The Great Willy Mammoth, Bill Durst was in town at the Tongue n Groove, to entertain an intimate crowd,  Tuesday, July 5.

 This show actually started on time at 9 p.m., so I missed most of it. But I caught his all too brief second set which included classic blues like Wilbur Harris’  ‘Work Together.’ He also played a beautiful acoustic version of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Little Wing.’

 ‘Porcelain Bus,’ and a cool version of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Woodstock.’

You might find hippies and music lovers, not to mention musicians a little scarce in the city this week. That’s because most of them will be in Fort Macleod, July 15-17 for the 25th annual South Country Fair.
Two of the main live music venues in the city , The Owl Acoustic Lounge and the Slice, both close down for the fair, because most of their regulars will be there enjoying a variety of music from all over the world from as far away as Russia in the case of Namgar. Some of the highlights this year include bluesman Amos Garrett, Captain Tractor, Cousin Harley, Fred Eaglemsith, Elaine McIlwaine and lots more.

For Maureen Chambers, one of the South Country Fair’s founders, the line up is a bit of a homecoming as the fair welcomes back some of the most popular acts from over the past 25 years to the popular summer get away in the Fort Macleod Fish and Game Park.

“It’s like any other year. We do the same thing each year to make the festival work, but when I booked the line up I wanted it to feel like a homecoming,” Chambers said.
“There are some new acts, but most of them are acts that have been here before and that audiences responded well to,” she said.

“Amos Garrett (who plays Sunday afternoon with Fred Eaglesmith and others) was the only paid artist in year two. He was the headliner, the others were just playing for the love of music,” she said adding the fair took place at the John Zoeteman Park (now the Willow Creek Park).
“Willie P Bennett brought us Fred Eaglesmith. Willie used to show up early to help us set up. One year he said ‘you’ve got to book this guy (Eaglesmith)’ so we did. And Fred has a great following.”

She is looking forward to some of the new acts this year, particularly Namgar, a new group from Russia including members from Mongolia, China and Russia.
“ I think it’s going to be pretty special,” she said. She is also looking forward to the poets performing on the spoken word stage.

 They have come a long way since three folk clubs, the Lethbridge Folk Club, the Willow Creek Folk Club and Livingstone Folk clubs decided to get together for a summer weekend full of music and fun in the sun.
“Our first hospitality tent consisted of a tipi, a pot of chili and a keg of beer. I think we’ve come a little way since then,” she said. The fair has enjoyed a consistent and slow build in popularity.

With the South Country Fair happening this weekend in Fort Macleod, two of the biggest live music venues will be closed — the Owl Acoustic Lounge and the Slice. Which makes sense as most of their patrons and indeed, most of the local musicians who play there will be at the fair.

 But there is a big country show, on July 16 at the South Pavilion in Exhibition Park. The Redneck Woman herself Gretchen Wilson will be playing with Two Foot Fred and Big and Rich.

Gretchen Wilson has a number of hits including the aforementioned “Redneck Woman,” as well as “Here For The Party” and “All Jacked Up.”

Recently she parted ways from her record label and started her own, releasing “ I Got Your Country Right Here” featuring the hit single “Work Hard, Play Harder.”

Big and Rich are best known for blending hip hop and country and their quirky hit single “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” as well as “Comin’ To Your City.” Both artists collaborated on their single “Fake I.D.”

Vancouver experimental pop band Behind Sapphire don't mind experimenting with their  music  or their appearances.
“For this tour, we dyed our hair white. We all have dark brown hair, so it took about four times,” laughed guitarist Matthew Mazankowski from a tour stop in Calgary.

 They will play Medicine Hat, then the Owl Acoustic Lounge on Wednesday, July 13.

“We like to be spontaneous, but the change has drawn some  odd attention,” he said.
 That spontaneity translates to the music as well.

“We are kind of an acoustic driven, experimental pop band from Vancouver,” he summarized. They wear their influences on their sleeves,  ranging from ’60s harmonies driven pop like the Beatles and the Beach Boys  to modern singer songwriters like Jason Mraz.

“We write music that is easy listening but still upbeat. It’s easy listening, but you can also dance to it. We like to make things interesting for ourselves,” he said.

The band has played Lethbridge twice before, once at the Slice and the second time at the Owl Acoustic Lounge.