3 minute read
Down-Home Country
Dean Brody Brings Down-Home Country to Vegreville
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
Dean Brody brought his own brand of down-home charm and unpretentious laid back style to the stage on Friday night at the Wally Fedun Arena.
The bleachers and tables were filled with fans with many singing and dancing on the sidelines during his performance. Before the concert even began, Brody apologized to fans in true Canadian fashion for the late start because of technical issues. Stories of his modest upbringing and living in a single wide trailer in the small community of Jaffray, located in southeastern British Columbia. “We play in some towns and they say, single wide trailer?” That statement leaving some of his fans to wonder, “Where’s this guy from? This is uncomfortable. Sounds poor. And I’m from a town where if you had a single wide trailer with an addition on the side; an addition with a wood stove and a deep freeze over in the corner it was like you were balling man. You had money.
I remember when I got my first trailer. I was so excited and built this addition with my dad. I bought this trailer for $18,500 from Calgary and shipped it to BC and was like this is awesome and built it. I got a big old picture window that my buddy sold to me. He got it from the dump. He sold it to me for $40 bucks. It was beautiful. It was awesome and I loved it.”
He recalled when he moved to Calgary driving on a one way, going the wrong way. He thought it was also strange that houses had foundations, but noted that he built a house by the ocean in Nova Scotia with a foundation. I felt awesome. It was almost six thousand square feet. You know what’s funny, I look back and I’m like man, you know where I was happier? I was happier in my little hometown when I was working in the sawmill in the single wide trailer with the addition on the side of it, the wood stove and the picture window I got for 40 bucks from my buddy Steven that ripped me off. You know what I’m talking about Vegreville. It’s the simple things in life that make you rich; your friends, your family, fishing hole, nice hunting spot.”
He sang about some of his most meaningful experiences and special memories throughout the evening, allowing the audience to get to know him on a more personal level and see clearly into the heart of the music man.
Even though he is one of Canada’s biggest country music superstars, one would never know it, and perhaps that s is one of his most endearing qualities. His honesty and sincerity came through during the performance and his repertoire of relatable songs made it a night to remember for his fans as he brought down the house.
