Alex Scherpenisse is a solo acoustic performer based in Calgary who plays for rooms where people actually listen — and sing along when the song calls for it. His set spans seventy years of songs people know by heart: Johnny Cash, Creedence, the Eagles and the Beatles; Van Morrison, Bill Withers and Dolly Parton; and a strong current of modern acoustic writing — the Lumineers, Zach Bryan, Vance Joy and Post Malone. It's one guitar and one voice, full and driving rhythm playing under a warm baritone, with no loops or backing tracks. The songs carry themselves. Alex has spent more than thirty years as a paramedic in Alberta, and he brings the same thing to a stage that he brings to a call: he's present, he pays attention, and he doesn't waste anyone's time. Songwriter nights, listening rooms, house concerts and small theatres are where his sets land best, though the set list travels just as well to a brewery patio or a private event. A regular at Calgary-area open mics, he's now booking feature slots, showcase nights and paid gigs across Calgary and the Bow Valley.