Barenaked Ladies, Scott Helman, Monster Truck, USS Among Acts Honouring Walk Off The Earth's Mike Taylor At Free Show

By Aaron Brophy 1/7/19 | www.samaritanmag.com

Mike Taylor tribute — graphic provided
Barenaked Ladies, Scott Helman, Monster Truck, USS and Saint Alvia are among the bands announced to perform acoustically at a free tribute concert to honour Mike "Beard Guy" Taylor, the multi-instrumentalist member of Burlington, Ontario band Walk Off The Earth. Walk Off The Earth will also be performing.

The just-announced show is scheduled for Sunday, January 13 at Civic Square in downtown Burlington (4:30-7:30 p.m. ET) and is presented by the City of Burlington and the Sound of Music Festival. Portions of the event will be live streamed on the Walk Off The Earth Facebook page. Attendees are encouraged to "bundle up" and "bring a candle."

A press statement said Taylor died of natural causes in his sleep on Dec 29, leaving behind two children.

"Mike had a love for life that was unmatched and a willingness to give that went beyond ordinary means," the band said when his death was announced. "Our deepest sympathies are with his two children, whom he adored more than anything else in the world."

The Taylor family is teaming up with music education charity Musicounts to solicit donations in his honour.

MusiCounts, the charity arm of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) which puts on the Juno Awards, has a mission to "ensure that children in Canada, regardless of socio-economic circumstances and cultural background, have access to music programs through their schools and communities." Some of their other initiatives include the Band Aid Program, which provides needed equipment and instruments to schools and MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, an award that presents a $10,000 cheque to the school of one excellent music teacher each year.

Taylor was an active participant in Musicounts programs. The organization has set up a donation page in his name, saying, "For many years [Taylor] played in the annual Juno Cup game, a fundraising hockey game that saw artists face off against NHL legends in support of MusiCounts. He was also an adjudicator for Band Aid school applications and MusiCounts Teacher of the Year nominations, and helped us navigate the often challenging logistics involved in transporting instruments to remote, northern and indigenous communities. We are so thankful to have had his generous support."

Walk Off The Earth first rose to popularity in 2012 when their cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" went viral. Since that time the band has been nominated for seven Juno Awards, winning the group of the year award in 2016, in large part thanks to their Sing It All Away album, which reached No. 2 on the Canadian charts.

Burlington mayor Marianne Meed Ward has been vocally pro-Walk Off The Earth and made a statement of support for Taylor.

"You have left us with a rich musical legacy," she said. "Thank you Mike for your contribution to music here and around the world. We will truly miss you." The city of Burlington also lowered all its flags to half-mast on Dec. 31 in Taylor's honour.

The band intend to continue its lengthy string off upcoming international tour dates.

“Mike loved our fans so much. We want to honor him and his legacy by continuing our world tour to bring the spirit of this memorial to our fans across the globe," they said in a release.

Watch Walk Off The Earth cover "Somebody That I Used To Know"

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