Country club

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Johnny Reid (SUPPLIED PHOTO)

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Tim McGraw (JACK GUY / CORBIS OUTLINE)

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The Good Brothers (SUPPLIED PHOTO)

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Crystal Shawanda

At the first Dauphin Countryfest in 1990, performers ate barbecue in an orange Hydro tent that kept blowing away until tractors were brought in to act as huge pegs to keep it in place.

Things sure have changed.

"The first year they got hamburgers cooked by me on a barbecue, now they're getting catered prime rib in a beautiful tent," says Neil Peterson, director of programming.

That's just one of the many changes that have occurred over the years at Dauphin's Countryfest, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend with a look to the past and a glimpse into the future.

To set the tone for the party, which begins today and wraps up Sunday, Peterson and promoter Rob Waloschuk have booked acts from across the country-music spectrum, snagging veteran acts like the Good Brothers and Prairie Oyster, and fresh faces like Crystal Shawanda and Johnny Reid, who have exploded in popularity over the past few years.

At the top of the A-list is Tim McGraw, arguably the biggest star in country music these days.

"We wanted to have a big-name artist and we wanted to have some nostalgia for the 20 years, so we've brought back some of the fan favourites who have been here over the years -- like Neal McCoy, who always ranks in the top of our audience surveys of who we should bring back," says Peterson, who travels across the continent checking out talent, for work and pleasure.

"And as always, we pride ourselves on having the best roots acts, like Fred Eaglesmith and Hayes Carll, who are my favourite roots artists in North America."

More than 40 different bands and singer-songwriters will perform on three different stages at the Selo Ukraina Site, 10 kilometres south of Dauphin, over the next four days.

People without tickets shouldn't bother making the drive -- all 12,500 four-day passes and all 4,000 camping spots sold out in 12 hours when they went on sale last November.

In its first year, the event drew 1,500 people.

The gates didn't open until yesterday, but the line started last Wednesday when the first RVs parked on the side of the road leading to the festival site.

"It's become a tradition for these people to be the first in line. They spend the week on the 'Road to Countryfest' and some people set up satellite dishes and put couches in the ditches," Peterson says. "It's usually the same people every year, so they have a good group of people to party with."

This year is the festival's fifth sellout in a row. There were some lean years about a decade ago when country music was going through a bit of a decline, but these days country is back in a big way, and so is Countryfest. It's one of the biggest music events in the province (drawing roughly the same number of people as the Winnipeg Folk Festival) and is now Canada's longest-running country music festival.

The annual sellouts have allowed the non-profit Countryfest board to put millions of dollars of improvements into the site over the years. There are now 12,500 seats in the main amphitheatre, enough stage power to put on an arena-worthy show, and full paving in the vendor areas and at the top of the hill, where the Hilltop and Corral stages are located.

The campground has been expanded and there are enough showers and water taps in the four campsites to ensure people who call the site their home over the next five days can stay clean and hydrated.

"It's night and day, the difference now," Peterson says. "They lost money the first couple of years, but didn't give up. To put it in perspective, the Kentucky Headhunters were the No. 1 band around at the time and we paid them $40,000. We thought it was unbelievable -- who would pay that much for a band? We spent $150,000 on acts the first year; this year we're spending $1.5 million."

As the economy has changed, so has the festival. The music is the focal point, for sure, but there are plenty of other entertaining diversions for patrons, including a Highland games demonstration, a Texas Hold SSRqEm tent, helicopter rides, a mechanical bull, a full marketplace and even a speed-dating tent for singles who want someone to watch a show with.

To celebrate its first two decades, organizers have teamed up with Toyota to design a custom $50,000 truck, which will be given away in a draw this weekend.

"It's amazing the improvements that have taken place over the 20 years," Peterson says. "When we started, no one thought it would last. There were a few tough years, but now we're overwhelmed with how well the event is going.... If you speak to any of the artists who play here -- I don't want to brag too much -- but they say we're the best country music festival to play in Canada."

rob.williams@freepress.mb.ca

In twang we trust

WITH more than 40 acts playing over the next four days at Dauphin's Countryfest, there's a little something for everyone, from rustic roots to radio-friendly contemporary country.

Here are a few can't-lose propos­itions for fans to check out that cover the spectrum of what music is on tap this weekend.

The Good Brothers, tonight, Main­stage The Good Brothers truly live up to their name. Twins Bruce and Brian and their younger brother Larry have been making music together non-stop since 1973, combining folk, bluegrass and old-school country. The band played the first Countryfest in 1990.

The Road Hammers, Friday, Main­stage What started out as a simple side project has taken on a life of its own for Jason McCoy. It even threatens to overtake his solo career in popularity, due in no small part to the CMT real­ity series Making the Band and the straight-up blue-collar country-rock that has earned them a shelf full of awards already.

Tim McGraw, Saturday, Mainstage He's Tim freakin' McGraw, one of the biggest country stars in the world, with 21 No. 1 country hits, three Grammys, 14 Academy of Country Music awards, 11 Country Music As­sociation Awards, 10 American Music Awards and three People's Choice Awards. His last 11 albums debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard albums charts -- and as if that weren't enough, he's married to Faith Hill. It's good to be Tim McGraw.

Johnny Reid, Sunday, Mainstage Reid was born in Scotland, but was raised in Canada. He's a storyteller with a good sense of humour and keen knack for melody. He's also a heck of a nice guy to boot, judging by his charity work.

Fred Eaglesmith, Friday, Corral; Sat­urday, Hilltop; Sunday, Mainstage Eaglesmith is a rowdy roots-rock road warrior who is one of the most respected songwriters in the busi­ness. He refuses to take orders from men in suits, so you won't hear him on radio, which is too bad, because Eaglesmith's songs are better than the majority of music on mainstream country radio, and as a live force, there aren't many better.

Hayes Carll, Saturday, Hilltop; Sun­day, Corral and Mainstage Carll is one of the best young songwriters in Texas, who made his Manitoba debut at Countryfest a few years ago and has graduated to the mainstage this year. Fans of Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle and Doug Sahm shouldn't miss Carll.

Washboard Hank, Friday, Corral; Saturday and Sunday, Hilltop Stage Some people look at Washboard Hank with his homemade Stratovarious (made up of a washboard, licence plate and a mish-mash of percussion instruments) and Fallopian Tuba and think he's a novelty act, but under that helmet is one of Canada's most brilliant, original songwriters and a born showman. I dare you to try to not sing along to Chompy the Head Biter Offer.

The D. Rangers, Friday, Corral; Sat­urday,

Hilltop A bluegrass band that rocks, or a rock band that plays bluegrass? You decide. This veteran Winnipeg band not only features some of the city's top players, but boasts an equally impressive lyricist in Jaxon Haldane.

Romi Mayes, Friday, Corral; Sunday, Hilltop Stage Winnipeg's Romi Mayes has truly come into her own as a songwriter and performer who's been making a name for herself across North America and Europe with her heartfelt roots and blues. Mayes recently hooked up with Ronnie Hawkins' for­mer backing band, the Weber Broth­ers, and blew away the Derek Trucks crowd at the Jazz Winnipeg Festival last week. (See the Weber Brothers on their own Saturday at the Corral.)

-- Rob Williams

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 2, 2009 D1