Enjoy a Wild Night of Rockabilly, Western Swing, and Honky-Tonk

Cousin Harley hits Horizon Stage and takes on Spruce Grove on April 12

Cousin Harley is the high energy hillbilly persona of Vancouver musician and singer Paul Pigat. With a hard-earned reputation for delivering everything from hot-rod rockabilly to foot-stomping vintage country and western swing, Cousin Haley’s concerts are high energy, wild, and crazy fun! Adding elements of traditional swing, classic jump blues, roots, and jazz to their music they have a truly unique and invigorating sound. Spruce Grove is the only Edmonton area stop on Cousin Harley’s Spring Thaw Tour and their hillbilly squonk, honky-tonk, and cow punk rippers, are going to excite and energize the audience at Horizon Stage on Sunday, April 12.

Called the "Motorhead of Rockabilly" by a delirious fan after a particularly raucous show in Holland, there's nothing tentative about Cousin Harley's pedal to the metal approach to this stripped down form of rock and roll. To paraphrase the old blues song, Paul Pigat’s got so many tunes he don’t know which way to jump. So instead he simply gives into his muse and exuberantly follows wherever it carries him, cranking up the energy so high that no one can resist dancing.

From solos raw enough to melt the door off an old Cadillac, to delicate etudes, Paul is a guitarist who can truly play it all. He is partial to the Merle Travis style of picking and his virtuoso guitar skills set him apart as one of the few guitarists able to do Merle’s style justice. Paul’s superb talent on the guitar is easily matched by his vocal abilities and his warm baritone is equally at home singing flat-out rock songs or crooning relaxed country swing. Is he a genteel sideman, unrepentant redneck, sensitive singer/songwriter, classical composer, or a blend of all the above? Listen long enough and you'll realize it really doesn't matter what he plays, it’s all superb.

Rounding out Cousin Harley are Keith Picot on upright bass, and Jesse Cahill on drums. With a hard hitting slap style, all his own, Keith can drive a beat like the devil, then equally and effortlessly draw out the sweet tones of a saint. In 2011 he won a Maple Blues Award for being Canada’s Best Bass Player. Jesse Cahill has become one of the busiest drummers on the Canadian music scene, working with jazz legends and performing, touring, and recording with many internationally recognized artists. His playing can be heard regularly on CBC Radio One and Two and he has been a featured guest and performer on Jazz Beat, Hot Air, and Canada Live.

Get ready to buckle up, hold on, and enjoy a  wild and wonderful night with Cousin Harley at Horizon Stage on Sunday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors and may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave) or by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090. Tickets can also be purchased online by visiting Horizon Stage's website and clicking on the ‘Tickets’ link.

This performance is proudly sponsored by Canadian Heritage, The Alberta Foundation for the Arts, CKUA, Servus Credit Union, Travelodge Inn & Suites, and Ticketpro.