As many of us struggle to be good at one thing, there are those among us who have the sheer audacity to be good at a number of things — the so-called Renaissance man (or woman), defined as one who has acquired profound knowledge or proficiency in more than one field.
In late Middle Ages Europe, such a man was described as someone who was “well educated, charming, witty, able to dance, write poetry, sing, play music, wrestle, ride horses, and excelled as a swordsman.” Beau Dixon checks a lot of these boxes, and could no doubt check them all if he put his mind to it.
As an actor, musician, playwright, music director, and sound designer, the Peterborough resident’s fingerprints are all over a number of award-winning theatrical and music productions. But, come Saturday (July 20), it’s Dixon’s talent as a soul-pop singer that will be showcased when the Beau Dixon Band returns to Del Crary Park as Peterborough Musicfest’s 37th season continues.
Dixon was born in Detroit, Michigan — a city still best known for two things: automobile manufacturing and Motown, the hitmaking record label founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy Jr.
After discovering the sound of Stevie Wonder in his parents’ record collection (he wore the grooves off of Wonder’s landmark double album Songs In The Key Of Life), young Beau was determined to take piano lessons, which he started at age six.
The son of a Baptist minister, Dixon’s first gigs came at age 12, playing piano for his father’s church services. It was from that perch, watching his father, that Dixon learned something else: the importance of stage presence. To this day, anyone who takes in a Dixon singing performance can’t help but feel they are at a revival of sorts.
VIDEO: “Your Love Will Carry Me” – Beau Dixon
At age 16, Dixon left the family home in London for Ottawa, where he studied vocal music with a minor in drama. Out of the classroom, he honed his singing chops as a member of The Freeway Band, an Ottawa-area psychedelic rock band.
Post-education, Toronto beckoned. It was there that Dixon hooked up with the band One as its lead singer. After touring and recording with One, a visit to Peterborough to see his mom, a hospital chaplain, set Dixon on a new trajectory. Enamoured by the city’s live music scene, he made Peterborough his home in the late 1990s.
Blessed with a bigger-than-life persona perfectly suited for his six-foot-something frame, Dixon soon found himself performing regularly on local stages, indoor and out, as founder and singer for several bands, Slips and the High Fives, the Beau Dixon Band (which performed at Peterborough Musicfest in 2009), and reggae-infused Dub Trinity among them.
In 2000, Dixon founded Sound Kitchen Studio, spending much of his time mentoring young musicians. He issued CDs of his own work too, including From Here To East City. Dixon’s ballad “Your Love Will Carry Me” provided clear proof of his prowess as a songwriter.
In an April 2020 interview with Joe Szekeres of OnStage Blog, Dixon spoke to his love of performing.
“I love being loved,” he said. “I’m not ashamed to say it. It makes me feel good, and I just love sharing my gift.”
VIDEO: “Know Who You Are” – Beau Dixon
“I just want to entertain and make people happy,” Dixon added. “I posted a song the other day on Facebook and a stranger messaged me privately, saying how much it meant to him to hear that song during (pandemic) isolation. It was apparent he was dealing with some feelings and he just needed to hear that specific song.”
“Whether it’s acting or singing, if I can touch one person’s heart, it’s enough to know that it’s worth getting up and pushing on.”
While Dixon’s Musicfest appearance will highlight his extraordinary vocal range and a stage presence similar to what he witnessed in his father’s church all those year ago, Dixon’s work as an actor and playwright can’t go unmentioned, for the simple fact that it’s equally impressive, if not more so. The Peterborough Pathway of Fame certainly thought so in 2011 when it inducted him in the Dramatic Arts category.
Back in 2010, Dixon co-founded Firebrand Theatre, a touring company whose mission is to bring Canadian stories to life for students and educators in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools across Canada. Audiences at theatres across Ontario, 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook among them, have been treated to Dixon’s acting performances.
In 2022, Dixon’s Freedom Cabaret 2.0: How Black Music Shaped The Dream Of America was staged at Stratford, reprising his 2021 role as curator and music director of Freedom Cabaret: The Spirit and Legacy of Black Music.
Then there’s Dixon’s work as a playwright who has seen his work commissioned, produced, and performed across Canada. His play Beneath Springhill: The Maurice Ruddick Story brought him a Calgary Critic’s Award for Best Individual Performance and two Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Best New Play and Best Individual Performance.
VIDEO: “Higher and Higher” by Jackie Wilson performed by Beau Dixon
As a sound designer, Dixon was nominated for Dora Mavor Moore Award for the Shaw Festival production of Rifles. Meanwhile, his commitment to mentoring young people continues, evidenced by his music director positions at both Lakefield College School and Sheridan College.
Underlying most all of Dixon’s pursuits is his unwavering determination to ensuring Black culture is given its due while highlighting the contributions of Black performance artists, both past and present. Few in this country have done so with such fervour.
Strip away the creative layers of this Renaissance man and we’re left with a relentless educator whose mission remains to enlighten as well as entertain.
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission concerts during its 37th season, each staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights until August 17th.
Overseen by executive director Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission remains “to provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the 2024 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2024 season.
