CANORA – “We are diving into the land of Soul.’
That’s how Lee Siegel described his “Soul Man” concert for an enthusiastic audience in Canora on March 5. The first song, fittingly enough, asked the all-important question, “Do You Like Good Music?” written by Arthur Conley.
Siegel told the Canora audience he was originally inspired to become a singer when he heard and saw Lou Rawls sing Tomorrow, the same song which later became famous in the musical Annie.
Accompanied by talented pianist Konrad Pluta, Siegel reminded his Canora audience that soul music is for everyone.
“Soul doesn’t care where you were born or how old you are, as long as you’re having a good time.”
During his evening of musically educating the Canora audience in the history of soul music, Siegel shared a variety of classics, including Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder, Tell It Like It Is by Aaron Neville, and Respect, written by Otis Redding, but made famous by the iconic Aretha Franklin recording.
“Otis Redding tragically died in a plane crash at only 27 years old,” said Siegel. “But only three days earlier he recorded (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay. Sing along with me!”
Siegel confessed to not being a very good whistler, so audience members eagerly helped him out during that part of the song.
Other soul classics performed by Siegel for the Canora audience included Me and Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul, Can’t Get Enough of Your Love by Barry White, Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers, Mustang Sally written by Steve Anderson and sung by Wilson Pickett, and (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher by Jackie Wilson.
Siegel said they have a 10-piece band version of the Soul Man show, but for Canora, it was just he and Konrad Pluta.
“We are stripping it down to the bare bones of these songs, exactly how they were first written and created, with a voice and a piano. This also helps the audience focus in on the lyrics, and just how strong these songs are on their own. Konrad is a phenomenal piano player.”
Born in the U.S., Siegel has lived in the Niagara region of Ontario since the age of four.
“I grew up singing in the church choir,” he said, “but then did a lot of the talent shows as a kid in public school, in high school I started doing the school musicals and everything just took off from there. I've been singing around the house as early as I can remember, and it just feels like it was destined to be. My parents listened to an eclectic collection of music… Bluegrass, country, Motown, Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand, Lou Rawls, I was surrounded my music and I'm grateful for that.”
Siegel fondly recalls Dick Clark, who was famous for saying, "Music is the soundtrack of our lives" and adds “sometimes you hear a song and immediately remember when and where you were. These artists left us incredible songs that I am so grateful to share and bring to life, and continue carrying their message and torch forward.”
Siegel explained what draws him to soul music.
“These songs came out of an important movement in history. We know them, we love them, but each song has a backstory. Black artists fighting to survive in a time of turmoil, and believe it or not, these words and songs are just as important today as they were then.
“Many of these songs grew out of the Civil Rights movement, anthems and vocal cries for equality. So, what draws me to soul music? Incredibly written tunes, with powerful messages, hidden in plain sight that the world has sung and danced to for decades. It's a reminder that music is powerful and has purpose.”
For him, Siegel said performing is about sharing a moment with the audience and connecting with their memories.
“It’s listening to the audience sing along, and laugh, or catching someone wipe away a tear. It's knowing that right there and then, we are all experiencing something special, and it's all thanks to these artists who left us a treasure trove of music and memories, and I get to be the conduit in that moment.”
Siegel said he considers himself blessed to have shared his talents all over the world.
“I've performed on Broadway, and the Tony Awards, several seasons at the Stratford Festival, and I've been coast to coast across Canada in many of the theatres. For Soul Man, we are just getting started on the tour route. We started in Calgary back in 2024, and then presented a portion of the show to the Saskatchewan Arts Council, and we were swooped up and booked into about 22 different theatres across Saskatchewan. We started travelling the province back in October and November of last year, and we're continuing on through the month of March.
"But this show is such a joy to perform that I truly hope we're just getting started.”
Even after performing for large crowds of thousands of people, Siegel said there’s something special about singing for a smaller audience, such as the one in Canora.
“It allows me to go into the audience and dance with the crowd, or sing an intimate solo to someone, and not feel like I'm closing off others in the audience. I've truly been blessed in this career and hoping I get to do it for many years to come.”
Other than driving through many years ago, this is Siegel’s first opportunity to spend time getting to know Saskatchewan, “and I've loved it. Getting the chance to stop and explore all of these towns and cities has been amazing. I'm also a photographer, and being able to capture some of these gorgeous fields, skies, and historic buildings is a sheer joy. What I also love, is experiencing a part of Canada I wasn't familiar with. I wish more of the country got to do that.”
More information about Siegel and his music is available online.
“You can visit our website: SoulManTheShow.com or follow us on social media: @SoulManTheShow or @LeeSiegel, you can also see some of my photography of the prairies and more @LeeSiegelphotography.
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