A small-town country musician will feel right at home when performing in Okotoks this weekend.
Award-winning singer/songwriter Drew Gregory is performing at the Okotoks Pro Rodeo dance Aug. 27.
Gregory is no stranger to the rodeo scene - having performed some of his first gigs at small-town rodeos and dances.
This weekend’s dance begins at 9 p.m. in the Okotoks Recreation Centre curling rink.
“It’s my kind of crowd,” he said. “Before I was playing I was attending all of these rodeos and cabarets. You get to see all your friends and everybody is having a good time and everybody is in a good mood.”
The 2015 Alberta Country Music Male artist of the year said he relates to the small-town crowd, having spent many years playing in town bars, hotels and cabarets.
“Now I get to get up on stage and watch everyone having fun,” he said. “I would rather be on stage than anywhere else.”
Gregory grew up in the small town of Standard, east of Calgary, where he honed his guitar-playing skills in junior high and by high school was performing at gatherings in and around his community.
“We got further and further away from town as word spread,” he said. “The next thing we know we are playing bigger rodeos.”
In 2010, Gregory won best song for Country Hurricane in the Country 105/Lammles Rising Star.
Last spring, he released his latest EP I Was There and the second week of August released the album’s second single All About It, as well as a music video.
Gregory, who now lives in Strathmore, performs with his band across western Canada and toured the east coast last spring.
Gregory performed at Rylie’s Cattle Barn Cookhouse and Saloon three years ago and will return to Okotoks with bandmates Brendan Waters on guitar and keyboard, Jonathan Lagore on guitar, Dallas Clifford on drums and Mike Cann on bass.
“We like to have a lot of fun,” Gregory said. “We’ve been doing this for quite a few years and we know the rodeo kind of crowd. We’ve had a lot of practice at it.”
Gregory said they will play two-stepping music, some originals and cover tunes from the 1990s to today’s country chart toppers.
“We throw some rock and roll in there, too, for a mix of everything,” he said. “It’s a pretty rocking time. We like to get the two guitars going and turn it up as the night goes on.”
Gregory said he really developed his sound last year while working with music producer Jason Barry in Ontario on I Was There.
“Rather than just having the songs ready and going into the studio, he wanted to figure out what I was going after and I took a few trips out there before we put anything down on tape,” he said. “We got a southern rock kind of sound in there while making it country friendly for radio. I’m really happy with how it turned out.”
Gregory said he often writes lyrics that reflect what he is going through in his own life.
“I’ve always tried to keep my songs pretty true to life,” he said. “I find it easy to write about things that happen in my life and pull from my experiences.”
Gregory considers I Was There a reflection on his past, but said a small number of songs look to the future.
That doesn’t mean he’s not looking forward in his career. In fact, Gregory has some big plans.
Following a start in small-town Alberta, Gregory sees himself further growing his fan base beyond his western Canadian fans.
“I want to keep putting out music and just growing to where we can get across Canada – just playing bigger and bigger shows and getting further and further away touring,” he said. “I’ve got to keep putting out music to do that and I love doing that, too.”
Tickets to see Drew Gregory perform at the Okotoks Pro Rodeo dance cost $10 and can be purchased at the door.
