The Pearl Company

SORRY, Concert cancelled due to illness in the band.
Saturday March 14 at 9 pm: One Hundred Dollars ($100), a Toronto-based country band. Named “Best Roots/Folk Act” in Toronto by Now Magazine, $100’s reach has grown steadily in a relatively short amount of time. They have a strong Hamilton connection too. $10 at the door. For info call 905-524-0606. 
 http://www.myspace.com/1hundreddollars

Dubbed the urban denizens of Canada’s country scene, $100 lends a window into what country music might have become had the industry not been overtaken by pop music production and trite subject matter. Named “Best Roots/Folk Act” in Toronto by Now Magazine, $100’s reach has grown steadily in a relatively short amount of time. July 2008 marked the release of “Forest of Tears,” their first full length album on Blue Fog Recordings. Recorded in 13 hours at Elder Schoolhouse with Rick White (Elevator, Eric’s Trip), “Forest of Tears” has garnered critical acclaim for its compelling story telling and masterful performances. Toronto Star’s Ben Rayner comments, ” ‘Forest of Tears’ heralds the arrival of Schmidt as a preternaturally gifted singer and lyricist, and of Russell as perhaps the only extant songwriting foil with the talent to make her dense, poetic diction sound effortlessly musical.” Critics have given $100’s country the prefixes “alt -“, “traditional”, “psych-“, “real,” alike, serving as testament to the band’s ability to draw all audiences- even those who think they hate Country – into the genre.

Founders Ian Russell (formerly of Jon-Rae & the River) and Simone Schmidt met in 2006, singing George Jones and Tammy Wynette tunes, and were soon joined by pedal steel ace Stew Crookes (Justin Rutledge, Hawksley Workman, Kensington Hillbillies). Through their dynamic live performance and thoughtful song craft, Schmidt, Crookes and Russell gained respect from traditional folk artists, independent rock and hardcore audiences alike, performing at venues as diverse as the Toronto Island Pier, the Horseshoe, the Tranzac, and Lee’s Palace. They were even commissioned to cover of the song “Blaze of Glory” of the “Hidden World” album by hardcore punk phenomenon “Fucked Up” by the band themselves.

2007 saw great movement and challenges for $100, who, having earned a steady following as a trio in the city, were set back by Russell’s diagnosis with Leukemia. The scheduled Toronto release party of the home recorded EP “Hold It Together” was canceled, though the album leaked slowly over the internet. Forging forth, $100 was determined to gig whenever the chemo protocol would permit. It was after a show at the Music Gallery (Toronto) that Rick White asked to record their full length album. $100 took the opportunity to thicken up their sound with Paul Mortimer (Bass- Jon-Rae and the River, The Pauls) Jonathan Adjemian (Organ – Jon-Rae and the River) and Dave Clarke (Drums – Rozasia, Jon-Rae and the River), rehearsing together 6 times before laying down 12 tracks live.

Though their travel was limited by health concerns, $100 will be touring their album in 2009. In the works is a 7″ vinyl serial to be released by a variety of Canadian Labels, including Blocks Recording Co-operative and Deranged Records, the first installation having been released on December 12th, 2008

$100 can be reached via e-mail at 1hundreddollars@gmail.com
Website: www.myspace.com/1hundreddollars
Blog: www.1hundreddollars.blogspot.com