blue Rodeo, the Tragically Hip and Holly Cole, among others.

Jamie may owe his joyful performing energy to the raucous family parties of his Nova Scotia childhood, where bagpipes, guitars and loud singing were the norm. Or perhaps to his participation, as a teen, in jams with touring musicians after being snuck out of the house by a music promoter who lived next door. But his songwriting is entirely his own. It is fresh, clever, and direct. It reveals a reverence for the natural world and a genuine insight into the complex meaning of home, as well as a lack of pretension and sharpness that occasionally turns dark.

With the release of his latest EP, Elephant in the Snow, Jamie Junger joins the time-honored tradition of singer-songwriters grappling with a world in turmoil. He has released seven albums of original songs, ranging from the humorous to the profound.

Whether you’re overcome with Valentine’s passion, or looking to light some sparks, this concert promises to leave you feeling fired up!