For the first time in their 50+plus year career, two-thirds of the legendary Canadian band The Stampeders will tour British Columbia without their larger-than-life third member.
Drummer Kim Berly and guitarist Rich Dodson will pay tribute to bass player Ronnie King 鈥� who died in March 2024, a month before the group was to begin a 31-date tour of Ontario 鈥� as they kick off a 15-city tour of B.C. in Cranbrook Tuesday, April 22.
"The Ontario tour was a wake for Ronnie King," said Berly, 76, who lives in Vernon. "We had his stool on stage, and we made up a nice video of the band from years gone by but focusing mainly on Ronnie which is played during one of his signature songs Playin' In The Band. It's emotional for both of us, and the audience. We loved Ronnie. He was a wonderful guy.
"He really thought he was a rock star and he lived that life which Rich and I decided not to do. So we will give the people a chance to say a farewell to Ronnie in B.C., and we鈥檒l do that until we play the whole country. As Ronnie would say, 'On we rock.'"
Taking King's spot in the lineup is longtime Berly friend Dave Chabot who, at 66, brings not only the average age of the band down (Dodson is 77), but a ton of experience. King was ready to go on the Ontario tour before his death, but Berly called Chabot in as a potential back-up.
"Ronnie wanted to do the tour, and insisted that he would, but we'd known for a long time his time in the band was limited," said Berly, adding King was suffering from carpel tunnel syndrome and some other medical conditions. "Dave was ready. He's a young fella. He sings, and he brings the energy every night."
The Stampeders will bring along all their classic hits: Wild Eyes, Carry Me, Oh My Lady, Devil You, Ramona, Minstrel Gypsy, Hit the Road Jack and, of course, the quintessential Canadian 鈥� and Hall of Fame 鈥� song, Sweet City Woman.
No 1970s group represented Canada's musical identity to the world like The Stampeders. A quick look at Canada's music scene from 1971 until 1976 confirms the trio was truly the country's international musical ambassadors, touring more extensively in Canada and overseas than any other Canadian group during that time.
They split up in 1977 but reunited 15 years later at the 鈥� fittingly 鈥� Calgary Stampede, and have been playing the hits every year since.
"The show is still the same," said Berly. "We're a communicative band, not just up on stage playing our songs, but we really want to engage and that鈥檚 where the buzz is.
"It鈥檚 an exchange of energy with the audience and that鈥檚 what makes it so hard to consider stopping."
Stopping? Berly dismisses the notion with a wave of his drumsticks.
"When we got back together in 1991, we thought, 'Who would come and see us?'" said Berly. "Now, we're like 35 years back out there, and while it took a while to rebuild the audience, let them know we were back out there and doing it, the energy is up and the songs are still going to kick ass."
The Stampeders have been inducted into the SOCAN Songwriters Hall of Fame on five occasions, and presented with the SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award. They've also been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame for their 1971 hit Sweet City Woman.
The Stampeders' 2025 B.C. tour is below. Reserved seating tickets are $89 (facility fees included, plus tax and service charges), and are available from the box offices listed below. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Tour Schedule:
April 22 - Cranbrook Key City Theatre- Box Office: 250-426-7006
April 23 - Trail Charles Bailey Theatre - Box Office: 250-368-9669
April 24 - Oliver Venables Theatre - Box Office: 250-498-1626
April 27 - Maple Ridge ACT Arts Centre - Box Office: 604-476-2787
April 29 - Campbell River Tidemark Theatre - Box Office: 250-287-7465
April 30 - Courtenay/Comox Sid Williams Theatre - SWT Ticket Centre: 250-338-2430 Ext 1
May 1 - Victoria Royal Theatre - Royal & McPherson Box Offices (& usual outlets): 250-386-6121
May 2 - Duncan Cowichan Performing Arts Centre - Cowichan Ticket Centre: 250-748-7529
May 5 - Nanaimo The Port Theatre - Port Ticket Centre: 250-754-8550
May 7 - Chilliwack Cultural Centre - Box Office: 604-391-7469
May 9 - Surrey Arts Centre, Main Stage - Box Office: 604-501-5566
May 11 - Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre - Ticket Seller: 250-549-7469
May 12 - 琉璃神社 Community Theatre - KCT Box Office: 250-469-8940
May 13 - Abbotsford Arts Centre - Chilliwack Cultural Centre Box Office: 604-391-7469
May 14 - Kamloops Sagebrush Theatre - Kamloops Live Box Office: 250-374-5483