Skip to content

Award-winning Hey Romeo plays Olds Thursday

Edmonton band Hey Romeo will take a break from its songwriting schedule for a new album and play a concert for the Olds Kiwanis Concert Series at the TransCanada Theatre this Thursday, Nov.

Edmonton band Hey Romeo will take a break from its songwriting schedule for a new album and play a concert for the Olds Kiwanis Concert Series at the TransCanada Theatre this Thursday, Nov. 17

The group recently won the 2011 Canadian Country Music Association Group (CCMA) of the Year Award, while band member Rob Shapiro won Keyboard Player of the Year. Guitarist Darren Gusnowsky was also nominated.

“Needless to say, we were shocked. We are just enjoying the glow,” said Shapiro.

The group was founded in 2002. Shapiro and Gusnowky both were in Gord Bamford's band, while singer Stacie Roper had sung a couple of times with Bamford.

“Gord was not busy at that time so Darren and I decided to start our own band. It was called Udder Madness,” said Shapiro.

“We backed up Stacie a couple of times and we decided it sounded better with her singing.”

The band eventually changed its name to Hey Romeo, which is actually a Ramones song.

The band won CCMA Group of the Year in 2008, after releasing its first eponymous album.

“Our second album is out now. Our third album will be coming this spring I guess,” said Shapiro.

They already have written 26 songs for the new album.

“We just want to make sure we have the right ones. We have to pick the best songs,” said Shapiro.

“We have been writing for this record for the last year.”

The band will be playing Alberta shows until the end of the year. They are looking forward to the Olds concert.

“It is going to be a mix of our originals and a bit of country music that kind of formed what we thought was cool and influenced us as musicians, singers and songwriters,” said Shapiro.

“People will be able to find out who we are and what we are about. They might even recognize a few of our songs.”

Not only will their new album come out in 2012 but the band will also be supporting Gord Bamford on his tour, enabling Hey Romeo to have its first cross-country tour.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks