When you’ve spent years in the backcountry, among the Rockies and its abundant flora and fauna, it’s highly likely your songwriting will reflect life on the trail, numerous adventures and creatures great and small.
At least, that’s certainly the case for The Wardens – Bradley Bischoff, Scott Ward and Ray Schmidt – who recently recorded a self-titled CD which will be released at a bash in The Banff Centre’s The Club.
The release party is April 7, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and the show at 7:30. Tickets are $10 at the door.
“That’s going to be a very special evening,” said Bischoff. “It will be hosted by Karsten Heuer (Yellowstone to Yukon president) and we’ll have guest speakers, warden stories and songs, slides… Dorothy Carleton.”
The Wardens have been together as a band for three years and play “100 per cent original music” based on their time with the warden service.
The trio has played at national parks in Western Canada and Parks has hired them to play at Tunnel Mountain and Johnston Canyon, locally. “And we’ve always had a tremendous response to those. We’re looking forward to playing there this summer.”
Their six-track EP was produced in Lethbridge by folk singer Leeroy Stagger at his studio, Rebeltone Ranch.
“We’re over the moon with how it turned out,” said Bischoff. “It speaks to our careers as wardens; careers that are the envy of many. Some of the songs are fairly new material and some Scott or myself have had around a long time.
“Scott’s had songs in his back pocket for years and a song of mine on the EP is one I’ve coveted for many years and have performed for a long time.
“And we’re really happy that The Banff Centre graciously provided The Club for us to have a release party. We’ll have merch like T-shirts and CDs and there will be a cash bar.
“We’ve all been playing guitar a long, long time and we’ve got something (EP) now. We’ve come a long way and we’ve easily got enough material for another album.”
For more on The Wardens, visit www.banffwardens.com or view Facebook at www.facebook.com/wardensongs
