The Country Blend band packed St. George’s Hall in Assiniboia on April 21, charming the audience with its music and humour. The event was a fundraiser for the St. Paul’s United Church.
The five-member band from Manitoba with one member from the U.S. got together in 2005 but they have been playing in other musical groups for over 40 years. Band members include Henry Martens on guitar, Cyn Lodge on drums, Evelyn Ramage and Diane Lodge on vocals and Gordy “Crazy Fingers” Lindquist on piano. The band played a full two hour concert providing an evening of jocularity in between favourite country and gospel hits that built an easy rapport with the audience. The music consisted of “good old classic country music” as Martens described. “These are songs you’d hear on the radio before there was TV.”
In addition to entertaining, the group also stopped in for a good deed at the Assiniboia long-term care facility, entertaining the residents in the afternoon before the concert — a practice they try to do at every stop on their tours. The audience gave the band an appreciative standing ovation and had an opportunity to visit with band members after the show.
