George Canyon 11/05: George Buza
Canyon’s Christmas: Pictou County cowboy gets into the holiday spirit with a CMT special and his first CD of seasonal tunes
Thurs. Nov 24, 2005
By ANDREA NEMETZ Entertainment Reporter
CHRISTMAS, George Canyon says emphatically, is his favourite season.
And come Dec. 25, the country singer with the deep voice and the classic cowboy good looks will be back on his ranch in Southern Alberta eating turkey and wife Jennifer’s special shortbread cookies, hanging out with son Kale, 7, and Madison, 5, around the Christmas tree the family has picked out on a journey up the mountain with some of their five horses.
But before the jolly holiday arrives, the Pictou County native will get to spend some time with Nova Scotia friends when he visits the province as part of a 25-city Christmas tour that began in Yorkton, Sask. on Nov. 19 and wraps up Dec. 21 in Duncan, B.C.
Pictou County singer-songwriter Dave Gunning (a buddy from West Pictou District High School) is the special guest for all shows.
While all shows except in Port Hawkesbury and Glace Bay are sold out, those who miss the handsome star live can catch him on TV in the one-hour George Canyon’s Christmas debuting on CMT at 9 p.m. Friday. The show, which also features rising country star Julie Roberts, folk singer Gunning and hockey great Doug Gilmour, will be rebroadcast on CMT on Dec. 10 at 11 p.m., Dec. 14 at 9 p.m., Dec. 20 at 6 p.m., Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 25 at 6 p.m.
Fans can also catch Canyon on Canada AM on CTV on Nov. 30 and on the Christmas Daddies telethon on CTV Dec. 4 from 11 a.m. to noon.
Or they can pick up his newest album, George Canyon, Home for Christmas, with six old-fashioned favourites and one original seasonal tune.
Both the Christmas special and the Christmas tour are designed more as theatrical productions than traditional variety shows, explains Canyon by phone from southern Manitoba.
He’s just finished his third show of the tour, performing with Gunning and Pictou storyteller John Meir and the lantern-jawed singer says he’s getting more into the Christmas mood with every stop.
"We’re trying to create the feeling like when I was a kid, when we would drop in on friends to exchange presents, tell stories and drink eggnog."
Canyon was worried that kids would get bored by the traditional concert format of one song after another so he tried a non-traditional approach when putting together the concert tour.
"I wanted to create something the whole family could go to where they’d be entertained as much by the stories as the songs."
And the songs aren’t just Christmas tunes. Canyon is incorporating old country songs and his own compositions.
"We wanted all the music."
The Christmas special, which was filmed over three months in the summer in Toronto and Nashville, has a similar format with 10 holiday songs interwoven with the story of Canyon trying to make it home in time for Christmas. It features actors Neil Crone and George Buza as well as a cameo appearance by Gilmour.
"Doug Gilmour is a really nice guy," says Canyon, of the Toronto Maple Leafs star.
"My dad and I used to watch Doug play on Hockey Night in Canada," recalls Canyon, who also played hockey growing up.
Gunning was Canyon’s first call for the show. And Canyon and his wife believe that Nashville’s Roberts has one of the best voices in country music today.
"She flew up and played a few shows and was really gracious."
Canyon is gracious himself when talking about the past 18 months in which he vaulted to public attention by finishing as runner-up in the Nashville Star contest in 2004 then followed it up by winning three East Coast Music Awards, including the fan-voted entertainer of the year, rising star of the year and country recording of the year for his album One Good Friend.
The 35-year-old entertainer also won the Juno for best country album in April and four Canadian Country Music Awards in September, including fan’s choice as entertainer of the year, male artist, single and songwriter of the year for My Name, co-written with Cape Breton’s Gordie Sampson.
"I’m still in shock," he says modestly. "I can’t believe it’s all happening the way it’s happening. The Lord has blessed us in so many ways."
He also toured Western Canada with country superstar Tim McGraw this fall. McGraw and his wife Faith Hill spent time with the Canyons.
"Their girls played with our kids. They’re just wonderful people," Canyon enthuses.
Family is his focus.
In fact, the album seems geared for the younger set with spirited versions of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Away in the Manger and Frosty the Snow Man, setting off gorgeous takes on classic hymns What Child Is This and Silent Night. Santa’s on His Way rounds off the collection, which was produced by Canyon himself and recorded in Calgary.
"I’m such a fan of Christmas music, there were 20 to 25 songs I wanted to include, but I picked the ones I felt I needed to record, and hopefully next year I’ll cut the next."
© George Canyon
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