Guest Artists

	PETE HICKS - Pete is Alberta's Encyclopedia of Country Music. He has forgotten more than most of us ever knew about country music. Born in the Peace River country, Pete began his radio career at CFGP in Grande Prairie, Alberta. After his stint there, he moved to CKYL in Peace River and CKSA in Lloydminster before settling at KGA in Spokane, Washington. In addition to radio work, Pete spent some time touring the local countryside with a 5-piece band and trying his hand at songwriting. After 17 years in the States, Alberta decided to reclaim her own and CFCW lured him home. Pete has been with CFCW for 29 wonderful years and is heading into his 15th year with his ever popular "Classic Country" show. During this time, Pete put his dulcet tones to work and picked up his writing stick again to pen enough songs to fill his first full album, "Stories" which was shortly followed by a second album"Home Is You." Pete's ever ready smile and warm handshake are in evidence wherever he goes. His dedication and ability were honoured in 2003 when he won the coveted "Bev Munro Award."
	JIMMY ARTHUR ORDGE - Jimmy was born and raised in the Donalda area where he started picking and playing for school house dances. Jim moved to Edmonton in his teens and was a regular on "Old Dad Taylor's Jubilee Jamboree." Jimmy did shows and dance jobs around the area and in the early 50's, he started doing radio and television shows. While playing a club in Whitehorse, he met Al Oster who wrote Jimmy's first hit, "Irena Cheyene." "Irena" won him his first Moffat Award. Jim's other big hits include "Muk Tuk Annie" and "Hershel's Hemi Half-ton." When country music hit a decline for a few years, Jimmy diversified and bought himself a business that keeps him busy when not entertaining. Jimmy continues to entertain folks with "That Voice" in the the traditional country style that hasn't changed in the last four decades and is often a guest artist for the Alberta Country Music Legends touring throughout Alberta.
	STEWART MACDOUGALL - Guest musician; following excerpted from Stewart's website biography: "For over twenty-five years Stewart MacDougall has been one of Alberta's busiest and most diverse musicians and songwriters. Before persuing a solo career in 1997 he was best known for his work with Laura Vinson, k.d. lang, Ian Tyson, and Great Western Orchestra. His songs have been recorded by all of these artists and a number of others including Randy Travis, One Horse Blue, Crystal Plamomdon and Sneezy Waters. His discography includes three solo albums, Gathering Time, heresay and Ghost Trains."
	CALVIN VOLLRATH -Calvin is a world-class fiddler and represents Canada internationally. In August of 2001, Calvin was a feature performer at the Closing Ceremonies of the World Track & Field Games in Edmonton Alberta. Since his participation at the 2000 World Music Expo (WOMEX) in Berlin Germany, Calvin has toured several European countries. From 1994-1996, he was musical director for Hank Smith & Wild Rose Country while touring Europe. Calvin has recorded with the likes of Ian Tyson, George Fox, Colleen Peterson, Laura Vinson to name a few and still very much in demand as a studio musician for various Canadian artists and film and television productions. Calvin has appeared on many television shows including CTV’s "Sun Country" featuring Ian Tyson, CTV's "Number I West" featuring Brian Sklar and was the music director for CBC's "Native Nashville North." CBC’s "Adrienne Clarkson Presents" aired a documentary on metis fiddle music featuring Calvin Vollrath and John Arcand. Calvin is a pleasure to watch on stage, his love for music is contagious and he can bring an audience to their feet. As one lady said after a Calvin Vollrath performance, “If I don’t go to heaven when I die, I’ve been there tonight” and another remarked “If you can’t dance to that, you better check your pulse”.
	LUCILLE STARR - The first female inducted into the Canadian Country Music Association’s "Hall of Honor" (1967), Lucille Starr, born in St. Boniface, Manitoba, began singing while living in Vancouver. She released several singles that met with modest success on the North American West Coast and in 1963 she and partner Bob Regan recorded a 45 rpm called "The French Song" reported to have sold in excess of six million copies, earning one platinum and five gold records. It was a huge international success that made her the first Canadian female artist to sell a million copies taking her from near obscurity to the world stage, touring the United States, the Pacific Rim, Australia, South Africa, and across Europe where she became a particular favorite in the Netherlands. As well, she sang on the Louisiana Hayride and television shows such as Shindig! and Hullabaloo and did the yodeling for Aunt Pearl in “The Beverly Hillbillies.” In 1967, she signed with Epic Records and has enjoyed a long and prosperous career recording in English, French and Spanish.
	"PAPA" JOE KOZAK - Born in Edmonton in 1936, Joe began his musical career in his teen years on the radio. He had his own band and toured the local Edmonton area. In 1957, he toured Canada from coast to coast with the "Wilf Carter Show" and opened for the "Grand Ole Opry" shows in the local area, winning first place in the 1959 Grande Ole Opy Talent Contest. On Banff Rodeo Records, Joe recorded 2 LP's and 4 singles which were released internationally. He also performed on television on "The Chuckwagon Show," "The Noon Show" and CTV's cross-Canada "Barn Dance" program. In 1963, Joe opened the first dedicated recording studio in the area and remained in operation until 1991. In 1974, he recorded with Royalty Records and has been continually active in country music for more than 55 years.
	R. HARLAN SMITH & CHRIS NIELSEN - In 1979, top Canadian country singers R. Harlan Smith and Chris Nielsen decided to augment their solo careers by recording a duet album. The first single, “Stolen Moments” quickly moved up the charts to attain the #1 position on October 27, 1979. Not long afterward, on December 15, 1979, the album reached the #6 position on the Top 25 Country Albums in Canada. The momentum continued, with several more singles reaching high national chart positions. Chris & Harlan were nominated for several awards in both the Big Country Awards (the forerunner to the CCMA Awards) and the Juno Awards. The Country Music Association of Calgary gave Chris & Harlan the award for Duo of the Year in 1988. Although Chris & Harlan do not often perform live, they have just recently recorded two new songs, “Outta Here” and “Loving You Loving Me”. Partly from a historical point of view, but also because the pair continues to receive calls for their duets, Royalty released a CD titled “Stolen Moments” (Check out the "Links" page for the Royalty Records link.)
	HARRY RUSK - Harry is a full blooded Indian from a remote Indian Village of Khantah River, which is 100 miles east of Fort Nelson, BC. He is a member of the Slave Indian Treaty Band in Ft. Nelson. Harry developed a huge interest in Hank Snow’s music and began to sing and play the guitar; he has played dances and shows all over Canada and the U.S . Harry has appeared on most of the top country music radio and television shows in Canada and many in the United States including Hawaii. One of Harry’s most cherished achievements was to perform on the Grand Ole Opry’ in Nashville Tennessee. His good friend Hank Snow is one of the people who he credits with being instrumental in his pursuing his dreams. You will hear Hank Snow in his songs as he pays tribute to his long time hero. The Alberta Country Music Legends are proud he is a part of our show.
	Watch for more bios and photos coming soon on other guest artists who have appeared with the "Alberta Legends" group!