By Cecilia Nasmith

Visit the website for this weekend's 43rd annual Toronto International Storytelling Festival, and you will find an opening act with roots in Northumberland County.

The story-and-song act comes from the duo of Dave Mowat and Clayton Yates.

“This musical duo weaves together foot-tapping blues beats accented by soulful harmonica and beautiful vocals,” the write-up said, next to a shot of Mowat on harmonica and Yates on guitar.

“Their set includes lots of historical information about the local territories offered in a storytelling style, in between songs.”

Yates is also an expert on mandolin, bass and ukulele, and has been teaching music in Northumberland County for seven years – even after moving to Toronto four years ago.

He is the son of Jim and Maggie Yates of Port Hope. His father was a teacher at Roseneath Centennial Public School and North Hope Elementary School – as well as a semi-professional musician.

Yates feels very fortunate to have found a partner like Mowat, who is locally known as Alderville First Nation Chief and an historian of the area who speaks knowledgeably and movingly about its past. Yates expects his historical storytelling will add much to the event.

It is his understanding that they were chosen for the Toronto festival because of the act they did for Westben in Campbellford last year – a virtual show due to COVID-19. It was a traditional blues act, with Mowat sharing stories from the Mississauga, Ojibway and Anishiaabeg peoples with a knowledge of history based in his own experiences as an Indigenous man.

There's a tight bond between the two friends, and their love of the blues is a big part of that. In his 25-year musical career, Yates said he has seldom encountered such an authentic blues voice.

Blues is often considered the music of the oppressed but, coming from a middle-class Port Hope family, Yates has a different slant.

“Buddy Guy talks about it being a joyful music, and I think it is,” he declared.

In their blues work, they strive for that authentic sound of the genre from the 1950s, and they are also getting into early country blues as well. It's an acoustic sound, well suited to how music has evolved during the pandemic into a bare-bones acoustic singles-or-doubles affair so often seen now in club dates and even theatres.

The duo's spot on the festival program comes May 6, immediately after the opening address, in a one-hour set that starts at 7 p.m. At the Tranzac main hall in Toronto.

Asked if the opening spot is a special honour, Yates said, “I believe we are always honoured. To me, that means somebody likes what we do. That means a lot to us.”

Yates recalls a recent discussion he had with another Port Hoper, Sean Carthew, with whom he shared the news of their spot on the festival program. Carthew's immediate reaction is that Port Hope should have a storytelling festival of its own.

In the meantime, you can catch the act in Port Hope on May 21 at the LAUNCH! Festival being presented by the Cultivate Festival in Memorial Park.

“We are honoured and really pleased to be offered that festival by Jeff Bray,” Yates said.

The festival is free, and joining them on the bill are Digging Roots, AHI, Kobo Town, Sweet Alibi and Mimi O'Bonsawin.