Revival
Ocean Country
Long-time local country group Ocean Country has release their second recording in their 27-year history. It is entitled Revival. An official launch will take place at the Murray River Hall on August 8 with special guests Janet McGarry and Serge Bernard, Garnet Buell and Friends, and local talent performing. Everyone is welcome. CDs will be available from band members and at local outlets to be announced later.
The original members of Ocean Country got together in 1982 as an informal gathering of friends and acquaintances with a common link—an interest in playing country music. Anchored around the country picking of founding member Jim Madsen, the group soon found themselves playing for dances at Legions and community halls from Charlottetown to Souris and points between, first using the handle Country Rangers and within a couple of years taking the name Ocean Country. Over the next decades, with the demise of country dances and the start of ceilidhs, the group has evolved with some members coming and going, but with a core group remaining. Today’s mix includes Jim Madsen (lead guitar, instrumentalist), Gail Madsen, Shawn Power (drums), Adrian Power (rhythm guitar, vocals). This group of friends now performs at many community ceilidhs and benefits in Eastern PEI, still playing traditional country with the odd Maritime favorite thrown in for variety.
Members of the group say, “We’ve wanted to record a CD for awhile now, and found the time this spring to work with producer Serge Bernard in his Stratford studio [Diamond Productions PEI]. We have chosen our selections from audience favorites of songs we’ve played over the years, as well as some more recent ones. We’ve tried to strike a balance between strong instrumentals and vocals which have special meaning to our members. To those who end up purchasing a CD, we hope you enjoy it and want to play it many times.”