Tiller's Folly & Joel Hanna: Songs Of Our Fathers



In this debut performance, celebrating their ISSA (International Singer Songwriter Awards) nomination and 25th Anniversary, west coast Celtic roots band Tiller’s Folly and Joel Hanna proudly present “Songs of our Fathers”. Come share in this intimate evening of tales as old as time with a modernly lyrical twist (and maybe a little bit of dance) inspired by the heroes and villains of the songs you love and backed by their patent mix of acoustic Celtic-influenced roots sound. They’ll tell stirring stories of intrigue and adventure, triumph, love and war steeped in Scottish, Irish, American and Canadian roots music traditions. Their lively songs, heartfelt ballads and west coast whimsy have always compelled audiences to tap their feet, clap their hands and sing along with gusto. And maybe, just maybe... Joel will dance.

Grab a pint, sit back ( or stand up up if it suits you) and let us share with you the “Songs of our Fathers”.

About the band:

BRUCE COUGHLAN
(Songsmith, multi-instrumentalist & storyteller)

Bruce is a true bard (a collector of songs) and the founding member of The Tiller’s Folly. A career performer, touring throughout the Western Canada since his teens, Bruce has developed a keen knowledge of the history of the Pacific region, while obtaining a solid background in performing and music. His love and passion for the characters and tales of the Pacific Northwest has proven fertile ground for his exceptional songwriting and singing skills.

Bruce is a  multifaceted talent destined for recognition as a great Canadian songwriter/storyteller in a class with Stan Rogers or Gordon Lightfoot.

Laurence Knight
(Producer, bass & vocals)

Laurence is a musician with an incredible depth of over 40 years of performing and recording experience, during which time he has performed with many of the brightest lights of the Vancouver music scene. He has also had the opportunity to produce and record with numerous artists. Laurence’s first encounter with Bruce goes back some 30 years when he was hired as a session player on one of Bruce’s early projects.

Nolan Murray (Fiddle, mandolin, mandocaster, 5-string banjo, viola, guitar & more)

Nolan has a long history as a multi-instrumentalist gun-for-hire who at an early age, parlayed an impressive list of championships into a touring/recording career that has spanned decades.

Throughout that time, he’s left his musical imprint with a long list of iconic performers including Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee, John Fogerty ,The Irish Rovers, Randy Travis, John Cowan, Ricky Van Shelton, David Frizzell, Patricia Conroy, Gary Fjellgaard, Jess Lee, Funk Brother’s Bob Babbitt, Wrecking Crew’s Larry Knechtel.

Highlights of awards include Oregon State fiddle Champion, Top ten Grand Masters Champion, Top ten US National Fiddle Champion, International World Bluegrass Championship Band. BCCMA Instrumentalist of the Year 89,90,92, Western Canadian Bluegrass Fiddle Champion and CCMA Citation – All Star Band.

Beyond his explosive improvised solos, lies a broad pallet of richly diverse influences. In joining Tiller’s Folly in 2002, Nolan Murray caused Tiller’s Folly to encompass an ever widening range of musical styles.

Joel Hanna - Director/Dancer/Choreographer/Musician


Called “one of the most exciting dancers to ever step on the world stage,” Joel Hanna is a world- renowned dancer, choreographer, and director known for his athletic and boundary-breaking mixture of tap dance, musical percussion, Irish dance, and martial arts. He has lived something of an entertainment fairy tale, performing all over the world in legendary venues and for dignitaries from Queen Elizabeth II to United Nations diplomats.

Having been praised as being “Breathtaking” - (BBC) and “Utterly Winning”- (New York Times), he was also selected by the NY Times as “Pick of the Year”, and as a performer, shared the stage with legends such as Pete Seeger, Andrea Boccelli, Charles "Cholly" Atkins, Will Millar, Jimmy Slyde, Jeni LeGon, Dianne Walker, The Black Eyed Peas and many more.

He toured with Riverdance: The Show, and was selected to be the subject of a CBC and Riverdance documentary The Badboy and the Hometown Girl. After two seasons, he left to perform in Dancing on Dangerous Ground in London’s West End, Radio City Music Hall, and the Royal Variety Performance.

For four years, he choreographed and starred in the production Fire of Dance, as lead soloist on more than 200 stages a year. He created, choreographed and starred in Revolution: Sweat, Dance, Rock & Roll , which debuted in NYC at The Joyce Theater during its 25th anniversary. and was a soloist at the Jacob's Pillow Concert Series for two years in a row. His creative diversity was also stretched in 2018 when he was flown around the world again to join the creative time of Angry Birds as movement choreographer for their live action show and was then elevated to Stage Director. This natural ingenuity was expressed again through his fight/dance choreography for the character Maria in the Netflix show Deadly Class!

Quoted by Arun Gandhi, peace activist and grandson of the Mahatma Gandhi, “Joel Hanna is being the change we all wish to see in the world” for creating “Fighting For Change”, a women's Martial Arts program in India. Since 2016 he has been Artistic Director, Choreographer and Production Designer, for The Vancouver Spring Show and is now the Managing/Producing Director at Vancouver Tap Dance Society. Where, since covid, he has created, produced and launched 6 original shows; including Shake The Earth (a collaboration between Japanese Taiko Drumming and Tap Dance); Let Us Dance (the first tap dance production allowed in the wake of Covid), Outstanding: A celebration of Female Soloists, and Isolation Inspiration (A live talk/tap dance show).

Host or Publisher Tiller's Folly & Joel Hanna