It's no easy feat pulling off a tribute performance of a celebrated music icon, but Will Chalmers has indeed captured the style, sounds and nuances of Neil Diamond.
Presented by Eighteen91, he performs 'A Diamond Christmas' at the Ponoka Golf Club on Dec. 18. The show features a collection of Diamond's hits and Christmas tunes as well.
"I've been performing my Neil Diamond tributes since 2002, so we are in our 22nd season doing this," he said.
"And I've been having an absolute blast with it!"
Looking back even further, Chalmers recalls how a passion for music was sparked at a very young age.
"My father was an amazing singer. He would sing all of the time. Back in the days when I was a kid, your parents would have parties with the neighbours, and everyone would get up and sing," he recalled of his early years in his native Scotland.
"Dad sounded just like Perry Como - such a smooth voice, And then he would switch to Sinatra as well, and Al Jolson, too. So I think that is where I get it from.
"I was also introduced to Neil Diamond's music when I was a teenager. My parents had one of his albums, and somehow, it made it from their collection into mine."
Later on, he actually started out as an Elvis tribute artist.
"I did that for a number of years and won a few competitions as well."
He was, for a time, also involved in a major Elvis festival, and even helped to organize it for a span of five years. But the pace caught up to him, and a change was in the wind. His wife encouraged him to maybe focus on a change, and he then made the break.
"That was July of 2002. I managed to put together some pictures, and a couple of demo tracks."
Unbeknownst to him, his wife was sending this promo package out to agents.
"An agent in Toronto jumped on it. He connected with me in October of 2002, and it took off from there," said Chalmers.
"Neil Diamond is such an amazing songwriter, and such an icon. I have never met him, but I've been to about four of his shows. The last show I was at, I managed to get front-row seats and what an experience. He has stood the test of time," he said.
"Some of his songs - they just captivate you. They pull you in. And his voice is so distinctive," said Chalmers, who also hits the stage as Waylon Jennings from time to time, too.
"Again, a totally different voice," he added with a laugh. One would think changing it up from artist to artist would be pretty tough to pin down, but Chalmers has honed a remarkable skill for doing just that.
"When you are playing the character, you are playing the character," he said.
Is one harder than the others?
"It's hard to say, because they are each unique in their own way. They all have their different styles, and their own stage presence, and of course their own costumes as well," he explained.
"So they are all challenging in different ways," he said. "I try to make it as close as I can, and I go as far as I can, to the best of my abilities. And when it comes to showtime, I'm portraying the character."
For Chalmers, no matter who he is portraying, connecting with audiences brings a tremendous sense of joy and fulfillment.
"You see people smiling, and you are seeing them singing along with you. We encourage our audiences to join in and sing along, and to get up and dance if they want. Usually, near the end of the show, I say that I hope these songs have brought back memories, and that I also hope we have made some new memories tonight."
Chalmers said he also really enjoys chatting with folks after the shows.
"People will tell me stories about how a song has touched them so much," he said, adding some audience members will become visibly moved by a particular tune. "The song, I Am...I Said, seems to touch a nerve with a lot of people."
As mentioned, Diamond is an accomplished songwriter as well. Not only did he write or co-write much of his own material, said Chalmers, but he also penned tunes that went on to be huge hits for a range of other artists, such as I'm a Believer (The Monkees) and Red, Red Wine (UB40).
Again, capturing the persona of such a legendary artist has been quite the journey for Chalmers.
"I hope people leave the show with a smile, and some happiness. A little bit more love in the world wouldn't go amiss anywhere."
For ticket information, call 403-790-0306.
