Homecoming

It’s likely you’ve heard Sean Ashby before.

And if you’ve watched the Grammys, Saturday Night Live or The Tonight Show, chances are you’ve seen him too. Ashby, originally from Thunder Bay, and his guitar work have been all over the recording world for more than a decade, most notably with Sarah McLachlan.

But when he’s not busy helping others go platinum, he’s working on a solo career. Ashby released ‘Fantastico’ last year and has been on the road promoting it ever since.

“Every year that’s what I do,” he said about a tour that will take him to Thunder Bay March 3 at Gargoyles before heading to Southern Ontario, most of the U.S and then to Western Canada.

Ashby is a one-man guitar clinic. During his two sets at Gargoyles he’ll showcase everything from beautiful hollow-bodies to a vintage National lapsteel. He’ll also pick up the acoustic to highlight his songwriting too, which has been featured on several television shows.

“It’s sort of what I lead with in a way,” he said of his playing. “But really songwriting is what I’m most interested in.”

He also brings recorded drum and bass tracks along so that he can play solos.

“I just try to make it entertaining. It’s pretty demanding on the crowd to be a straight up singer songwriter, only really serious about these songs all night long. I have a fun element to the show.”

His sound has been described as Americana, even charting in that genre in places like Tennessee.

“Which is funny because I’m from Thunder Bay,” Ashby said.

As for bringing that sound back to his hometown, Ashby said it’s always a different show because there’s a personal connection, unlike shows in other cities. It means more.

The show starts at 7 p.m.