Raised in Germany and Ottawa, Raoul Bhaneja was given his first harmonica at age 12 and began listening to James Cotton and Sonny Terry records. The frontman, vocalist and harmonica player for Raoul and the Big Time, which was formed in 1998, he also maintains a busy career as an actor. The other band members are Darren Gallen, guitar, Terry Wilkins, replacing former member Ka-Cheong Liu on acoustic bass, and Tom Bona, drums. The band has received numerous Maple Blues and Real Blues awards. After playing the Ottawa Bluesfest, the Vancouver Folk Festival, and South Side Shuffle, they made their debut at the Festival in 2011. They have released a handful of records, including Blue Midnight: A Live Tribute to Little Walter (2010).