Stampeders returning to play a variety of hits from the ’70s

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Calgary born, Toronto based ’70s classic rockers the Stampeders return to Lethbridge, Monday, June 10 to play the Yates Theatre.The Stampeders return to Lethbridge, June 10. Photo submitted
“It‘s been a lot of fun since we reformed in 1992,” said guitarist Rich Dodson, who left the classic rockers known for a variety of different hits  including “Wild Eyes,” “Sweet City Woman,” “Hit the Road Jack and numerous others which spanned a variety of genres including country, rock, pop, flirted with elements of jazz and even dabbled in disco for a few years.


 Dodson left the Stampeders in 1977 to do some solo projects and reunited with band mates bassist/vocalist Ronnie King and drummer vocalist Kim Berly in 1992.


“It’s been very productive,” said Dodson, who is pleased the current tour, which comes to the Yates Theatre on June 10, has already had several sold out dates.
“We’re in the Yates this time. We used to play Whoop Up Days a lot. But this tour is mostly theatres, which is really comfortable for the audience and for us. We started playing more theatres about four years ago,” he continued.
“We really enjoy meeting everyone after and signing autographs,” he said, adding they play perhaps 65 dates a year, mostly on weekends, though they spent April playing a mostly sold out tour of the Maritimes.

He noted the band is a product of the ’70s and all of the different types of music surrounding them  then.

“Growing up in Calgary, country music was always around us. But we started off as an instrumental band like the Ventures,” he said, adding moving to Toronto exposed them to more musical styles.
“We experimented with horn sections because we wanted to try something different. But the core has always been the three of us,” he continued.
“We all just get along. It’s like we‘re brothers” he said.

 


 It’s been 23 years since we‘ve been back together and time just flies by. It’s still a lot of fun being on the road,” he continued.


 He noted he‘ll keep playing  as long as he can. They released their last  album of new music in 1998 with “Sure Beats Working.”


“I turn 72 this year, and Mick Jagger is still out there playing and doing  backflips and he‘s like 80,” he said.
“ We’re getting older, but  we sure appreciate things a lot more,” he said.
 The Stampeders play the Yates Theatre at 7 p.m., Monday, June 10. Tickets are $63.50

—by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 04 June 2019 09:18 )