Artiste du mois : The Western Swing Authority

It was a full house of celebration and new music last month as The Western Swing Authority hosted a release party for their brand-new album “12 to 6 Central” at the Registry Theatre in their hometown of Kitchener. Despite it being their fifth full-length album, it was the first time they performed on an actual release date. It was a special day, due to the support they received from many fans, friends and family.

The seven-piece band is comprised of some of Canada’s most sought-after musicians, who have been performing together for 15 years. Featuring Shane Guse as fiddler, vocalist and frontman, his wife, Stacey Lee Guse (vocals and former member of JUNO and CCMA nominated group LACE), Ed Ringwald (steel guitar), Dan Howlett (fiddle, banjo), Jim Boudreau (drums), Paul Chapman (guitar) and Matthew Lima (bass).

If you’ve been to the CMAOntario Awards, you’ll recognize The Western Swing Authority as the annual house band. Their talent is undeniable as they back dozens of artists during these events, so it’s nice to have the spotlight focused solely on them. “12 to 6 Central” was produced by Grammy-winner and nine-time JUNO award winner, Colin Linden. The album encompasses traditional string band, jazz, blues, folk and traditional pop styles that make them stand out and reintroduces those sounds to a new generation.

The evening was filled with toe-tapping upbeat songs, from true Western Swing Authority staples to passionate Patsy Cline-like ballads. I personally enjoyed Stacey singing “Full Moon Full of Love”, originally by k.d. lang (1989). The song stuck with me for days! Shane’s “bu-bu- Bottom of This Glass” theatrics make a fun song to sing along to as well. The dynamic between this duo is so entertaining! This album delivers a balance of laughter and tears.

Undoubtedly, the most unique of the collection is “Happy Chickens”, a fun upbeat song that includes recent Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Jason McCoy. The video shows the band (and McCoy) as paper cutouts performing for chickens in a barn. This is a clear demonstration of the variety of musical personalities and stylistic approaches of each member, in a raw and honest light.

Most recently, the album cut “Heart of the Country” has been featured on Sirius XM’s North Americana channel and “New Favourite Whiskey” was released to radio.

The Western Swing Authority’s live performances have been described as “all killer, no filler”, but don’t take Cashbox Canada’s word for it -have a listen for yourself. They’re known for getting the audience up and on their feet!

Upcoming Performances
In The Round Niagara (Stacey and Shane only): April 26
CMAOntario Awards Show: June 2
Opry North Festival: June 7

Follow The Western Swing Authority
Site web : www.thewesternswingauthority.com
Instagram : www.instagram.com/westernswingauthority
Facebook : www.facebook.com/westernswingauthority
TikTok : www.tiktok.com/westernswingauthority

Contributing writer: Alexa Leal, Alexa’s Country Party