Stunning Fiddle Lines, Lively Mandolin Melodies, and Clear, Crisp Vocals

Catch Alberta’s 2013 Country Music Group of the Year, PEAR, at Horizon Stage on November 2.

Born under blue Alberta skies, PEAR knows there’s nothing quite like driving down an old dirt road and chasing your dreams. Husband and wife team Lynae and Denis Dufresne’s individual careers have been peppered by numerous accolades and multiple award nominations.  In 2006 they joined forces to create PEAR and seven busy years later they had the distinction of being named 2013 Group of the Year by the Alberta Association of Country Music. This fall you can catch this charming country duo as they tour Alberta, making a much anticipated stop at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m.

In 1997, Lynae and Denis began their touring careers as cast members in the successful fiddle show Barrage. Their production of 'Barrage: The World on Stage' was broadcast across the United States on PBS. The CD of the same name rose to the Top 5 on the Billboard World Music chart. They toured extensively with Barrage in Canada, USA, Scandinavia, England, Scotland and China and gave command performances for The Prince of Wales, the Saudi Royal Family, and the Prime Minister of Canada.

After finishing with Barrage in 2003, the Dufresne’s lent their individual fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and vocal abilities to a host of top country, folk, and rock music acts, quickly becoming two of the most sought after live and session players in Canada. Lynae and Denis settled in Calgary but quickly became restless. Realizing that they wanted to work together again, they created PEAR. The fledgling duo was awarded a New Artist Showcase at the 2006 Canadian Country Music Awards and their performance so impressed CMT Canada that they were asked to be part of ‘Plucked’, a documentary-style television show the network was filming.

In 2011 PEAR’s single, “Take Me With You”, hit #43 on the Canadian country chart and Denis won the Canadian Country Music Association’s Fiddle Player of the Year award.  Their 2012 single “This Ain't a Love Song”, won the International Songwriting Competition in the country music genre and was included in the Alberta Music Industry Association’s Music Sampler, Volume 3. Stunningly, Denis and Lynae were both nominated for the CCMA’s 2012 Fiddle Player of the Year Award —marking the first time that spouses were nominated against each other. The win went to Denis who also won CCMA Mandolin Player of the Year, a distinction that he proceeded to win again in 2013.

Lynae and Denis have opened for a truly diverse group of performers including Alanis Morrisette, Alan Jackson, Moby, Barenaked Ladies, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Tammy Wynette, Paul Brandt and Counting Crows. They have built their fan-base at numerous festivals in the US, UK, and Canada, including Country Music Week, the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, and Big Valley Jamboree.

PEAR plays the kind of music that wins your heart and leaves you in love. Laced with Denis’ stunning fiddle lines and lively mandolin melodies, and carried by Lynae’s clear, crisp vocals, PEAR is a sweet treat with a fresh sound bound for country music stardom. Tickets to see them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on November 2 are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at Ticketpro.