Daily Inspiration: Meet The Prairie States

Today we’d like to introduce you to The Prairie States.

Hello, The Prairie; so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Here’s our current bio:
Mixing the old with the new, The Prairie States was born out of a desire to put a fresh touch on a classic design. As seven-time Country Music Alberta Award recipients, including the 2018 Rising Star. In 2019 Horizon Group/Duo Of The Year and 2020 Songwriters of the Year, as well as 1st place in the 2018 Project Wild Artist Development Program, it’s proof that this Edmonton-based band is moving in the right direction.

Mat Cardinal (Big Stone Cree Nation, Wabasca/Desmarais AB), Jeff Dick (Edmonton AB), Mike Nash (Edmonton AB), Doc de Groot (Cranbrook BC), and Jay Der (Red Deer AB) formed The Prairie States in 2017. It started writing songs for its full-length album, Lost In The Right Direction. Independently released in June 2018, it was nominated for the CMAB Album Of The Year and included three radio singles, which all broke the top 100 Mediabase Canadian Country Chart. Since then, the band has released four more singles, Every Little Town, Low Life, High That I’m Riding, and Ferris Wheel, which also cracked the top 100.

To go along with the release of Low Life, the band teamed up with Edmonton-based Sea Change Brewing Co to create a custom-branded beer called Low Life Lager. The brewery made 17000 tall boys of this perfect summer sipper, which included a Spotify QR code so the person enjoying the beverage could also “Scan The Can” to hear Low Life instantly.

The band recently signed with Willing Records/Universal Music and Sakamoto Agency.

The group’s latest release, Rebel Phase, is the first song from The Prairie States to be released by Willing Records. It’s about taking a soaring leap of faith, without a parachute, into a lifestyle that rides beyond the horizon of normal. It’s about roots that continue to grow but never stay planted and living a chosen life.

Exploring new technology is also as important to The Prairie States as expanding their musical palette. They recently became one of the first Canadian bands to release NFTs (non-fungible tokens) of their EP, available via OpenSea.io.

The Prairie States have been out on the road, wowing crowds with their undeniable live show. In their short time as a band, they’ve shared stages with Aaron Goodvin, Clayton Bellamy, Brothers Osborne, and Canadian legend Charlie Major while kicking off the 2019 Big Valley Jamboree.

Ready with a stack of new recordings underway, this band shows no signs of slowing down.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Music isn’t usually a smooth road, but it’s always worth it. The guys in the band have been at this for years in different groups that have toured around Canada and the world. Before coming together, they all had varying degrees of success, but something clicked when the five of them came together, and The Prairie States was born.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The Prairie States pride themselves on bringing their mix of musical and life experiences to their art. Their self-described sound is “arena country,” big sound, big lights, big show. All of these things shape the songs they write and their sound. Their favorite place to be is on stage, and they love to play live. They always guarantee high energy and memorable performance and are known as “a band you have to see live.”

What was you like growing up?
The five guys had different upbringings, from Mat in a small Northern Alberta town to Mike in the big city. All five have loved music from an early age, and it was all they wanted to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theprairiestates.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprairiestates/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePrairieStates/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/prairiestates
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2z7nmjwp5gCvX91etzBrZw

Image Credits
First Night Photo Jarrett Edmund