BA Johnston figures he has played as many as 15 shows in the Sault over the years, but said he has never played the same venue twice.
Originally from Hamilton, Johnston was interviewed on Wednesday by phone from his mother's Airbnb in Flesherton, Ont.
"I just feel like they could have called it literally anything they wanted and maybe they should have picked something else," said Johnston when asked about Flesherton as a name.
Although his songs carry titles like 'I don't buy no government weed (I still buy from Steve)' and 'There's a hair on my donair,' Johnston shies away from calling himself a comedy act.
"It's difficult because I don't think there's a fitting description I can give that will make people want to see me play. I just kind of say it's like a rock show, but just with one guy," Johnston said.
Often compared to Stompin' Tom Connors, Johnston said he understands the comparisons because he also sings a lot about topics surrounding Canadiana, but that's about where the similarities end.
"Stompin' Tom has very niche songs where what he's singing about isn't going to land with everybody. So, I definitely have songs where I'm singing about a very specific North Bay Tim Hortons location where that would be a Stompin' Tom-ish thing to do," Johnston said.
"I'm a big Stompin' Tom fan but I feel like it would be disappointing for someone who wants to hear Stompin' Tom music," he added.
Relying mainly on word of mouth and his social media presence, Johnston is seemingly always on tour, playing shows in bars, breweries and Royal Canadian Legion branches across Canada.
He's stopping in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday on his way out west playing venues from here to British Columbia and back.
"It's definitely something you should see once, then you if you like it, you can see it again. And if you don't like it, you don't have to come back," said Johnston.
Asked about similarities between the Sault and his hometown of Hamilton, Johnston said only, 'I love a steel town.'
Johnston said most of his remembrances about playing Sault Ste. Marie revolve around grocery store sausages.
"Most of what I think about when I go to the Sault is I want to load up my car with Pino's. And then I got to make sure they don't rot before I get them to my mom," he said.
Johnston has played many venues over the years in the Sault, including ones as varied as Lop Lops and now-closed Cafe Natura, though he believes he’s never played at the same place twice.
"I think I play a different one every time because I have never played the place I'm playing now," he said of Venue — where he is playing on Friday.
More information about the show is available here.