He’s travelled the world playing country music, been on the Trailer Park Boys, sings the National Anthem for the Calgary Flames and has released 19 albums over his career.
Still there are a few more things George Canyon would like to accomplish and that includes playing more family-friendly, free festivals like Penticton’s Peach Festival.
“To me it’s a great idea. I wish I could see more of it and be a part of more of these festivals across the country. But a lot of times it’s big ticket festivals that families just can’t afford,” Canyon said in an interview with the Western News earlier this week.
“We’re all excited to come out back to Penticton. I congratulate Penticton for such a wonderful concept and it’s very well executed.”
Canyon last played Peach Festival, a five-day, family-friendly, free festival, in 2015. It was one of the largest crowds in the festival’s history.
“It’s great to see a venue like this for families to come out to and God-willing we get great weather like we did the last time,” he said.
Since his last Peach Festival, the country music star has released his 12th studio album (19th of his career) called Southside of Heaven.
The 12-track collection includes Top 40 Canadian Country Radio hit More You and Better off in Love (written by hit songwriter Brett Jones).
A touching song on the album is Your Old Man’s Son, co-written by Eric Church.
“It’s a heavy song. It’s dedicated to the father’s of the Humboldt hockey team. The father’s of the boys who lived and passed away. As a tribute we put a green ribbon on the back of the album beside the song name. That was my wife’s idea,” he said.
Peachfest goers are sure to hear a collection of new material but are also sure to hear some of the country crooner’s hits including Daughters of the Sun, I Got This and Just Like You.
Although he’s acted on TV (head ranger, Trailer Park Boys, Charlie Wells, Heartland) and movies (Dawn Rider, Coming Home for Christmas), earlier this summer he took on a new genre of acting — the stage.
In June, Canyon took a one-week guest role in a production of Grease in Toronto.
He played the teen idol in Frenchie’s dream sequence and sang Beauty School Dropout.
“It was traumatizing. That was my first theatre show. It was such a great cast and crew. I’ve never done professional theatre before. I’ve done TV and movies. I enjoyed it so much and now we’re looking at doing something else on a larger scale,” he said.
Canyon takes the stage Aug. 11 from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Okanagan Lake Park. This is the 71st year of the Penticton Peach Festival.