The gates are ready to open to welcome Fort McMurray’s country fans. Country 93.3 is hosting the Wild West Country Music Festival starting at 5:00 tonight.
Today’s lineup includes Friends of Jack, TJ Ruckus Band, Doc Walker and Dean Brody who spoke to Country 93.3 about his latest release Gypsy Road. It includes an acoustic version of “Trail in Life.” Brody says it’s an insight into the production process.
“It’s kind of amazing to think of how it starts out, like just a vocal and a guitar. Or a vocal and a piano and then all of a sudden it becomes this whole other entity when everyone adds their own art to it and you get this big song. And all of a sudden the production just kicks in. So we thought it would be cool just to have an example of how this all starts,” said Brody.
Friends of Jack and TJ Ruckus Band open the show again tomorrow, followed by Tennille, Shane Yellowbird, Dallas Smith and Aaron Pritchet. Smith has seen success in Canada since his 2012 debut, and he rose up the charts with 2013’s “Tippin’ Point EP” which set the record as the fastest Canadian country single to go Gold in history. Smith says the album’s success isn’t enough to please ticket holders.
“I always want to play the new stuff on the new record that people haven’t heard. To leave out a song like ‘If it gets where you wanna go’ or one of the earlier songs out of the set list, yeah I get crap for that. It’s a good problem to have, it’s great,” said Smith.
Organizers say people can bring their lawn chairs and blankets. There is seating available for those who bought VIP tickets. Shuttle buses will be travelling back and forth between festival and the Casman Centre starting at 4:30 p.m. today and 2:30 on Saturday.
Tickets are still available online or at the site on Highway 63 south of Confederation Way, by the Ford dealership.
-with files from Mike Jones
