While many of the faces in next year's Country North Show will be familiar to viewers, this was Brandon Baker's first time auditioning.
But while he's never actually been to the show itself, the Prince Albert native who now calls Edmonton home sure didn't want to miss the latest one.
He was 30 minutes late for his midnight Greyhound bus, and had to chase it as it pulled out of the dock in order to grab his seat.
"They were pulling out and I had to run after it," he said, laughing after putting on an upbeat performance for the three judges at ROCKcees during auditions on Saturday in Prince Albert.
"There's lots of other places I could be playing at, but the Country North Show has always been something I've wanted to do," he said.
And, obviously, he impressed, as he was chosen as one of 11 to take to the stage at the show, scheduled to run Feb. 24-27 at the Exhibition Centre.
Also chosen were Greg Smith Jr. and his dad, Greg Smith Sr. This will be Smith Jr.'s fourth year in a row playing the show, but he said the auditions don't get any easier.
"Every audition, I'm just as nervous as the first. That's the fun part about it, that's why I do it," he said.
Paul Lomheim, now in his 16th year of producing the show, said despite the uncertainty surrounding whether the Winter Festival will proceed this year, the Country North Show is a go.
"Country North is the money-maker. Right now, there is questions on the other events. Like, if I'm not mistaken, if worse comes to worse, there is a possibility it might just be the Country North Show, while the Winter Festival gets on its feet," said Lomheim, who is not a member of the board of the Winter Festival.
"But they're quite confident that the Country North Show will be a go."
Over the next few weeks, participants will each pick two songs they will perform at the show, and band members will be chosen.
Most of the shows will be sit-down only, but the Saturday night show will be a cabaret, said Lomheim.
It's a local show, but one with world-class talent, he added.
"Some of our performers have gone on to some pretty big things," Lomheim said, listing Randall Currie, who's played with Brad Paisley and Martina McBride, among others.
"It's probably the biggest local show in the province," he said.
tholloway@paherald.sk.ca
Performers
Sarah Pocha - P.A. Greg Smith Sr. - P.A. Brandon Baker Baker - Edmonton Sabrina Demyen - P.A. Greg Smith Jr. - P.A. Donnie Seaborne - P.A. Jodie Diedrichs - Wakaw Taylor Short - P.A. Shari Ilisniky - P.A. Bryce Elliot - P.A. Kelsey Fitch - Saskatoon
See this article on The Prince Albert Daily Herald newspaper
