Well it was sure cold for a while there, it is nice to know the days are getting longer.  We had a great time with our Cowboy Christmas season in December.  Riverton, MB, you sure know how to have a good time.  It was great to be a part of such a well run event for such a great cause.  The dance floor  was packed all night long, and we were honoured to share my songs with you.  It was also nice to get a chance to see some old friends at the Christmas Cowboy poetry Gathering out in Brandon.  It was a great opportunity to catch up with some old friends.  I spent  a bit of time with Ed Brown out there.  If you haven’t picked up his critically acclaimed “Cowboy Collaboration”, I would definitely recommend it.  On this disc, he teamed up with Cowboy Poet extraordinaire B J Smith.

Well, as we move on into the new year, we are looking forward to an exciting summer with events being finalized across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.  If you are at any of the major rodeos on the Prairies this summer, be sure to check the band schedule.  We would love to have you two-stepping the night away.

In the near term , we are firming up some dates in Winnipeg for this spring, as well, just confirmed today, I will play solo acoustic at Country Dining in Grunthal, MB on January 22.  All you folks from Steinbach who have been asking for a show out there…well here you go.

Hope the new year holds may great surprises for you.

Snow has finally fallen in my neck of the woods, and suddenly it is beginning to look a lot more like Christmas.  Typically the first weekend of July is what is known as Cowboy Christmas because of the number of rodeos and the amount of prize money that is available on both sides of the border.  This week is carefully planned to hit as many events as possible.  It isn’t July, but after the normal performing slowdown of September, October and November, I am thrilled to get down to business for the next two weekends where I get to hang out with some old friends at Rocky Ridge Ranch and out in Brandon at the Cowboy Christmas.  We are also excited for the band to make their debut appearance in Riverton, MB.  I am very excited to be a part of the fundraiser to help buy instruments for the band.  If you are in Steinbach, Riverton or Brandon in the next few weeks, be sure to stop in and share some Christmas Cheer.

We are currently finalizing the plans for shows this spring and the Prairie Wind Tour we are planning out west in July.  I will keep you up to date.  Hope to see you in the next few weekends.

“Intriguing Dichotomy”

I will take that anyday of the week from an 11 time Juno Award winning songwriter.  Thank you CBC, Rich Terfry and of course Mr. Murray McLauchlan for taking the time to share some music from the Prairies…now if we can only get that disc to spin a few times.

I am a little nervous to say that CBC Radio 2 has contacted me in the last few days to let me know one of my songs will be reviewed on air today, November 11 between 4 and 5 local time across Canada.  11 time Juno award winner Murray McLauchlan will be reviewing the lyrics to the song Land That I Love.  McLauchlan has received the Order of Canada, and holds the bragging rights to writing one of the most played songs in Canadian History.  It is an honour to have someone like this critique a song I have written, but I admit that I am nervous as to what he has to say…as the rest of Canada will be listening to his remarks.

Be sure to tune in to 98.3 FM (Winnipeg) between 4 and 5 to hear what a real legend has to say.  Here’s hoping for the best.

Stampede 2010

On a crisp November morning, I am contemplating all that has happenned in the last few weeks.  I have been fairly exhausted with work trying to coordinate a return the Wild Rose country this summer.  I have been approached by the Western Heritage arm of the Calgary Stampede to return for a performance in July of 2010.  I am thrilled to accept this offer, not only for the excitement of the Calgary Stampede, but also for the stage in which I am honoured to perform on.  The Western Heritage Stage celebrates real cowboy culture and heritage.  I have the opportunity to share this stage with cowboy poets like BJ Smith, who humours his audience with events that have really happend.  He crafts these experience into a format that carry on a story tellers tradition, and have people laughing and applauding his work.  This stage doesn’t get the notariety of the dance hall stages, but it aligns so much with where my heart lies in cowboy music. 

We are currently coordinating a tour through Saskatchewan (including my favorite area, Maple Creek) and Alberta.  Unlike last year, I am looking at bringing out the band with me this year.  We are looking at many rodeos and country fairs during this span of a week and a half.  If you live in these areas, check the program and check us out.

Cowboy Country

I was throughly honoured to have my CD reviewed by Hugh Mclennan in the most recent issue of Canadian Cowboy Magazine.  This is a magazine that celebrates the Canadian West, and people who have left their mark in our history.  I was thrilled to be a part of an issue that runs so close to the CFR, as well I was excited, to see Jim Peace’s album Circle Rider reviewed alongside my own.  I met Jim this past summer when I performed out in Cochrane, AB.  I have enjoyed this album, as well as discs by Matt Robertson and Allen Christie.  It has been great to make some friends out West.  Please click here to read the review in Canadian Cowboy Magazine, and if you don’t already, subscribe to this great magazine.  You won’t regret it!

Canadian Cowboy Family

Two years ago this February, my wife and I were in a serious roll over coming home from the states with my parents.  It was icy, we lost control, hit the shoulder, and rolled into the ditch.  Thankfully, we were all buckled up, and left hanging upside down from our seatbelts.  We all walked away, but that night we had tickets to see Corb Lund perform with the Hurtin’ Albertans in Winnipeg.  Needless to say, we did not make it to the performance.  Lund’s writing has been a major influence on me over the past number of years. 

Last night we were fortunate enough to see the guys perform at the Burton Cummings theatre.  What a great performance.  My wife and I had a fabulous time enjoying some great music.  After the show, I had a chance to meet Corb, and although I have had many opportunities to meet high calibre musicians, I have yet to find myself star struck.  Here I was searching for words that weren’t coming when finally I was able to say thanks for the music.  His ability to capture real Canadian life and bring it to crowds down in Texas, and even Australia is a testament to who he is, and demonstrates how you can be most successful if you just be yourself.  Lund continues a cowboy tradition that has been passed onto him from his family.  I would love to see an article in an upcoming issue of Canadian Cowboy about the history, legend, and artwork of the Lund family.

ps – the show was made that much more memorable, when we found ourselves sandwiched in between guitarist extraordinare Grant Siemens’ parents and older brother with his wife.  Grant was born in Alberta, but is proud to have been raised in Manitoba.  As it turns out, his family has roots very close to where my wife and I now live.  Mr. and Mrs. Siemens, thank you so much for the conversation.  I wish you safe travels as you follow the band on this current run across the Prairies.

Tour Updates

As the summer approaches, I will have updates on where you can find us playing on the Prairies.

Well, as my friend Allen Christie writes, “Those Calgary lights look good in my rear view”.  Time seems to have flown much faster over the last few months.  It feels like years since we were east bound on number 1 heading out of Wild Rose country.  We were on stage at the Stampede in Calgary from 12:30 – 1:30, then we were rushed to our waiting caravan, and put the hammer down.  We arrived in Selkirk, MB an hour before we hit the stage.  It seemed like we were always moving, and always playing.  What a great feeling that was.  Pincher Creek was as far as we got West this year, but we made a lot of new friends in a lot of new towns.

August came and went with the local horse events that are quickly becoming a tradition every summer.  It is so much fun getting back to basics in Sundown.  Campfire, flatdeck stage, and mosquito coils.  Holly and the gang were two stepping all night long.  As much fun as it is to travel and meet new people, it is really fun playing back at home…”where they know you by name, and treat you like family”.

We have already seen interest in bookings for next summer, so hopefully a few that didn’t work out this year, will work out next. During the winter months however, like all musicians from the Flatland, we hibernate in basements, and work on writing more great tunes.  This winter, Adam Young and I plan to do a lot of writing together.  As well, we will finish up his bluegrass CD, and maybe we’ll line up a few tag-team shows in the summer.

It was a sad day this past Saturday, as I sold my horse Willie.  I was just too busy during the summer to put the time on him that he needed.  In the spring, I will be looking for a new horse, ideally 15 years old.  If you know of anyone who is wanting to semi-retire a horse, let me know.  The hardest part about letting Willie go, was the words written by Matt Robertson that just seem to echo in my head: “there’s and old roan horse, with his head hanging low, standing tied to a trailer at the rodeo.  He’s battle marked, and saddle scarred, loved just a little, and ridden to hard”.

I’ll miss you Willie.

Well it has been quite a busy summer for us here at the Rafter B.  From Pincher Creek to Maple Creek, Calgary to Selkirk, we have covered many miles and are only half done.  What an honour it was to be featured at the Calgary Stampede this year alongside fabulous artists like BJ Smith.  There is something special about this legendary event and you can feel it as soon as you enter the gate.  Not to be outdone, events in Maple Creek and Pincher Creek were special in their own way.  Check out the Canadian Cowboy video from the Pincher Creek Gathering.  What a great experience this was.

Adam Young will be representing us down in Nashville at the end of the month as he meets with some high end bluegrass pickers.  We are currently booking into September and October.  Maybe we’ll see you down the road.

It has been 4 years in the making, and it is with great excitment that I am able to announce the release of my debut cowboy country music CD.  I was honored with the privaledge of working with musician extraordinaire Carl Strempler, and Juno Award winning Jordan Jackiew on this project.  The release of this album has allowed me to book performaces all across the Prairies this summer,  and is now available for purchase on my website, and very shortly, on itunes.

The process from start to end lasted over a year, with a few holiday breaks along the way.  The album features 11 original songs that I have written over the last few years with a noticible influence of the Moonlight Rides I host at Miracle Ranch near Oakbank, MB.  In total, I had written about 25 songs, with the top 11 making the cut.

Far and away, my favorite tune on the album is track 1 titled “Legacy”.  There was a time when I didn’t even know if I would put it on the album but I felt it really captured the voice of the album, and as we started to record it, I knew it was a good decision.  It was my wife that suggested to put it as the openning tune.  I was leaning towards the title track “Alone Under the Stars”, but after her suggestion I agreed it was a great way to introduce the album, especially considering that I so often find myself entertaining around a campfire.

Speaking of campfires, I don’t think there are many other places I’d rather be than sitting around an open flame, playing my flattop, telling stories and talking horses.  Maybe I’ll see you at a campfire…see you down the trail.

 

-M

Mike standing with Calgray Stampede and NFR Bronc Riding champ Mr Ivan Daines

Ivan Daines at Horse 3

What a great weekend.  I performed this past weekend at an event called Horse 3.  It was put on by the Keystone Centre in Brandon, MB and boy did they do a good job.  The event focused on horsemanship and had many great clinicians from as far away as Arizona, and California, and as close to home as the Thunderbird Horse Centre just outside of Brandon.  With three clinicians speaking at any one time in the three different areas, it was hard to decide on what to see.

I was invited to entertain the cowboys and cowgirls on Saturday night in the Cowtown Corral.  As it was a very “cowboy” crowd, I knew I would spend a lot of time playing cowboy songs.  I anxiously anticipated the oportunity to play songs by Corb Lund, Ian Tyson, and George Strait alongside my very own tunes.

The highlight of the event for me, was when 1976 NFR Agrigate Bronc Ring Champion, Ivan Daines, asked me if he could share a few songs on my guitar.  The very classy Daines donned my 1971 Yamaha workhorse, and shared songs by John Denver, George Strait and Ian Tyson.  I was truly honoured when he complimented my singing, and playing, but the real topper was when he examined my guitar a little closer.  I informed him of the make and the model, and his response: “I think this was what Chris Ledoux played when we used to go down the road together”.  He also informed me that he liked the way I played his friend Corb Lund’s tunes.

Upon reflection of this gig I felt very fulfilled.  As a cowboy siger, there is no greater honour than to have a Canadian Rodeo Hall of Famer say “I like your singing, and your playing…let’s sing one together”.

Throughout my performing career I have had the honour of working with some really amazing musicians, but I will always cherish the opportunity I had to share my guitar with Mr. Ivan Daines…

…”and when the credits roll a sad song starts to play, this is when the cowboy rides away” (Sonny Throckmorton / Casey Kelly – as performed by George Strait)

 

PS – if you are ever in Brandon in April, make sure you check out Horse 3.  Your horse will be glad you did.

It is with great excitement that I share this news. Just this past week, I was able to confirm my second trip to Alberta this summer. From June 18-21, I will be in Pincher Creek performing at the Pincher Creek Cowboy Poetry Gathering, along with a few other venues to be announced later. Also, this past week I was able to complete the arrangements to perform at the Calgary Stampede…twice. On July 9th, I will perform at the Western Heritage Pavilion at 7:30 pm, and on July 10th, I will perform at the Western Heritage Pavilion, this time at 12:30 pm. I will update my tour schedule as more performance come available. We are driving from Landmark, so I will try and book a few performances on the way there, and on the way home. It is still months away, but this summer looks like it will be really busy. Stay tuned for more updates.