The Cambridge, Ontario native first picked up his father’s acoustic guitar when he was just 8 years old and quickly developed an attachment to the instrument. Since then he has excited audiences at clubs in Memphis, Nashville, Cleveland, Montreal, Toronto and all across southern Ontario.  Named after the late son of Eric Clapton (his dad’s favourite guitarist).  Conor was born in Toronto on July 15th, 1993 but the family moved to Cambridge when he was two years old. He currently attends Galt Collegiate Institute where, aside from his obvious music interests, has played intercollegiate soccer and basketball.Conor began performing live at various blues jams in and around Cambridge when he was just 12 years old. Seasoned musicians encouraged him and he was soon making guest appearances at their gigs. All along he gained confidence standing on stage in front of an audience. The bigger the audience, the better.  While attending junior high school he met Joel Goodwin a competent drummer. The pair formed a partnership and, joined by various bass players, have been playing live shows all across southern Ontario ever since.  They played the 2007 Escarpment Blues Festival in Milton, Ontario and Conor was honoured when Leo Lyons, bass player for British blues legends ‘Ten Years After’ wished him a happy 14th birthday during their headline performance. Meeting Lyons and other performers such as Savoy Brown’s Kim Simmonds and blues guitarist Walter Trout that day provided further inspiration.  In the fall of 2007 he and his journalist father went on a “father and son ‘rock and roll road trip’” which included music venues in Cleveland, Nashville and Memphis. Among the clubs he played were the B.B. King’s Blues Clubs in Nashville and Memphis as well as Wet Willie’s on Memphis’s famed Beale Street. He played two nights to record crowds at the latter venue as a guest of the Victor Wainwright Blues Band. Along with an appreciation for the home of the blues Conor earned numerous invitations for return engagements.  In January 2008 the Conor Gains Band played at Toronto’s legendary music venue, The Horseshoe Tavern. Said Craig Laskey, the club’s talent buyer, “Conor was great, Everyone who saw the show is raving about him.” Since then the Conor Gains Band has sold out three straight shows at Cambridge’s Cafe 13 where he started jamming as a 12 year old.  Most recently Conor joined the ‘Bobby Hebert Experience’ in a tribute to the late blues guitarist Jeff Healey. His performance earned him an invitation to play with Healey’s Roadhouse Band the same night much to the delight of the audience.

The term “guitar prodigy” is often bandied about but in the case of Conor Gains the term fits comfortably. 

FEATURING:

Conor Gains -- Vocals / Guitar