Brent & Woofy!
by Deanna Ward

 Kiss your mum every day, keep the love growing, hug your daddy every day, keep the love growing, love one another even’ day. you re growin’ and it's showin’ !  “You’re Growin’ and It’s Showin’”

 I consider myself a family entertainer more than a children’s entertainer because I entertain everyone!”, says Brent Boehler. ‘My biggest fan is l3 years old, she writes me letters constantly!”  I can understand why. The first time my son and I saw Brent perform was two years ago at the Newcastle Island Pavilion - and we’ve been fans ever since!

 Apparently, that was the first appearance Brent made as a family entertainer! At the time and about a year after, Brent worked as a team with his brother Bruce Boehler putting on a variety show, Brent would sing and performed with Woofy (his puppet) and Bruce performed magic tricks.

 ‘We did variety for a year, but I always warned to push the music end.” says Brent, Brent took the jazz program at Malaspina College - although not with the intention of becoming a teacher, but because he ‘just wanted to learn more about it.” When his sons, Matthew Daniel were born, Brent began singing for them and started writing kids’ music - and. in my personal opinion, did it well!

 In 1993 Brother Brother Travelin Family Show produced “Homemade”.  All songs on “Homemade” were composed and arranged by Brent. Some of my favorites include John the Horse, You’re Growin’ and it’s Show’n, I Live on the Farm, Sometimes I Feel, and Dream Time.  “Moms keep coming up to me asking ‘when are you going to make another tape! ’because their kids play it over and over again laughs Brent, “Whenever I hear that I feel really great!” Brent admits that he has a “whole drawer full” of songs he needs to put on tape, but needs to find some one who will back it financially so he can have it professionally done.

 While his tape is great, his live performances are better! His popularity is growing at an amazing rate and Brent seems to be doing at least one public performance a month. Concerts are mostly music with the Happy Tones Band (Rick Wilton, keyboards, Bob Stevenson. drums and Kelly Koebel, bass), Woofy the dog, and some surprises! “Participation is required!” Brent & Woofy’s next concert is June 3rd at Bowen Park

 As Brent becomes more popular, he says that he notices he is “slowly moving into celebrity status.” “It’s really interesting,’ he continues “because I’m the same person, but people treat me differently. Performers get treated differently, but they’re just people - people doing what they want to do.’ However, Brent also observes that right now “Brent & Woofy ends at the borders Nanaimo” when it comes to being recognized in public. Eventually Brent would like to start touring. “My goal is to be the headliner to be the Fred Penner, to be the Mr. Dressup!”

 Brent also performs privately at daycare centres and birthday parties. At birthday parties, Brent “quickly moves from one thing to another” with the focus on comedy, juggling, and balloon animals. ‘They’re fast moving, rapid paced, go like crazy variety shows!” When performing at daycares, Brent focuses more on the educational. For example, Brent might ask children where their imagination is, sing a song about imagination and get the kids to draw a picture. “Some of the things they come up with of what would be crazy in your imagination are wonderful!” Brent says with an admiring laugh.

 “I really love what I do and I think that’s really important - not just for me, but for everyone, says Brent.  Brent’s enjoyment his laugh, are infectious - it’s what makes him a great family entertainer.

 Brent loves fan mail! You and your child can write him at P.O. Box 914 St. A. Nanaimo, V9R 5N2