After years of shouting himself hoarse in poor imitation of the soaring vocals of Radiohead's Thom Yorke and the vocal gymnastics of Jeff Buckley, Elliot Thomas decided that the only way he was going to escape his bedroom as a singer was to write songs reflecting his own nature and experience.
With a pioneering spirit and a distinctively rich and expressive voice, this Edmonton-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist emerges with a heart heavy with the blues, ears ringing with the sound of the banjo, and an insatiable yearning for new sonic landscapes that has lead him to a poetic and soulful style all of his own.
Since moving to Edmonton in 2007, music has flourished in Elliot's life. A versatile guitarist and an innovator the lap slide guitar, he has also developed a unique voice on the 5-string banjo, which he flicks, plucks, and strums with uncommon grace and unbridled glee. Over the shifting textures that he forges with these instruments Elliot sings songs of sorrow, hope, growth and fishing.
Drawing inspiration from blues, old-time, jazz, and world music traditions as well as from contemporary singer-songwriters, Elliot's sound is fresh and daring, yet relatable. He released his debut album Through the Darkness and the Cold in November 2016. Since having completed a successful Alberta tour in January, and a six-province cross-Canada tour in May, Elliot has been busy working on new music as well as supporting fellow musicians. Highlights of his summer have included playing South Country Fair (Fort Macleod, AB) with celtic group Spencer Murray and Pipeslinger, and backing up both Braden Gates and Kimberley MacGregor at Calgary's premier roots festival, Wide Cut Weekend.