Pernell Reichert and the Hard Drinkers will bring their folk-rockin’, finger-pickin’, troubadour / slide-playin’, banjo playin’ style to the Downstream Bar, Wednesday, June 4.

Founded by Reichert, the Vancouver trio started playing together as a group in the fall of 2004 with Jonah Toulmin on drums, and Chris King on bass.

Influences range from folksingers such as Bob Dylan and John Prine to hard living Delta bluesmen such as Blind Blake and RL Burnside, to the hardcore country sounds of Steve Earle and Hank Williams Sr.

Reichert hit the road at age 22 and stayed on it for a few years, gathering experiences and knowledge. He learned many songs from other troubadour types and began writing his own.

The settings he’s played in range from coffee houses to pubs throughout BC. In the summer of 2005 Pernell Reichert and the Hard Drinkers went on their first tour, hitting towns in BC and Alberta. 

Reichert’s had an array of jobs ranging from harvesting cabbage in England to volunteer farming in Israel. He’s played the streets of Greece and Italy and many an open mic in BC and Alberta.

He  has two albums, the latest one entitled “And Sometimes...” released in 2004, which is a collection of songs about people and the road. An album featuring the Hard Drinkers is due out this fall.