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Next up on Trust Me series: the Wardens of the Rocky Mountains to share music on Bowen

This coming Wednesday, Nov. 6 marks a first for the “Trust Me” Series.
The Wardens

This coming Wednesday, Nov. 6 marks a first for the “Trust Me” Series. 

When I first started the series, I stuck to presenting shows for friends who were going to be touring in the area whose music I knew well, with the added bonus of having a nice visit. 

But in the world of touring musicians the word gets out amongst performers and I’ve had many artists contact me about presenting shows. Between being unfamiliar and with limited time, I generally politely decline. But occasionally someone comes across my radar who is too compelling to miss out on the opportunity to share with the community. 

Such was the case with The Wardens. 

Band member Bradley Bischoff contacted me out of the blue about Bowen being a stop on their next tour and the story was so intriguing. 

The Wardens – Scott Ward, Bradley Bischoff and Ray Schmidt, are a Banff National Park-based trio celebrating 10 years sharing their stories and songs, which rise from he very land they’ve protected for the decades as––that’s right––Wardens! 

The Wardens’ music, blending folk, roots and western styles, is a piece of Canadiana reflecting the pristine wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. 

They have performed widely across western Canada and from Alaska to California and shared the stage with Blue Rodeo, Pharis & Jason Romero and Ian Tyson. 

Bradley, (vocals and guitar) was stationed in the rugged South Boundary region of Jasper National Park in 1981. Alone with a handful of horses for seventeen days at a time, he penned many songs by the dim cabin lights and the dusky summers spent in the alpine ranges. 

Founding member Ray Schmidt (vocals, upright bass and mandolin) is currently posted in Rogers Pass, B.C., and works with grizzly bears in the interior rainforest of Glacier National Park. Ray founded The Wardens in 2009 with Scott Ward during the national park warden centennial after discovering the rich depth of music and stories within this region of Canada.

Scott Ward (vocals, fingerstyle guitar) was a national park warden for more than 30 years in Banff National Park. Scott’s music stems from a life lived in the deep wilderness of the Canadian Rockies as a horseman, search-and-rescue dog handler and technical alpine specialist. In 2001, Scott was awarded the Governor General’ s Award for Exemplary Service as a Peace Officer.

As a special bonus for this show the trio is joined by the world-class fiddler Scott Duncan. Raised in Calgary Alberta, Scott plays everything from Celtic fiddling, bluegrass, folk, classical, swing, country, Cajun, French-Canadian and other regional folk styles. I’ve heard him with John Wort Hannam and am thrilled to get another opportunity. 

The concert is this coming Wednesday, Nov. 6 at Tir-na-nog Theatre. 

The tickets are $20 and are available at The Hearth as a first step in collaborating with the Arts Council on future shows, or online at trustme.brownpapertickets.com.