The Prairie Dogz gets a big break in their musical career.
The five-person band signed a five-year deal with Emanant Music/Blues Vox Records in November 2022. Their music is distributed through The Orchard/Sony Perry Music & Management and kicked off with the release of their single 40 Dollars.
“We’d written 40 Dollars a while ago. We started talking to them (Emanant), and they picked out a few songs. The song the president of Emanant liked the most was 40 Dollars,” said The Prairie Dogz guitarist Keith Hambrook. “We have other songs with really deep, hard-hitting lyrics – we just love the groove of that one.
The Prairie Dogz founded by Keith Hambrook (from Okotoks) and Dwight Koenning (Okotoks) in 2018 is described as a Rockin Country and Blues.
The pair met while playing in a rock cover band in 2015 through 2018 along with their current lead & rhythm guitar/vocals Terry Studd from Diamond Valley.
“I was really happy to audition and get the part, Terry was already in the band. Dwight was the new singer and it just turned out we lived two blocks apart,” Hambrook said. “So we rode together all the time to all the shows and to rehearsal and developed a friendship.
“Terry commented, we just spent so much time travelling and playing so many shows together, it was always the three of us staying up all night and we just became very good friends.”
Back then, the band played in clubs, biker rallies, and private events until Hambrook and Koenning decided to kick up their heels and branch out on their own; Studd soon followed to create their original music with country and blues influences. The band was joined by Dave Fast (bass guitar/vocals) and Martin Wright (drums). Fast is originally from B.C. but moved to Alberta, while Wright hailed from Bletchley just north of London England.
Hambrook noted, “We actually went through lots of guys before we got lucky with Dave and Martin, we have similar taste in music; they were just able to catch the groove on our original music.”
According to the bands' website, “The Prairie Dogz songs range from ballads that deal with some of life’s most challenging issues to party songs meant to pack the dance floor at a big saloon. Some songs are all about fun which creates a beautiful contrast against the introspective songs that deal with issues we all face.
The Prairie Dogz music is written to be played live but is perfect for a long stretch of highway or the soundtrack for a well-deserved weekend out of town. The Prairie Dogz are a perfect blend of Country, Rock and Blues with lyrics that resonate with everyone,” states the site.
“We’re pretty happy with our recordings. There’s one song coming out called “Almost See the Sun,” Hambrook said. “It’s definitely a rock song, it’s about fighting depression and feeling isolated, so it’s a pretty personal song that I hope listeners can relate to.”
In a press release from Emanant Music/Blues Vox Records, it said they were proud to announce the signing of the Canadian Country Rock and Blues band.
“The first release ’40 Dollars’ will be distributed on over 660 digital and mobile outlets, 243 territories, and 75 countries via Sony/The Orchard via Perry Music & Management Nashville, Tn.”
The release is currently available on all major streaming platforms. For more information visit https://theprairiedogz.com.
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