Local country singer Shane Yellowbird will be lending his prolific talents to a local benefit April 29.
Yellowbird is slated to perform in the Capri Centre’s exhibition hall on behalf of the Knights of Columbus. Things kick off at 7 p.m.
Yellowbird recently released the fourth single from his latest CD It’s About Time. The instantly catchy tune, I Can Help You With That, also marks a milestone in that it’s his first self-penned single released to Canadian country radio.
“I’m really proud that this single will bear my name as both a songwriter and as an artist,” says Yellowbird. “I’ve been working hard to hone my skills as a songwriter since the beginning of my career and I Can Help You With That really showcases my growth.”
Yellowbird burst onto the Canadian country music scene in 2006 with his debut Juno-nominated release Life Is Calling My Name. The project garnered four top-10 singles and a bunch of awards including ‘Rising Star of the Year’ at the 2007 Canadian Country Music Association Awards.
In late 2009, he released It’s About Time, which also includes the top 10 hit Bare Feet On The Blacktop. That’s the tune he was honoured to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in late 2009 – truly a dream come true.
“It was one of the best experiences,” recalls Yellowbird. “I grew up listening to the Opry, so to be a part of that, and knowing the history of the place, it was one of the best moments of my career.”
Growing up in Hobbema, Yellowbird was always a typical cowboy. His parents participated in the rodeo circuit and Shane was roping and riding from a very early age. Music was always something the family truly enjoyed, and Yellowbird’s own love for music was kind of sparked through a twist of circumstance.
Born with a speech impediment, a severe stuttering problem, Yellowbird saw a speech therapist who suggested he sing sentences rather than speak them to help him learn to speak clearly. The technique worked and dreams of a career in country music started to flourish.
These days, Yellowbird is gearing up for his third CD, and is hoping to see it wrapped up by this fall. It’s not an easy process nailing down what ends up on the disc, as Yellowbird says he’ll be putting out the call for tunes when he heads down to Nashville. He can expect to have about 1,000 submissions pour in.
From there, it’s paring the pile down to about 100 and then finding the right handful of tunes to go with his own works for the perfectly streamlined project.
He also recalls having little input in his first project, but of course that changed in later discs with his own growth as an artist. Now an established and increasingly respected singer and songwriter in his own right, he’s excited to be co-producing and seeing his unique creative visions come to fruition.
“I’ll have a more of a hand in the production this time around.”
For tickets to the April 29 show, check out www.ticketmaster.ca.
mweber@reddeerexpress.com
