It is a perfect time to be a fan of country music in London.
Gord Bamford kicked off the final few days of the Canadian Country Music Awards with a free concert right outside Budweiser Gardens. Bamford and a plethora of other incredibly talented country artists hit the stage for 5 and a half hours in a tribute to The Tragically Hip.
Thousands of fans joined the fun on a beautiful evening on the tail end of an exciting week.
This is the third time Gord has brought his talents to the Forest City, and was a crowd favourite. Earlier in the day he visited a local Children’s Hospital and put on a show.
The Australian-Canadian singer Emceed and played his hits to the enjoyment of the crowd.
Other Canadian country singers who took the stage included Kira Isabella, Jojo Mason, Jason Benoit, Jesse Mast, Chris Buck Band and Lindsay Ell.
Many songs from the Canadian legends The Hip echoed on Talbot street, although with an added
country twang. The artists covered a few of The Hips major hits, and they sounded great.
The combination of Canadian rock icons and Canadian country up and comers created an interesting mix of fans enjoying the pro bono show.
Sarah said there’s no better night for her, being able to enjoy the two things she loves the most; country music and The Tragically Hip.
“I just wanted to see some good country music….we’re here to hear some good Hip music.”
The Tragically Hip’s terminally ill singer Gord Downie has announced he will release a solo album and a graphic novel next month.
The CCMA’s end on Sunday night with many artist’s hoping to pick up some hardware.