Gord Bamford headed to Kerrobert on April 22
By Jordan Parker
The Alberta boy is headed to Kerrobert this April, and things are about to get fired up.
Bamford’s Aprill 22, 2023 show is part of the Canadian Dirt Tour, in support of the release of his Fire It Up album. His origin is in Australia, but he grew up in Lacombe, Alberta.
“That whole life and rural lifestyle is definitely embedded in my music. That Western heritage has been an influence, for sure,” said Bamford, who currently lives in Buffalo Lake, Alta with his wife and kids.
Bamford has traveled the world to play his best-selling country music, but this will be his first time playing in Kerrobert.
“Tickets are moving fast and I’m excited to get there. Playing small-town shows is so fun, and we really go all-out. We continue to do the gamut. I cut my teeth doing smaller shows, and find them the most enjoyable,” he said.
“To bring a show like this to a small community makes it so intimate. Especially playing in western Canada, it means I can work on the weekends and be home as well. We have a busy life and three kids, and I love to do both.”
In fact, he cares about small towns so much he does Small Town Concerts, a program where organizations can either book him and receive the cash from the bar, fundraisers at the concert, and more, or they can buy a show, and receive revenue from ticket sales.
“When we came out of COVID, we were just looking for ways to play. The truth is, all communities were hit. Whether it was agriculture societies, rotaries, the kinsman or more, fundraisers needed to happen,” he said.
“We came up with a template to offer across Canada that would allow them the chance to partner with us or purchase shows. We give every angle possible to come to town and held organizations achieve their goals. We’re booked for these until the middle of the next year, and whether it’s a big arena or a small town, I want to make a living doing live music with a great audience.”
Bamford spent time in Nashville, Tennessee, starting in 2003, and soon found comfort and acceptance with a number of artists, with American song-writer and producer Byron Hill beginning to help produce his albums.
“I really loved it there. I started going when I was 19 or 20, and it was amazing. I moved there for a short time and worked in the U.S. market. But it didn’t feel perfect for our whole family,” he said.
“We wanted to raise them in western Canada, and we’re happy with our decision. But Nashville was great for my career, and from the music and sports to the food, Nashville is an amazing place.”
Bamford has put out nine albums in 20 years, with Fire It Up set for release. He’s been lauded at the Junos and by the Canadian Country Music Awards, and hits like “Is It Friday Yet?”, “Leaning On A Lonesome Song”, “Day Job”, “Dive Bar” and more have reverberated on radios throughout the country.
He released his first single – “One Hearbeat From Heaven” – from new album Fire It Up in January 2023, and is snow prepping for the new release.
“The reception to the single has been very positive. But the music industry has changed, and getting on radio is tougher. It’s amazing to hear I’m still impacting people,” he said. “The song got the most attention on social I’ve ever received, and it touched some heartstrings. It’s also a great live song as well. I’m so happy people are connecting to the single.”
The COVID-19 pandemic saw Bamford working hard on new music, and he had a lot to choose from for the album.
“We spent a lot of time weeding through songs, deciding what to keep and what to cut. It was tricky to put together,” he said. “But I hope we have a good set of songs, and we have so much new material to tour with.”
He’s been across Canada and in Australia twice this year, and is so happy to be on a big tour that includes Kerrobert.
“This is just exciting for everyone on the tour. I’ve had the same band and crew for a decade. We can’t wait to come play and do what we love. I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said.
Gord Bamford will play the Prairieland Community Centre on April 22, 2023. To get your tickets, visit https://www.showpass.com/gord-bamford-canadian-dirt-tour-kerrobert-sk/?gclid=CjwKCAjw5pShBhB_EiwAvmnNV4dqNnx1BfLOUF_J_kuiC0rQZq_3CJdqZ52wCIieqpkTShLRZyZjVxoCbBoQAvD_BwE/