In the run-up to Christmas, Creston Valley residents are treated to a variety of concerts, plays and other entertainment offerings. Lorn Wolf’s family plans to help fill the lull that often happens afterward.
Wolf, who spent nearly a decade writing songs and performing in Nashville, returned to Canada a couple of years ago to kick-start a fantasy-writing career. He’s been living in Creston, promoting his first novel, The Woodcutter, and writing the second book in a planned trilogy.
Bringing together members of his family is Wolf’s chance to see his kids and help show off the many talents of his children. And his mother.
“Every year for as long as I can remember we’ve put on shows in our living room,” he laughed. “I thought, ‘Why keep this just for ourselves?’ ”
So, on Dec. 28, Prince Charles Theatre will play host to three generations of the Wolf family.
“The kids are all professional players and singers,” he said. “It seems like a shame to keep all this talent in our living room.”
Wolf’s two sons, Kyle and Shade, are winding down after a second successful cross-Canada tour with their band, Hard Honey.
“Hard Honey has just released a single that’s getting lots of radio play,” Wolf said. “The group is now working on a video and their album is being produced by a Juno award winner.”
Joining Lorn’s boys will be Kyle’s girlfriend, Sara Jane, a runway model who has a contract with Holt Renfrew.
“She’s a popular Sun-shine Girl and she’s a terrific singer, too,” he said.
Rounding out the family’s youth contingent is Lorn’s daughter, Zarria Storm, who is taking advantage of the holiday season to take a break from her athletic activities. She is a track and field star who holds two Canadian records in the heptathlon (100-metre hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 metre, long jump, javelin throw and 800-metre race) and is attending Sacramento State University on an athletic scholarship.
“She represented Canada in the Pan Am Games and recently won gold in the Western Canada track and field championships. Now, she has just been added to the Canadian Olympic development team.
“And she sings like a bird,” the proud father added.
Helping to provide some age balance to the concert will be Lorn’s mom, Joyce McKearney, who makes her home in Creston.
“She taught me my first chords on the guitar,” he said.
Joyce was also her son’s spark for his love of fantasy writing, telling him bedtime stories that she made up as she went along.
The Lorn Wolf Family Christmas Concert will feature a wide range of music.
“We will be playing the 12 best Christmas songs of all time (in his opinion),” he laughed. “There will be some original Christmas music, too, and rock and roll and country music.”
Wolf, who has become a popular fixture at the Creston Valley Farmers’ Market, is also fitting in a book signing event on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Black Bear Books. Writing is well underway for the sequel to The Woodcutter.
“I’m writing at double time,” he said. “It’s going fast because it’s all written in my mind. I just have to get it down on paper.”
Tickets for the Dec. 28 concert are selling well, he said. They are available at Black Bear Books and Kingfisher Used Books and, at what just might be a first for Creston, VIP tickets are also available.
“VIP tickets include a copy of The Woodcutter or my CDs, and preferred front row seating,” he said.
Concert tickets are $20 and VIP tickets are $50.
“There is going to be so much talent on the stage,” he said. “People are going to get their money’s worth.”