Alberta's country music star Gord Bamford is touring Canada in advance of his fifth studio album, Is It Friday Yet (2012 Sony Canada), and lands in Mission on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the Captain's Cabin pub.
The Australian-born country music singer/songwriter moved to Alberta with his mother when he was five years old. It was his mother who encouraged him to go into music and in 2001 he launched his debut album, God's Green Earth, at the age of 24.
Although that endeavor fell flat, in 2003 Bamford began spending time in the heartland of country music, Nashville, Tennessee, writing songs with Steve Fox, Tim Taylor, and Byron Hill. He launched his second album in October, 2004, called Life Is Good, writing or co-writing 10 of the 11 songs on the project.
Bamford followed that up with his third album, Honkytonks and Heartaches (which included Blame It On That Red Dress, his first top 10 hit on the Canadian country singles charts), and Day Job in 2010. The latter album mopped up five Canadian Country Music Association awards out of 15 nominations, including Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, and Humanitarian of the Year.
The humanitarian award comes as little surprise. His efforts through The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation has raised over $800,000 to date and has helped support groups such as Big Brothers and Sisters, Ronald McDonald House, Children's Make a Wish Foundation, along with many regional charities and initiatives.
Bamford's latest album drops March 6, and a preview of Is it Friday Yet is available online.
"It has been a long road to get to where I am today and I am very proud of the team of people that have helped me to this point," said Bamford of his latest album. "It is every artist's dream to play music and do what they love for a living."
Bamford will be at the Captain's Cabin pub in Mission on Feb. 28 and the show gets underway at 7 p.m.