BY: BEN PAPAGEORGE
Comprised of bassist/vocalist James Murdoch, guitarist/vocalist Robb Angus, guitarist/vocalist Kiron Jhass, steel player Darrek Anderson and drummer Ben Shillabeer, The Dungarees have a definitive musical mandate; to take the undeniable lyrical styling, twangy telecaster and steel guitar that they love from classic country, and inject it with harmony, modern intensity and pop sensibility.
Hailing from Edmonton, the Dungarees have performed on some of Canada’s most celebrated stages including Boots and Hearts Music Festival, the Calgary Stampede, Big Valley Jamboree, Country Thunder, Dauphin CountryFest and SunFest. Gracing arena stages, the band has opened as direct support for acts such as Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Alabama and Dwight Yoakam.
The band has also been nominated for numerous awards. James Murdoch was nominated for “Bass Player of the Year” at the 2017 CCMA Awards and the group was nominated for “Group of the Year” at the 2016 Alberta Country Music Awards, among many others.
Their latest release, Ring The Bells, comes just in time for Christmas!
The holiday season is a time for family, friends, and celebration. We all have traditions that are essential to us on Christmas. Whether it’s cooking a family recipe or just sitting around in your sweatpants all day, it’s part of what makes the holiday season so special. The Dungarees are no different and Top Country got a chance to find out what the group’s Christmas “must haves” are! Scroll down to read the conversation they had about holiday traditions.
Kiron: I get annoyed if there is no cranberry sauce with turkey dinner. Gotta have cranberry. And listening to Duke Ellington’s adaptation of the Nutcracker Suite is a must.
James: We always have turkey sandwiches on boxing day with Patak’s Chilli Pickle. It’s like spicy chutney on a turkey sandwich. SO GOOD! But weird. But SO GOOD. I always get a jar in my stocking. So my other essential would be Christmas stockings.
Darrek: For me it’s gotta be Don Cherry’s Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em videos. I buy one every year for my dad and then we watch it on Christmas day, if I’m home. Then we head out for a game of pond hockey in the backyard on my family’s acreage. Mom brings us hot chocolate at the 2nd intermission.
Ben: I’d have to say, sweat pants. Like, put em on when you wake up and don’t change until your wife makes you change for Christmas dinner. And you can’t do Christmas without boozy coffee. Bring on the Baileys!
Robb: I always wake up and poorly try to replicate my mom’s Christmas Morning Wife Saver breakfast. Kind of like a quiche with ham and cheese. Delicious. Then I always like to start a new book on Christmas Day, bringing me up the next meal.
Can’t wait for Christmas?! Listen to the Top Country Holiday Songs Playlist on Spotify!
