In addition to loving my husband and family I love country music and this weekend we have a fantastic time. Who needs Craven when you have the Carlton Trail Jamboree at Rabbit Lake?
This festival is all Canadian country music. This year was its 24th annual and Maymont joined the crowds.
Next year, who knows who they'll have as they will be celebrating there 25th year. There have been great performer in previous years such as Buddy Know 1989, The Good Brothers 1990, Michelle Wright 1991, Gary Fjellgaard 1993, Prairie Oyster 1997, Julian Austin 1998, Mark Chesnutt and Rick Tippe 1999, Farmer's Daughter 2000, Beverley Mahood 2001, Hot Tamales 2002, Brad Johner and Patricia Conroy 2003, Emerson Drive 2005, Ronnie Prophet 2006, Donny Parenteau 2008 and Johnny Reid. I'm not sure what year Reid performed, but those are just some of the performers who performed over the years.
On stage this year was Charlie Major. Did you know Charlie was born Dec. 31, 1954 in Aylmer, Que? He knew he wanted to be a musician since he was 19 years old. He was blinded in one eye as a result of a pellet gun accident when he was 12. He spent 15 years travelling as far as Spain writing songs and putting country bands together, which eventually led to a record deal with Arista Records. Major released his debut album, The Other Side, in Canada in 1993. All six singles released from the album went to number one on the RPM country chart.
Major has recorded six studio albums and released more than 10 singles. He's won a Juno Award as Country Male Vocalist of the Year for two years in a row (1994 and 1995). He also has five major Canadian Country Music Awards.
At the end of the evening Major had the crowd up and dancing and singing to his music. He was great.
The two young women who make up Bullrush perform a mix of modern country. They entertain with upbeat, high energy show that leaves you singing their songs and going home a little more country.
Also on stage was Rick Morgenstern with his white piano. Morgenstern has entertained audiences from Las Vegas to Europe and throughout the world. There was plenty of laughter from his many characters improvisations. He is an accomplished pianist and recording artist, blessed with a rich baritone voice. Morgenstern is an entertainment professional who delivers.
If you enjoy a variety of music, Trick Ryder is a band to hear. The MC this year was Kelley Bourdages. Congratulations to Bourdages, who lost 230 pounds through surgery. I never would have known it was the same person who performed last year with his band at Rabbit Lake. With an extensive song list ranging from Country to Country Rock to Rock, they are an electrifying toe-tapping band.
Dr. Hook, the old rocker, man still has it at age 75. Ray Sawyer, the spirited, eye patched lead singer of the group Dr. Hook, who's soulful and sometimes comic vocals, fronted the band's breakthrough with the Cover of the Rolling Stone. Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, shortened in 1975 to Dr. Hook, was an American rock band, formed around Union City, New Jersey. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including Sylvia's Mother, A Little Bit More and When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman.
Some of our locals from around the area kept the crowd entertained. The Gardner Family Band from St. Walburg got a standing ovation from the entire crowd even the major performer didn't get a standing ovation. This family was fantastic. The dad had previously been a musician who travelled with bands but now he has his own. Two twin girls, who sing, a daughter who plays bass guitar and sings, a son who is on the drums, wife on keyboard and himself on guitar comprise the band.
And, bless her heart, singing Daddy's Girl with her dad Dallas Shira, was a little girl around six or seven. It brought tears to your eyes. Also performing with Dallas was his mom, so there were three generations in music a grouping. How often you see that?
Also performing as Billy Dean, our own Go-Go dancer. This little one danced all weekendm. Thank you to all the organizers, volunteers and the crowd.
In other news, Cassidy and Katie Serhienko of Maymont, who belong to the Saskatoon 4-H Beef Club, showed grand and reserve grand champion animals at a recent 4-H show in Saskatoon. Cassidy was first in Heavy Weight No. 1. Her animal weighed 1,354 pounds and sold for $6 per pound. Katie's steer was first in Heavy weight No. 2 at 1,402 pounds and sold for $4 per pound. Cassidy also had the grand champion steer in 2011.
