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BIO
As lead vocalist
and bassist of iconic Canadian country roots band Prairie Oyster,
deCarle is no stranger to awards and accolades. Over their career
the 2008 CCMA Hall of Honour inductees have racked up an impressive
list of JUNO and Canadian Country Music Awards, gold and platinum
selling records and number one singles. As a songwriter deCarle has
also been honoured with two SOCAN Song of the Year Awards. Once in
1994, for Prairie Oyster’s first number one single ‘Such A Lonely
One’, and then again in 2008 for ‘One Way Track’, his co-write with
Canadian folk legend, Willie P. Bennett.
For some artists the urge to make a solo record asserts itself almost as soon as they start to gain attention as part of a successful band – sometimes even before they, or their audience, truly know who they are. Not so for deCarle. “For decades people have been asking for a solo record,” he says, “but I never thought I was ready and the band always satisfied the musical part of my life.”
What finally got him fired up enough to strike out on his own in the studio was spending some quality time alone with his acoustic guitar. Although he’d initially intended to weight Under the Big Big Sky more heavily in favour of covers than original material, the more he played and wrote, the more he found himself falling naturally into a style that marked a definite, if unintentional, departure from his past work.
As much as
Under the Big Big Sky may represent a new beginning for deCarle,
it’s not a conscious effort to shake off the label of ‘country
singer’, but a natural extension of his talents as both a
songwriter and interpreter. “I’ve always thought of myself as a
singer, not just a country singer. I’m a music lover first and
foremost – a product of all the stuff I’ve ever listened to –
and my tastes are very broad. To me this is a torchy, bluesy
record more than anything else. It’s certainly a product of
where I came from musically.”
Russell deCarle's tour includes Steve Briggs, of the Bebop Cowboys, on guitar and vocals. Also performing with Russell will be keyboardist Denis Keldie, who will be playing the accordion.
Reviews
Links
Tracks and info on
Links to tracks are available on on Russell's web site or on iTunes
Videos on Russell's web site
Web Site
Russell deCarle's Web Site
Tickets
Tickets for the Russell deCarle Concert are $30. No additional taxes or surcharges.
Tickets are available at the Bragg Creek Centre Office or by calling 403-949-4277.
You can also
buy tickets online ...
