The annual 100 Mile House Cowboy Concert is giving one last ‘yeehaw’ this year, featuring Gary Fjellgaard, Bruce Rolph and Jeremy Willis.
“It’s just a really good family-type entertainment. I know people that haven’t been before that do go wonder why they never have gone before. They love it,” said Mark McMillan, the organizer.
The concert is put on by the BC Cowboy Heritage Society and all the proceeds go towards $500 school scholarships as well as the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Fjellgaard, hailing from Rose Valley, Sask., has released 15 country records since his debut, Me and Martin, in 1976. He has several accolades between his spurts and buckle, including the Canadian Country Music Association Award for Male Artist of the Year in 1989. Other awards include the 1985 Single of the year (Riding on the Wind), SOCAN Song of the Year in 1987 (Heroes) and three awards for collaborations with fellow musician, Linda Kidder, in 1989, 1990 and 1992.
He also won a Juno award in 1993 for Best Country Male Vocalist. He was also nominated for Best Country Group or Duo that year with Kidder but lost to Tracey Prescott and Lonesome Daddy.
In 2005, Fjellgaard was inducted into the Candian Country Music Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted into the BC Country Music Hall of Fame.
“Gary Fjellgaard is endless, of what I can say,” said McMillan. “He’s a favourite in this area. He’s been here many times over a lot of years and just a great appreciated singing voice.”
Bruce Rolph is a cowboy poet from Horsefly. McMillan said the Cowboy Concert organizers have been trying to get him here for years, but he’s also been busy at his ranch calving.
“This year he was able to come. He’s a cowboy poet, storyteller and I guess you can say, humourist. He’s a really neat guy. His stories are all based on his working life and a lot of them are quite humorous,” said McMillan. “So we’re really happy to see him here this year.”
Willis is a local boy, whose parents own a ranch in the Chasm area. McMillan said the singer-songwriter has a great baritone cowboy voice. He called him another great entertainer, guitar player and singer.
Apart from the acts, nothing is different from previous shows.
This will be the last year of the Cowboy Concert.
“We’ve done it for twenty years and we just figured that we put in our time and we think we are just going to hang things up,” said Mark McMillan, the organizer of the event.
He also added that so far, no one has offered to take up the task of putting together the event.
Tickets for the show can be purchased at the PMT Chartered Professional Accountants LLP and the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin in Williams Lake and the PMT Chartered Professional Accountants LLP, 100 Mile Feed and Ranch Supply and Work N Play in 100 Mile House. Tickets are for $20. There are two shows on Feb. 8, one at 2 p.m. and another at 7 p.m.
