There are enough reasons to look forward to July 1 to wear out a reporter’s fingers. It’s summer, it’s a long weekend, Canada turns 150 years old, and it’s time to let our collective hair down.
And here’s yet another – country music star Tim Hicks hits Wasaga Beach on Canada Day.
“I love Wasaga Beach,” the Niagara Falls-born Hicks told BarrieToday. “To me, Wasaga has always meant party time! I have fond memories of hanging around there with my friends when I was younger. We always had the best time. So, when the opportunity came up to bring our Annual Summer Throwdown to Wasaga on Canada’s 150th birthday, I said ‘count me in for sure!’ Seemed like a no-brainer.”
The Chris Buck Band warms up the crowd at 6:30 p.m., while a massive fireworks display is to follow at 10 p.m. In between, fans can groove to the sound of hits like Got a Feeling, Here Comes the Thunder, and Slow Burn. To Tim, it’s all very humbling.
“Now that I’m a few years into my career at the national level, I feel really lucky that country fans have and continue to react to the material I’ve released. I come from a live music background so I’m always thinking about how my songs fit into the set right from the time they’re written.”
Hicks, who turns 38 this summer, first hit the Canadian country music scene five years ago with Get By, and to show it was no fluke, followed it up with Hell Raisin’ Good Time, She Don’t Drink Whiskey Anymore, not only hits, but Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA)-nominated songs. But to Tim, the gig’s the thing, not the hardware.
“To me, the big prize is just being able to wake up everyday and do music as a living. I just love it! I love writing, touring, playing in a band, and I love making records. I feel so blessed that I get to do what I love everyday.”
Hicks is also brim-full of admiration for Canadian bands and individual artists.
“I grew up listening to bands like Blue Rodeo, The Northern Pikes, and The Tragically Hip to name a few. From Bryan Adams to Gordon Lightfoot, I’m so proud of our music culture in Canada, and proud to be a part of the country scene we have right now in our nation.”
That country scene continues to roll on the world over, and, to Tim, that’s no accident.
“I think it has something to do with the genre of country itself. Great songs, great singers, great musicians are what attracted me to country and I think a lot of people have been clueing into that over the past few years. It’s a really exciting time to be a country singer especially in Canada.”
And, in case you didn’t hear him the first time, “the volume of talent here in Canada is astonishing and the bar keeps getting raised higher and higher. I just hope I’m able to remain a part of it for a long time.”
Best of all, the Throwdown gig is a free show, though $25 advanced tickets also get folks into the VIP tent. Still, you should get there early. To find out more, click here.
Tim, the Chris Buck Band and the beach will be waiting for you!
“We’ve been on our Shake These Walls Tour all year, so the boys and I are primed for a great show on July 1. I can’t wait to celebrate such a milestone in the history of our nation with everyone at Wasaga! It’s gonna be killer!”
