Commons Live Music Series –Chris Canas Band

Downtown Midland welcomes the Chris Canas Band on July 17, 2026 from 7 – 9 p.m. in Downtown Midland’s Pedestrian Plaza!
Performances will be set up on the Pedestrian Plaza Stage in the intersection of McDonald St. & Main St. Bring a chair (or snag one of our outdoor tables), grab a drink & food from your favorite downtown restaurant, and enjoy the music!
Chris Canas, “Detroit’s Prince of the Blues,” has been surrounded by music his entire life. Whether it was his mom singing to him, taking him to see Ray Charles at Hart Plaza, or his dad singing and dancing him to sleep as a child, music became an integral part of his soul. This deep-rooted connection to music is what has shaped him into the talented musician he is today. Chris discovered his first true instrument, the Coronet, in 5th grade when he was too shy to claim the saxophone. He quickly grew to love it, using it as both a musical and therapeutic release. While playing in his school’s jazz band, he eventually joined the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts. At just 10 years old, the Blues took hold of him. One day, his Uncle Jamerson pulled up in a Cherry Red T-Top Camaro, blasting BB King’s “Thrill Is Gone,” and in that moment, the shy boy was transformed into a Blues man.
The Chris Canas Band has won the Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association Challenge and the Detroit Blues Society Challenge. They reached the top of the mountain in 2020 at the International Blues Challenge to become an elite Blues Challenge Finalist. Don’t miss an opportunity to see the CCB “LIVE” and in the flesh. Do your Soul a favor and feed it some hot Bluesberry Pie with a side order of fresh cut Funk and a tall glass of Soul! The CCB is driven to pump new life into “The Blues” as well as embracing the rich traditional roots of the past.
This year’s Commons Live Music Series is brought to you by the Downtown Development Authority and presented Galloup Forberg Smith Merlo. Thank you to our supporting sponsor Jolt Credit Union and community sponsors 1st State Bank, Dow Credit Union, Oxygen Lounge, Poznak Dyer Kanar Schefsky Thompson PLC, Three Rivers Corporation, and Tri-Star Trust for making this program possible.