Skip to content

Red Dirt Skinners at Evergreen next month for B.C. tour debut

Rob and Sarah Skinner met through a musician-finder website a decade ago.
skinner
Rob and Sarah Skinner.

Rob and Sarah Skinner met through a musician-finder website a decade ago.

And within six years, the natives of England had hit it off — musically and romantically — and taken their act to Canada.

Three tours and 12 months later, the Skinners decided to call Canada home.

Now, the Skinners live in a “very small rural town in Ontario,” Rob Skinner said, and are about to make their first trip to B.C.

Nov. 8, they’ll be at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam to plug their sixth album, Under Utopian Skies, which is “largely about our love for our new country,” he said.

“There are songs about the people we have met here, songs about our new home and songs about a general feeling of happiness with our decision to move," he told The Tri-City News.

Performing under the name Red Dirt Skinners, the duo has a varied style, writing original tunes that cross jazz, folk, country, roots and alternative music genres, with Rob Skinner on acoustic guitar and Sarah Skinner on soprano saxophone.

Their unique sound has won awards. They are the first band to take accolades at both the British Blues and British Country award shows; the Skinners also have been nominated for Duo of the Year at the International Acoustic Music Awards and shortlisted eight times for a UK Songwriting Award.

In addition, Sarah Skinner is the first female musician to be endorsed by Trevor James Saxophones.

As for its show in Coquitlam, Rob Skinner told The Tri-City News the audience can expect “a lot of funny and spirited stories about the songs and the experiences that lead us to writing them.”

He added: “People often tell us that they feel as though they really know us after hearing all the stories… People are usually surprised at the sheer fullness of sound that we are able to create with just the two of us.”

For tickets to see the Red Dirt Skinners, call the Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) at 604-927-6555 or visit evergreenculturalcentre.ca