Photo by Kevin Lamb

Kayt and the Hard Folks is a music group, based in Toronto, Canada.  Kayt Lucas, Michael Menegon, Joel Merzetti, Paul Chalmers, Richard Begley and Donn Dixon have been rocking out, interpreting Kayt’s original Hard Folk music with surprising results.  The band has enjoyed a breadth of experience, and versatility amongst it’s members, that is rare for a folk-rock band.

Located in Toronto, Ontario, KHF is thrilled to regularly present additional resident writers, Michael Menegon and Jp Merzetti, as well as musical guests in concert, and dance artists.

Kayt is a poet and singer with hundreds of tunes in her catalog.  She resides in Toronto.  Her playlist, the tracks allude to rock, blues, folk, and sometimes country.  She plays mandolin and octave mandolin.  Since the band formed in January, 2012, they have developed an exhilarating performance experience that is diverse in style and cohesive in sound.  KHF’s instrumentation features stylistic flexibility and virtuosity.

Kayt is a former dancer and aerialist.  Her musicality originates in dance and choreography.  Until 2009, Kayt worked as a rigging technician in the entertainment industry, a job which gave her insight into the special theatrical world of the greatest performing artists in the world.

The Band Of Kayt and the Hard Folks Is:

Kayt Lucas – Mandolin and Vocals

Michael Menegon (original member) – Percussion, Vocals and Guitar

Joel Merzetti – Acoustic Guitar, Keys and Vocals

Paul Chalmers – Electric Guitar

Richard Begley – Bass

Donn Dixon – Drums

Guest artists and former members have included Roy Buna (original member), Bill Galloway (original member, regular guest), Paul Kehayas, Mark Galloway, Harriet Hume, Keary Scanlon, Loren Hicks, Nick Yaksich, Minas Hatzigiannatzoglou, Bill Coleman, Angela MacDonald Petkovic, Chris Stephen, Paul Smith, Monica Serodio, Frank Patrick, Gus Apostolous, Jennifer Noble and others.

John Preketes is KHF’s technical producer, owner/operator of JPC Post Productions in Toronto.