Stampeders enjoy years-long comeback

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This article was published 14/04/2023 (1114 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While most classic rock bands struggle to retain their original members for modern shows, The Stampeders are a resounding exception to this rule.

In fact, the group’s founding trio of Rich Dodson (guitar and vocals), Ronnie King (bass) and Kim Berly (drums and vocals) are preparing to embark on a brand-new Prairie tour, which includes a pit stop in Brandon on April 22.

This month-long campaign, consisting of 17 performances across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, celebrates the band’s more than 50-year history.

They formed in 1966 and found major commercial success starting in 1971.

In an interview with the Sun on Thursday, Berly admitted that he never thought he’d be sharing the stage with Dodson and King half a century later, believing, at the time, their original catalogue of music would “burn hot and burn out.”

However, The Stampeders’ prolific discography from 1971 to 1977 ended up having a lot more staying power than Berly anticipated, with hits like “Sweet City Woman,” “Wild Eyes” and “Hit the Road Jack” filling Canadian airwaves for decades to come.

“And it never goes away,” Berly said over the phone from his home in British Columbia. “People come to see us and they’re taken right back. And so are we. That’s the beauty of the whole thing. We’re all 25 when we’re on stage and so is the audience.”

Of course, The Stampeders’ founding members haven’t been playing together this entire time, with the band dissolving following Dodson’s departure in 1977.

But after these three musicians reunited for a seemingly one-off show at the Calgary Stampede in 1992, they discovered that the public was still clamouring to see them perform live.

This led to the next stage of The Stampeders’ life, where they would play fairs, festivals and casinos while also releasing some new music in the mid- to late 1990s.

“We got to get out and travel again and make some money and the big surprise was how well received we were,” Berly recalled. “I think that was a surprise to all of us, but especially to me.”

This fan and industry enthusiasm for The Stampeders persisted into the 21st century, with the band eventually receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) in 2011.

Even after enduring an extended hiatus brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the band returned for cross-country touring last year to an “explosive” response from fans, which set the stage for another trip down memory lane this spring.

“We basically spent a number of years, in a sense, rebuilding the career and now it’s to a point where we’re filling theatres from coast to coast,” Berly said. “We never thought about it. We never imagined it. But it’s a really pleasant surprise.”

In terms of what fans can expect from this upcoming tour, Berly said that they’ll be performing all the major hits as well as some deep album cuts that may have flown under the radar throughout the past 50 years.

And while his bandmates can’t quite move around on stage as much as they used to, Berly said, their passion for the music and love for each other is all that really matters, since it’s the glue that has held them together all this time.

“You can look at us any way you want. We can be a living museum piece or just a rowdy good time,” the 74-year-old drummer said. “Basically, it’s just a sweet thing and we’re really happy to be doing it.”

The Stampeders are scheduled to perform at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on April 22. Tickets can be purchased online at wmca.ca, in person at the WMCA box office or by calling 204-728-9510.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

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