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Canyon's
rise from obscurity still dizzying
Singer-songwriter moved by the efforts of Canadian troops he
performed for in Afghanistan
Peter North, Special to The Journal
Monday, October 02, 2006
EDMONTON
- George Canyon can be excused if he isn't quite past the "pinch
me if this is for real" stage of his career.
Only
four years ago, the singer-songwriter was toiling just a couple
of rungs above obscurity. Since then, he's won so many awards
he could fill, well, a canyon.
Riding
high on the latest honours, Canadian Country Music Awards for
male artist of the year and single of the year for Somebody
Wrote Love, Canyon is in the midst of a major tour of 30-plus
dates that started in Regina a couple of weeks ago.
"At
least I'm coming off of what was a summer that had some relaxing
times with the family," says the bandleader, who grew up
in the Maritimes but has called Alberta home a couple of times
(he currently lives outside Calgary).
Somebody
Wrote Love is cranking out spins nationwide and his latest video
Drinkin' Thinkin', which features a cameo appearance by Bubbles
from TV's Trailer Park Boys, sits in the top 10 on CMT.
"We
go so far back that we actually competed in a Battle of the
Bands in high school," he laughs about his old pal, actor
Mike Smith. "I rubbed it in and reminded him that we won."
Canyon
has a recurring role in the last three episodes of the new season
of the popular Showcase series.
"I
just sat on the set at times with tears streaming down my face
I was laughing so hard."
Canyon's
No. 2 finish in the 2004 finale of the American talent search
show Nashville Star vaulted him onto big stages across the continent
and secured him a major record deal.
Fans
have been able to witness Canyon's evolution as a musician and
entertainer since the much-deserved attention came his way.
The confident, likable artist can be an intense honky-tonker
one moment and a subtly emotional powerhouse the next.
"I'm
pretty amazed with the band we've been able to put together,"
Canyon says of the makeup of the current show.
"There's
seven of us and the crew includes guitarist Stewart Cameron,
the son of John Allen Cameron, and a great multi-instrumentalist,
Justin Clark.
"Dave
Gunning also joins me for a version of the Townes Van Zandt
song Pancho and Lefty which we do like Merle (Haggard) and Willie
(Nelson). I also do a short tribute to Johnny Cash and the Tennessee
Two which goes over well."
Never
one to take all the credit for his success, he gives thanks
to God off the top when accepting an award. Canyon also gives
his camp the high sign for all they've done the past three years.
"We've
really focused on making the career work in this country and
I believe that I shouldn't have to go to the U.S. to make a
living, but that you take advantage of those opportunities when
they come along. The Somebody Wrote Love album is slated for
a stateside release in the spring of 2007."
Canyon,
who dreamed of a career in the air force but couldn't follow
it because he has diabetes, was in Afghanistan this year playing
for Canadian troops.
"That
came at the request of Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay,
who is a friend of mine. We grew up in the same county. I saw
first-hand how Canadian soldiers have saved and changed lives
over there."
Look
for Canyon to talk about that and many more of his exciting
experiences over the past few years in his first major concert
hall appearance in Edmonton as a headliner, tonight at the Jubilee
Auditorium.
CONCERT
PREVIEW
George
Canyon
With:
Dave Gunning
Where:
Jubilee Auditorium
When:
Tonight at 7:30
Tickets:
451-8000, www.ticketmaster.ca
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