Ok Corral Cabaret & New Country 100.7 Present:
George Canyon Starring Doc Walker and Charlie Major in the Hit After Hit Tour!
Saturday – April 27th, 2019 at the Ok Corral Cabaret
Doors 6:30 PM
Show: 7:20 PM Introducing Manny Blu
ON SALE NOW: www.KelownaTickets.com
Tickets only $55 Advance!
GEORGE CANYON BIOGRAPHY:
At first glance one might rightfully mistake George Canyon as a strong-jawed, rugged-looking actor straight out of a Western movie, silently tending to his cattle and stepping up to fight for what is right when the time comes. Interestingly enough, he IS that.
And so much more.
George Canyon rose to becoming one of Canada’s hottest Country Music stars in the early 2000’s and has won countless accolades and awards, including Juno Awards, CCMA Awards, and ECMA Awards to name a few. He has been inducted into the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame, recorded 12 albums, and was recently presented a certified Platinum Award for his debut album ‘One Good Friend’. With country hits like Just Like You, I Believe in Angels, Drinkin’ Thinkin’, Daughters of the Sun, I Got This, I Want You To Live, Slow Dance and many, many more. He is also highly regarded humanitarian, strong supporter of the military, and, most important, a proud father and devoted husband.
Before the stage lights, awards, and movie gigs, music was always an aspiration for George. But his family, wife Jennifer and children Kale and Madison, came first, so the dream had to be put aside as he worked as a bylaw officer to support them. However, he never gave up hope and in 2004, with Jennifer’s support, George set out to compete on U.S.A. Network’s “Nashville Star”, an American Idol-type show with a country twist. Unsurprising to no one who knew of the talent and passion George held, he was a hit. And while he came very close to winning the show it was clear that he had already won the hearts of country music fans throughout the world.
From there the Nova Scotia native started his career as an international music icon. The appearance on Nashville Star landed him a record contract and his breakout album, 2004’s “One Good Friend” climbed the charts and became certified Gold. The album was also honoured with numerous awards including the Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year, Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA) for Male Artist of the Year and Single of the Year for “My Name”.
His second album, 2006’s Somebody Wrote Love was proof that George was no TV star fluke, becoming certified gold and garnering yet another score of awards, among them a Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year and CCMA Male Artist of the Year, and Single of the Year for the title track of the album. Proving that good things come in threes, George’s 2007 Classics, a self-produced and recorded album that pays tribute to all of the country hits that have inspired him, became an instant hit, earning another gold record. To this day his rendition of “Ring of Fire” is a constant fan favourite during live performances.
Over the years George has also had the privilege of collaborating with fellow talents, a prime example being when he joined forces with multi-platinum pop and rock icon Richard Marx to produce two albums, 2008’s What I Do and 2011’s Better Be Home Soon, the latter of which featured “When Love Is All You Got”, written for George by Marx and the legendary Kenny Rogers. What I Do was an enormous success, going Certified Gold during the first three weeks of release.
In 2016 George a new collaboration was formed with famed BC-based music producer Jeff Johnson for I Got This, from which the title track and the sultry single “Daughters of the Sun” reached top 10 status on the Nielsen BDS and Mediabase country radio charts.
George is so much more than an award-winning musical talent. Helping others has always been a huge priority for him, particularly for children with Diabetes and his work as spokesperson for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
It’s a cause close to Canyon’s heart, starting from when he himself was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes at age of 14. A proud air cadet with ambitions on serving his country, George was told his diagnosis would make his dreams of being a pilot in the Air Force impossible. Fortunately, the story has a happy ending. In 2009, after learning more about what it means to live with Type-1 Diabetes, making adjustments to his everyday diet and lifestyle, and embracing the advancements in insulin pump technology, George blazed the trail for diabetics by passing all the medical tests required to get his pilot’s license.
To celebrate, that year he took to the skies on his own plane for his ongoing project “The Sky’s Not The Limit”, taking George across Canada, hosting inspirational talks and live performances to share with young kids with Type-1 Diabetes that a diagnosis doesn’t mean an end to their dreams. A man who proudly wears his heart on his sleeve, George’s goal for his work with JDRF can be best summed up in his own song (and theme song for JDRF) “I Believe in Angels”: “I pray someday they will see/That they can be anything they want to be”.
In addition to his work with JDRF, George is an ardent supporter of our military, having performed many times for troops overseas and even releasing a moving tribute with the single “I Want You to Live”, which touches on the very heartbreaking fact that in fighting for our country, some of our troops won’t make it back home. The music video for the single features several real soldiers talking about their lives and career, putting faces to the group of people working to make our country safe.
In light of his ongoing support for our military, George was appointed Honorary Colonel for 14 Wing Greenwood Air Force Base in Nova Scotia in 2008 and was also made the first ever Colonel Commandant of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets by The Honourable Peter MacKay, former Minister of National Defense in 2011. He was also a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in honour of his ongoing work with the Air Cadets and other charities. He was also recognized by the Canadian Country Music Association with the Humanitarian Award in recognition of his work with JDRF and the Canadian military.
Outside of his music and charitable work, many people might also recognize George as Charlie Wells in the hit television show Heartland, the head forest ranger in Trailer Park Boys, a fighter pilot in Man of Steel, and more recently, the teen idol in the stage adaptation of Grease. George even played Bull Shelton in the Hallmark Channel’s highest-rated original movie “One Starry Christmas”, which featured his character performing the original song “The Ballad of Wild Bill” to viewers throughout North America.
With all that he does, one might think that George doesn’t often have time for anything else, but they would be so very wrong. When asked he will happily admit that being a husband and dad is still his #1 job. Since day one family has been his first priority and is a constant theme in his works, even celebrating his children by recording songs specifically for them, “Madi’s Song” from Somebody Wrote Love and “Just Like You” from What I Do.
Among his many identities, Canyon is also a proud Canadian and huge hockey fan, and roots for his team, the Calgary Flames, for which he currently in his fifth season singing the national anthem during the home games.
Hot off the heels of his 2018 release of ‘Southside of Heaven’, George’s new single ‘Out of This Town’ from his forthcoming EP produced by Scott Cooke (Florida Georgia Line, Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett, Nickelback), is available on all digital platforms on February 22nd and hits radio airwaves March 8. George is also thrilled to hit the road on a National Tour with his “Hit After Hit” Tour 2019 joined by Doc Walker, Charlie Major and newcomer Manny Blu.
It’s almost poetic that a man who wears a single iconic hat would be a man of so many. The identities of talented musician, humanitarian, actor, husband, father, and proud Canadian all make up to form a true legend and a star. And like the heroes in those western movies, George Canyon is doing his bit to make the world a better place.
And we’re all the better for it.
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DOC WALKER BIOGRAPHY:
Country legends Doc Walker release their new album, Weathervane. The first single from the new record, “Heart of the Heartland” pays homage to small town pride across the country.
Produced by Gavin Brown and Dave Wasyliw, and written by Chris Thorsteinson, Dave Wasyliw, Todd Clark, Gavin Slate, the song was inspired by hometown pride, fond memories of youth and continuing to find new inspiration in one’s roots, in this case, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba and Winnipeg, which has long been home for bandmates Dave Wasyliw and Chris Thorsteinson.
“Heart of the Heartland is about all of the lives that were lived, and all of the memories that were created in a now dying town. One man’s connection to the broken concrete and dilapidated structures that harbour the ghosts of his entire childhood, and his unshakable hometown pride,” says bandmate Dave Wasyliw. “In short, Weathervane is the record we’ve always wanted to make. We don’t set out in a specific direction when we start writing for an album. We write, and write, and re-write. Much like a weathervane, it’s almost as if we’ll lick our finger, and hold it to the wind to see if we are on the right track.”
“Weathervane to me is a reflection of the amazingly crazy life I’ve lived. I am one of those guys that never left his home town, yet had the opportunity to travel the world. I’ve seen Canada from coast to coast many times throughout the years staring out the windows of vans, old buses, new buses, trains and planes, and every time I’m shocked by the beauty of our country, but my heart has always been in the Prairies,” says lead singer, Chris Thorsteinson.
With over 20 Top 10 singles in total, Doc Walker is one of the most recognized Canadian country acts of the past two decades. The group has received multiple Canadian Country Music Awards, including Fans’ Choice, Group or Duo of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, Single of the Year, and Country Music Program or Special of the Year. In addition, Doc Walker has been nominated for several JUNO Awards for Country Album of the Year, including a win in 2009 for the album Beautiful Life.
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CHARLIE MAJOR:
He’s more Mellencamp then Merle. His lyrics champion the ‘Blue Collar Hero’ in a manner that resonates of Springsteen and other roots rock legends, but it is in the country music format that Charlie Major finds his home.
Rising to the forefront of the Canadian Music scene in the early to mid-nineties, Charlie had a heyday at radio as he became the first Canadian artist in history to score six BDS #1 hits off of his debut album. Nine more chart topping hits would follow, and Charlie would crisscross the world headlining tours and connecting with his fans at fairs and festivals.
But as the old saying goes “fame comes with a cost” and it wasn’t long before a major US label signed Charlie, moved him and his family to Nashville. The head of the label told Charlie his sound needed to change and become “more country.” The marketing department thought his records might sell better in the US if he appeared on the album cover in a Stetson, and added more fiddles and steel guitars to his edgy songs. What the label did not know was that even though Major might sell out concerts, he was not the type of guy who ‘sells out’ his career. Charlie’s integrity to remain true to his fans, himself and his music was immovable and so he relinquished the dream of the big US record deal and returned to his homeland where he continues to be embraced.
Over a decade later Charlie is as successful as ever, he headlines his own tours and pairs up with the likes of ZZ Top to rock arenas full of fans from coast to coast. He has sold nearly half a million records in Canada alone and won 3 Juno Awards and 7 CCMA’s, but you wouldn’t know it to meet him, and he would not tell you. He wears the cloak of humility, just like the hardworking folks that he represents in his music.
Truly a Canadian legend and one of the accomplished ‘nice guys’ in the game, Charlie would not have it any other way.
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MANNY BLU
Manny Blu, a recent transplant to Nashville, has wasted no time putting himself smack dab in the middle of Nashville’s music scene. However, music wasn’t Manny’s first passion. Hockey, Golf and MMA were where his heart found happiness. Putting his efforts into MMA training for years, he made his amateur debut on Oct 12, 2013. He emerged victorious, although walked away injured and requiring time to rest and recover. Being inspired by none other than BB King during this time off from MMA, Manny picked up the guitar and began learning to play. He had no idea that learning a few chords could dramatically change his career path.
Even though music didn’t come first to Manny, he has a few family ties to it. Manny’s family immigrated to Canada from Italy about a century ago. One of his grandfather’s many jobs was playing clarinet in the local band in Montreal. With the earnings he made from performing, Manny’s grandfather gifted his family with the money so they could start up their cheese business. Even Manny’s mom grew up learning and playing classical piano.
Since his MMA injury and focus shift towards music, Manny has continued writing and performing throughout Canada honing his craft and abilities. Being influenced by the talents of John Mayer, Adam Levine, Jordan Davis, and Sam Hunt Manny continued working on his writing for his debut EP. Eventually, taking meetings and building his network that lead him to relocate to Nashville to work on his new record and build his career.
Once Manny knew the direction of the project and his goals, he decided to create his art at none other than Blackbird Studios where the likes of Alicia Keys, Dan + Shay, Ed Sheeran, Kane Brown, and many other artists have recorded and perfected their sound. With his debut EP coming out in the spring of 2019, you can be sure catch Manny Blu performing these new songs around Nashville and beyond.
Ok Corral Cabaret is BC’s top honky tonk – now 34 years young! Once located out in the middle of fields, dirt roads and orchards, Kelowna quickly grew up around it. Ok Corral Cabaret is known for two stepping, line dancing, live music and some of Canada’s top Country DJs – An entertainment hub for the Okanagan!
