by Mel Kositsky
He is a man of many words and much music.
Mike Higgins refuses to age and is spending his golden years doing what he loves best – performing. He loves being in front of a receptive audience as an MC or band leader and still gets a kick out of playing his drums.
He has been doing shows such as a tribute to Rosemary Clooney, Oktoberfest, “spooky” music for a Halloween show, jazz concerts and performing at weddings and celebrations of life. He takes his shows to senior centres, retirement homes and restaurants throughout the Lower Mainland.
He will be performing on Mother’s Day in May at The Cellar in Vancouver, a famous jazz hangout. With him that day will be singer Lorraine Foster, who sang with the legendary Dal Richards for many years.
Higgins currently has two bands on the go – “Just Friends” and “Gracie and the Guys”. It is something he just loves to do.
“But it is getting hard competing with these one-man bands for shows at seniors centres,” he said.
Higgins likes meeting new people. In order to better communicate with his audiences he likes to get to the venue where he will be performing a little early “and mix with the people in the room”.
Originally from London, England, he came to Vancouver in 1957 from Montreal. He has performed just about everywhere from cruise ships to strip clubs and calls himself “a semi-casual musician”.
He joined the Musicians Federation Local 145 and is very proud of the award presented to him for 25 years of service. He played at such Vancouver venues as The Commodore, Quadra Club and pick up bands for weddings, anniversaries and other affairs.
Warned early in life to never quit his day job just for music, he had a varied career over the years, working for The Bay, Sears, and was the manager at Langley Mall for many years. Not surprising, he has even played Santa Claus.
During his career he has met such outstanding musicians as Dal Richards, Buddy Rich and Kenny Coleman, and reminisces about meeting Carol Channing in Palm Springs.
If you need a band to perform for any occasion or just want to find out where he is performing next, you can contact Mike at mikephiggins@yahoo.com or call him at 604.220.4004.
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It was a wonderful afternoon of music and entertainment on Sunday, Feb. 12 as the local Filipino community and friends came out to support a fund raiser for victims of the typhoon, landslides and flash floods last December in their home country. The benefit concert even attracted the new Philippines Consul-General, who is based in Vancouver.
Organized by Dong Edmilao and his wife Linda, both active seniors at St. Joseph’s Parish, the variety show and mini buffet raised funds that will be sent to the Philippines through the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. You can still donate through the church or check www.devp.org/en/international/philippines.
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Harness racing continues at Fraser Downs in Cloverdale throughout the spring with live racing on Friday nights and Sunday afternoon.
With the better weather, the thoroughbred horses are now in training at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver in preparation for the season opener on Saturday, April 14. The 71-day meet goes until Sunday, October 14.
Highlight of the season will be the $200,000 BC Derby on Sept. 9. Five other stakes races will be contested that day offering total purse money of more than $700,000, making it the richest day in BC racing history.