Vancouver based guitarist extraordinaire Paul Pigat is excited to pay tribute to one of his idols Merle Travis on the latest Cousin Harley album “ Blue Smoke: The music of Merle Travis.
Cousin Harley wind up a busy few weeks at the Geomatic Attic, June 15.
“ It’s been about two years since I was at the Geomatic Attic,” he said adding he has been playing Merle Travis songs in concert for many years, so he chose some of his favourites for the new CD.
“I was working on a new solo album, then I realized Nov. 27 would have been his 100th birthday, so I shelved the solo album and got the boys together for this album,” he said.
“I’ve been playing Divorce me C.O.D, Fat Girls, and So Round, So Firmly Packed, for years, and which are on the edge of being politically incorrect,” he observed.
“ There were so many songs to choose from. I wanted songs that he was known for like “16 Tons,” which is a darker song, but I also wanted to show his sense of humour, so I chose songs like ‘Divorce me COD,’ and ‘Fat Girls,’” he said, adding he hasn’t heard any complaints about the songs not being politically correct.
“I haven’t heard a word about it,” he said.
He noted Cousin Harley allows him to combine a lot of his musical interests.
“There’s rockabilly, bebop and punk rock. I try to present it in a way so so people will want to listen to it,” he said.
He isn”t sure of the direction of the new solo album.
“ My first solo album was 10 years ago. There were to be three of them. But I’m not sure what direction the songs will take. it looks to be more blues singer-songwriter material,” he said, adding he’d like to get Michael Kaeshammer on one of his solo albums, as Pigat not only just finished touring with the Juno award winning boogie woogie and jazz pianist, but he also played on Kaeshammer’s album.
“I played on his album, so I’d like to get him on my album, but it depends on the songs,” he said.
The show begins at 8 p.m. Friday, June 15. Tickets are $37.50 in advance, $40 at the door.