Juno Award winner and Canadian Country Music Award winner George Canyon brought his acoustic show to the Empress Theatre on Friday.
George Canyon hosted a kitchen party Friday night just like the ones in his home town of Pictou County, Nova Scotia.
The “kitchen” in this case was the Empress Theatre, which was packed with 300 of Canyon’s closest friends.
“When I got the call to come play at the Empress I didn’t even take a breath, I just said yes,” Canyon said of the chance to perform in the historic theatre.
The 51-year-old Juno Award winner and Canadian Country Music Award male artist of the year brought his acoustic show to the Empress Theatre.
Canyon was originally to be accompanied by a bass player, but those plans fell through when the guitarist came down with COVID-19.
That left Canyon on his own for a two-hour show that featured his own songs mixed with covers of hits made famous by people whose work made an impression on Canyon.
Between the songs Canyon told stories about some of their origins as well as events that shaped his life.
The country singer, who ranches west of Nanton, interspersed the music and stories with plenty of self-deprecating humour, creating a comfortable, relaxed setting for himself and his fans.
“This is how I grew up playing, just sitting around the kitchen table at home,” Canyon said.
Canyon opened the show with two Johnny Cash songs, I Walk the Line and Burning Ring of Fire, encouraging the audience to sing along — just like at one of those kitchen parties.
He followed with the first song he wrote with Dean Brody about his horse Chester titled Good Day to Ride.
Canyon continued with his own hits, including Just Like You, Drinkin’ Thinkin’ and Slow Dance.
Canyon told the audience that early in his career people told him he would have to move to the United States if he wanted to be successful.
At one point, he was encouraged to tell people he was from Florida in order to win the Nashville Stars talent contest.
Canyon stuck to his Canadian roots and now calls himself a proud Albertan.
“I came back home to Canada and had a very blessed career and I never had to live in the United States,” Canyon said. “My wife and I are just so grateful for all you fans. Without you . . . we would have had to leave the greatest country in the world.”
Canyon slipped in a few of his new songs that have not yet been recorded, and delighted fans with one he wrote for his wife titled I’ll Never Do Better Than You.
Canyon talked about his faith, his devotion to his family including his wife Jennifer and children Kale and Madison, and his trips overseas to entertain the troops.
He sang two Willie Nelson songs, On the Road Again and Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain, and told about meeting the legend backstage one time.
Canyon talked about the opportunity he had to make guest appearances on shows such as Trailer Park Boys and Heartland, as well as 18 appearances on the Grand Ol’ Opry.
Canyon drew from the play lists of other famous singers such as Johnny Horton (Battle of New Orleans), Waylon Jennings (Just a Good Ol’ Boy) and Canadian star Ian Tyson (Navajo Rug).
Canyon closed out the show with Danny Boy and another nod to Johnny Cash with Folsom Prison Blues.
Canyon, who has four gold records and one platinum to his credit, invited the audience to stop in at his ranch if they’re ever out that way.
“If you happen to be out there, stop by for a coffee,” Canyon said. “And I’m not kidding. We need to get back to community. For too long now we’ve lived inside of our own bubble. My grandparents, and their grandparents before them, everybody depended on each other for something called survival. We need to get back to that.”
“I’m a big believer in taking care of your own and the ones you love, as well as complete strangers if they want to be part of this community as well.”
And if you do stop in, well, who’s to say there won’t be another kitchen party?
