It has been a long time since Canadian country icons Prairie Oyster have played together, though bassist/ vocalist Russell DeCarle considers them to be more than just a country band.
“We always combined folk, and roots music, New Orleans blues music — all of that stuff. We’ve always been a bit of a melting pot,” said bassist and vocalist Russell DeCarle who brings his band to the Slice, Oct. 23.
“Maybe that’s why people still want to hear us 35 years later,” Decarle said.
“We came out at a good time. There has always been lots of interest in us. So it’s been lots of fun,” he said.
They had a string of hit albums in the early ’90s “ Different Kind of Fire,” “Everybody Knows,” and “Only One Moon.” They released their last CD, “One Kiss,” in 2006.
“I’ve never considered myself to be a country singer. I always considered myself to be a roots or blues singer,” DeCarle continued adding the band members have been involved in several other projects. DeCarle released a solo CD of raunchy blues music two years ago called “Under the Big, Big Sky” featuring special guests like Amos Garrett, Kevin Breit and even Prairie Oyster bandmate Keith Glass.
He is excited about getting back on the road again with the band.
“Even in the days when we were selling thousands of records, in our salad days, people thought were from Alberta or Saskatchewan, but we’re really scattered all over Ontario,” he said estimating about two thirds of their record sale were in western Canada.
“It will be nice to get on a bus and rekindle old friendships. We haven’t done a bus tour for a while,” DeCarle continued.
Audiences are now multi-generational as people who grew up listening to Prairie Oyster are bringing their children to see the band.
“ Audiences really are multi-generational now. We’ve been doing this for 35 years,” he continued.
“ I’m just excited about it,” he said adding they will decide what to play during rehearsals for the tour, but will likely concentrate on songs people know.
“It’s always great to get back on the road,” he said.
Tickets for the show, which begins at 8 p.m., Cost $35. Shaela Miller and Treeline will be opening the show.
