The chilly May long weekend in Lac La Biche kicked off on Saturday with a hot matinee performance by up-and-coming country music singer Justin Labrash.
Wearing a cowboy hat and boots to kick off the weekend, Labrash took to the stage of the campground ampitheatre in Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park for a 2:30 p.m. for the latest show 2024 Music in the Forest concert series.
LaBrash, a native of Weyburn Saskatchewan, is a five-time Saskatchewan Country Music Association (SCMA) award winner. Last year at the SCMAs, LaBrash was named Songwriter of the Year, won the County Album of the Year, and was named Male Artist of the Year.
His life not only as a country music singer-but also a rancher and certified rodeo judge with the Canadian Cowboys Association (CCA)-was reflected in many of the songs he performed and stories he shared with the near-capacity audience who braved Saturday's dreary weather to enjoy his entertaining show.
Many of Labrash's songs focus on rural life, with many tackling social issues. One of the songs, the 2022 single “Somethin’ About Nothin’, is a song that received attention in the USA, and is about not having much but being grateful just the same.
The crowd that had gathered in the intimate concert venue also got to hear more of his signature songs including ‘Running Away’ a fun, lighthearted song that tells the tale of a guy leaving a girl, along with ‘Not Rich, Ain’t Broke’, ‘Front Row Seat’, and even a cover version of ‘Should’ve Have Been a Cowboy’, an homage to the massive hit by the late country legend Toby Keith, who passed away on Feb. 5, 2024.
Interspersed between the songs were stories, including ones about going to Nashville and even the process of songwriting.
Prior to his performance at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park, Labrash played a few gigs in Edmonton, and did one more in Cold Lake Saturday evening before returning home.
Labrash stated that he is currently in the process of putting together a new album, one whose title and has yet to be determined.
The next Music in the Forest show, hosted by Alberta Parks, is on June 15 with artist Danny Floyd Cole. Tickets for the shows can be found on the Alberta Parks website.
