Meet Josh Palmer:
Music in blood of Idol finalist

Jennifer Jacoby-Smith
The StarPhoenix

July 19, 2005

Practise guitar. Sing. Watch live music. Perform live. Repeat as often as necessary.

Saskatoon Canadian Idol hopeful Josh Palmer, 22, has lived and breathed music his entire life, prompting his dad, Tom Palmer, to declare his son "boring."

"His leisure time is always music-related," said Doug Scarrow, a friend and co-worker at H.E.L. Music. "He's either going to get guitars, fixing guitars, amplifiers (or) watching bands. He's absolutely totally immersed in music and has been for as long as I've known him."

When Scarrow played in a band with Tom Palmer, the younger Palmer made an impression on the guitar player.

"He was such a brat I didn't like him at all," reports Scarrow. "Now he's turned into such a nice kid, (but) he was the devil incarnate."

Apparently, the precocious youngster had a knack for disrupting his father's rehearsals.

During one practice, Palmer climbed into the bass drum and fell asleep.

A few years later, Palmer's musical fuse would be lit.

"When I was eight years old, I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan on a program called Austin City Limits and knew I needed to play," recalled Josh Palmer. "Not wanted, but needed."

After starting guitar lessons at the age of 10, Palmer would play along at his dad's rehearsals.

"Then one particular engagement, the guitar player couldn't make it," explains Tom Palmer. "So we said, 'Come on, Josh. You gotta come and play.' And that was it. He just started playing with us and stayed."

At the age of 14, while other teenagers were hanging out at the mall on weekends, Josh Palmer played gigs with his dad.

He also began jamming with the likes of Megan Lane, Kyle Riabko, Jordan Cook and Tim Vaughan at Bud's on Broadway.

"On my Saturday nights as a kid, I just sat on my bed and played guitar and learned songs through all those great artists," said Palmer.

Listening to such diverse tunes as blues, funk, jazz and '60s rock gave Palmer a unique identity as a performer.

Perhaps Canadian Idol fans needed time to warm up to Palmer's artistry. Whatever it was, he wiggled his way into the Top 10, along with Aaron Walpole, in last week's wild-card show.

Palmer doesn't seem to mind. He's been defying definition his whole life.

"I was the musician, jock, geeky, smart, artistic kid," explains Palmer.

Growing up he played soccer, hockey and basketball. In high school he was part of St. Joseph High School's championship volleyball team. At track meets, he came away with ribbons in high jump and 100 metres.

His artistic bent showed early -- even while playing softball.

"He would be out playing in the ball field when he was playing softball and he would be drawing ninja turtles in the dirt," said his mom, Donna Palmer.

In one incident his father, the coach, marched onto the field ready to bawl him out for not paying attention to the play, only to stop and admire the picture he'd scrawled in the dirt with his foot.

He's got academic smarts, too. He graduated with honours from St. Joseph's high school in 2001.

Over the years, Palmer has played with numerous bands, most notably his own called Palmer. His sister Tanya plays bass in the band.

"His playing is so warm and heartfelt that it's easy to connect with a player like that," said Tanya.
Paul Tobin, mentor, friend and co-worker, added Palmer's unconventional style might not resonate with all Idol viewers.

"He's not a typical boy-band, pop-singer guy. He's an interesting, introspective, methodical musician," said Tobin.

In a scene of deja vu, the Odeon Events Centre will host a viewing party for Canadian Idol fans tonight. Cellphones will be made available after the show for party-goers to vote for Palmer.

Last year Palmer was part of the Odeon crowds voting for Saskatoon's Theresa Sokyrka, who became the Canadian Idol runner-up.

Whatever happens in the competition, Palmer's future appears assured.

"We have not certainly heard the last of him, even if the contest ends for him tomorrow," said Tobin. "(Josh) decided a long time ago to make music his life, so we're going to hear from him."
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LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT JOSH
FUN FACTS ABOUT JOSH:
- Josh was born in Regina, but moved to Saskatoon when he was six months old.
- When he was two, the arrival of younger sister Tanya prompted Josh to run away with the family collie, Sunny.
Apparently, Palmer had put in an order for a baby brother.
- Josh and Tanya won the 2002 Saskatchewan Star Search.
- For years Josh played good ol' boy country music as one of his steady gigs.
- Josh and his band once drove all the way to Edson, Alta., for a gig, only to discover they weren't scheduled until the following weekend.
- Josh's most prized possession is his GMC full-size van -- complete with captain's chairs and floor lighting.
- Palmer (the band) opened for Kim Mitchell and Chilliwack when they visited Saskatoon.
Ran with fact box "Little known facts about Josh" which has been appended to the story.

© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2005