The New Chinook Arch Riders with Tracy Millar, John Wort Hannam and Ian Oscar. Performers of The Gift: The Words & Music of Ian Tyson.--Photo courtesy Peter North
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Medicine Hat will have its turn to host the acclaimed production The Gift: The Words & Music of Ian Tyson on Sept. 20 at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre. The show is a tribute to the music artist Ian Tyson and his musical career spanning six decades.
The show aims to remind people of the unique career Tyson had in his life and the musical force he was, explains show producer Peter North.
“He sits up there as one of the Canadian artists of a particular era,” says North. “We miss him and we have the highest respect for what he did.”
Tyson passed away at the end of 2022 but his legacy and impact is carrying on in the form of this travelling show and other artists who are talented in their own right, known as the New Chinook Arch Riders. They will be joined by popular radio country artist Tracy Millar and Ian Oscar.
“It feels good to keep the legacy alive,” says folk-roots star John Wort Hannam, who will also be performing with the New Chinook Arch Riders. He also opened for Tyson a couple of times in the past.
The show is a draw for fans of Tyson and lovers of roots music. It has been featured in many events and festivals that showcase folk and country music over the years.
The Gift is “a must see show for all fans of Ian Tyson,” according to CKUA broadcaster Allison Brock, who was quoted in a press release and who hosts the popular Wide Cut Country program.
Audiences can expect to see representation of the various phases of Tyson’s music career, from his folk-singing and country rock days to his hardcore honky-tonk years and onto his cowboy culture catalogue including “Lost Herd” and “Cowboyography.”
“The challenge that’s always there is to keep the bar where Ian set but with this band it’s not a difficult challenge to meet,” says Stewart MacDougall, lead band member.
“Everything about The Gift is top-drawer and the singing and the vocal arrangements are simply delicious,” says Cindy McLeod, the producer of the Calgary Blues Festival in a press release.
“The songs are brilliant and iconic, and it’s such a privilege to play them with musicians who had a hand in creating Ian’s body of work,” says Hannam. “He was a very giving person, he came out and listened to my soundtrack which he really didn’t need to do.”
Patrons at the Esplanade can expect to see Someday Soon, Summer Wages, Alberta’s Child, Navajo Rug, Four Strong Winds and Some Kind of Fool, alongside deep album tracks such as La Primera, Cowboy Pride, MC Horses, Casey Tibbs, Elko Blues and of course, The Gift.
“The Gift is also a celebration of something uniquely Canadian,” says Hannam as he acknowledges how privileged he was to know Tyson beyond the most popular songs. “Ian is an iconic Canadian songwriter.”
Tickets for The Gift can be purchased at tixx.ca with more information at esplanade.ca.
“It’s a really authentic show,” says North.
