Thursday,
May 26, 2005
The Halifax Herald Limited
Canyon
returns
Busy country star makes Valley stop
By GORDON DELANEY / Valley Bureau
George Canyon, shown in New Glasgow in April 2004, will be
honorary parade marshal in the 73rd Annapolis Valley Apple
Blossom Festival beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday. He'll also
play Horton Musicfest, starting at 5 p.m. at the Old Horton
High School, East Field, Highway 101, Exit No. 11 Greenwich.
Greenwich
- With two hit singles, several music awards and performances
with some of country music's best known stars, you'd think
George Canyon could name a few highlights from the whirlwind
of the past few months.
But
he's had so many extraordinary experiences since his second
place finish on Nashville Star catapulted his career into
high gear, that it's hard to pick just a few.
"We'd
need about five or six hours to do that," the Pictou
County country star joked in a telephone interview from Nashville
on Wednesday.
"There
are just so many things that I've gotten to do. It's unbelievable.
Every thing I'm doing right now is a highlight."
Canyon
just made his 10th appearance on Nashville's Grand Ole Opry,
where he has performed with Vince Gill, Bill Anderson and
several of country music's biggest names. "I'm counting,
in case they don't let me come back," he added.
"Willie
(Nelson) I think, was one of the biggest highlights in getting
to meet other artists who are basically heroes," he said
in between meetings with Nashville agents, plans for a video
and preparing songs for a new album.
Since
Nashville Star, the 34-year-old singer has had two hit singles,
won three East Coast Music Awards, including entertainer of
the year, and a Juno award for best country recording.
He
just finished an Ontario tour with Carolyn Dawn Johnson and
this summer will open several shows for Tim McGraw.
"I'm
just so lucky to get to be surrounded by such great people
in this business. I'm really looking forward to doing the
McGraw shows."
He
said he'd like to spend more time home in Nova Scotia, especially
with his wife and two kids, but that's not likely to happen
for a while. "It's just right now we're coming right
into the busy time. Really, the peak season (for concerts
and music festivals) is about to hit."
Canyon
is looking forward to returning to Nova Scotia this weekend,
even though it's only for a day.
He'll
be honorary parade marshal in the 73rd Annapolis Valley Apple
Blossom Festival parade beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday. And
later that night he'll join East Coast performers The Trews,
Dave Gunning and Signal Hill for Horton Musicfest at the Old
Horton High School in Greenwich.
"I'm
really looking forward to that. It'll be a blast," he
said. "I was really surprised because initially I was
invited to be the parade marshal and that was it. And then
when we got the call that they wanted me to do a show, it
was real nice."
But
he won't be sticking around for long - he'll fly out Sunday
morning.
So
when does he have time to write music? "I write pretty
much daily. When I'm in Nashville, if I'm not in meetings,
I'm with another writer."
He
said he and his band are looking forward to Saturday's show.
"I always look forward to performing. It doesn't matter
how big the crowd or venue or anything." Doors open at
4 p.m. The concert will go on rain or shine.
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