Last night Lisa and I (as guests of Pee Wee/Ed) went to a George Canyon concert here in Whitby. Ed now is part of the George Canyon band and having the time of his life. He is 'poppa pee wee' to them.
Sheryl from CA was also there as she's been in Toronto for a week or so.!
The event was at the local dinner theatre which George mentioned they had never played in a venue like it before. There was about 250-300 people/sold out crowd. We had a buffet dinner before the show and waited till 8 when the concert started.
Lisa is a huge fan and I enjoy his music as well. He was second in Nashville Star contest a few years ago and has had a huge career since then. He's won several Canadian music awards and last week at the CCMA's he was given the Humanitarian of the Year award. He's been overseas to entertain the troops and is an honourary colonel in the military.
He has toured with Randy Travis and will be out with Alan Jackson in western Canada for 10 dates in October I believe. He has 6 back up musicians who were great talents. The atmosphere onstage is much easier going than a Lightfoot concert and George is very funny with the band members and audience who were calling out things to him. He's from Nova Scotia so the few folks from there were hootin and hollerin at any mention of back home. Lots of hand clapping, singing along and interaction going on. He had a crowd singalong contest when he sang "Ring of Fire" and he mentioned that he had co-written a song with Richard Marx and he produced his latest cd. He started to sing an old Richard Marx song which the whole place knew and was singing along. So George got his cellphone, called Richard's number and the audience sang on his message machine..lol
Ed was great with us and especially Lisa. He came to our table at intermission and after the show we went back to the green room to meet the band while George was out front signing stuff as people left. Ed took us on a tour of the bus and had the band sign Lisa's cd's and got her a poster as well. AFter George was done with the crowd he came to the green room and we had a few minutes alone with him and Ed for autographs and pics. He's a lovely man and was a bit down because his wife was supposed to be there last night for her birthday but their daughter was ill at home back in Calgary where they live now. He said his family pays the price for the career he has.. Ed was as happy to meet us as we were to finally meet him and we've got backstage passes to any George Canyon concert we can get to. He is having a ball and doesn't miss his corporate job he left to join George. He's a proud grandfather and father and is back playing music and loving it..yay Ed!
I can't thank him enough for being so generous and showing us such a fab time!
http://www.georgecanyon.com/ - George will be in Orillia at the Opera House on December 2.
Pee Wee, Char and Lisa plus George Canyon
