Johnny Two Fingers and Gower make it a good night for music at EAGM

The bass guitarist had an unexpected, last minute work commitment, the drummer had a separated shoulder and John Dale, a.k.a, Johnny Two Fingers suddenly found himself expecting to do a solo performance at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum on Friday night as part of the Southern Plains Co-op After Dark Series. 

But drummer Kelly Gower, a.k.a Cannonball Kelly Gower, a professional wrestler who acquired the shoulder injury in a bout just a few days prior to the Estevan gig, determined he could still wield the sticks well enough to back up Dale. 

“I decided to go into the first section of the night solo, just to give Kelly a break,” said Dale. 

The second half of the performance though, as Dale announced, “will give you folks something quite different.” Dale bounced through a night of original songs sprinkled with a few traditional country and western songs, like the classic Ghost Riders in the Sky and a few Charlie Daniels favourites. 

When he was presenting his own songs, Dale, who claims the deformities with his two fingers on the right hand and a small stature, treated the intimate and attentive audience with some well crafted guitar renderings and thoughtful lyrics found in tunes such as The Suit Don’t Make the Man, which was a leaning toward a rockabilly/blues package. 

I am Loved, delivered another personal message as did Pipeline, a pure environmental, social message. Oversleep was dedicated to Dale’s concept of friendship. 

In the second half, with Gower providing the additional scope of drums and vocals, Johnny Two Fingers with his specially designed guitar pick, offered up some more original songs such as Don’t Worry, Sitting on Top of the World and I Can Wait, plus Bedroom Window and Enter the Road. 

Dale said when the band’s third member, bassist Steve Leidel joins them again they have several bookings this month including a couple in their home city of Moose Jaw, when they’ll join forces with vocalist Megan Nash, who has also appeared at the EAGM.

The band, in its current form, took root in 2011 and with the interaction that was noted between Gower and Dale, they’re comfortable with the musical stylings of Dale’s original songs. 

By the way, Gower reported he actually won his match in Regina after suffering the separated shoulder about five minutes into the fight. So a little drumming action wasn’t going to put a crimp into his percussion workout.