Lacombe musician to play Valemount concert 

He’s been described as “one of the young guns of country music.”

The Valemount Arts and Cultural Society is hosting Alberta musician Gord Bamford’s first concert of the New Year this Tuesday at the Valemount Community Theatre.

He has had three number one Canadian songs, his videos have been on Country Music Television, and he was nominated for a Juno award in February of last year. The Lacombe native said the best way to describe his sound is country with radio-friendly production.

“It’s tough to turn the radio on and hear real country music,” Bamford said in an interview this week. “My stuff’s really country. We try to make sure it’s got good hooks, melody-wise, and we try to create radio-friendly music.”

All of his music, including the material on his third album Honkytonks and Heartaches, is written or co-written by Bamford, who said he tries to write about things that everyone can relate to, such as Stayed Til Two, which is about time slipping away at the local watering hole.

“I try to write about positive things, about things that are important to everybody,” he said. 

And those songs are the secret of his success, Bamford said. “People ask, ‘How you do it?’ and you have to have great songs to get played on the radio,” he said, adding his experience working with other writers has helped his song-writing.

The father of two said he finds inspiration in his wife and children, as they continually embrace his music. At 32, he may not always feel like “one of the young guns,” but he said he’s happy about where he is in his career.

“I’m at the NHL level in the music business,” Bamford said.

The show starts at 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the Valemount Community Theatre. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Infinity Office Supplies for $35 or at the door for $40.