Wil Mimnaugh likes being the guy you just missed.
In the days of musicians moonlighting as self-promotion machines, Canada’s most underrated and underexposed songwriter would rather a person hear him live than through the tiny, tinny speakers of a smartphone, captured on camera.
“I love being the guy that somebody missed. I love being the guy that someone goes ‘I’ve never heard of that guy’ and they end up in front of you and you do your job and they sit there going… ‘how come I’ve never heard of that guy’,” he said on the phone recently from his home on Vancouver Island. “Being in the room when somebody’s generating something is awesome.”
For people in Thunder Bay Mimnaugh, who goes by WIL, can be seen generating something on stage at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Friday when he opens for Jann Arden.
And that something is a tasteful blend of honest songwriting, roots rock and even a touch of contemporary influence. Although he enjoys playing live, Mimnaugh has also lent his voice to a recent Alberta tourism campaign.
Story continues after video...
While born in Quebec, Mimnaugh spent more than 25 years living in Alberta. Riding his bike down the mountains and rafting down rivers, he said the commercial means more because he is actually helping promote something he loves rather than just a product.
Mimnaugh is promoting his newest album “Heart of Mine”, which was released last October.
