These days, it seems as though you are the odd duck out if the kind of country music you are playing dates back to the 60’s and 70’s. But in the case of Moncton country-outlaw band The Divorcees, they wouldn’t have it any other way. Taking musical cues from Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, it is hard to imagine any country music fan, new or old, not being able to appreciate the authentic classic country-inspired beauty of the group’s work.
With two records and a whole heap of shows under their belt, the band has been spreading the honky-tonk word from coast to coast.
The Divorcees are slated to play the Atlantic Lottery Mainstage in Downtown Moncton as a part of the Mosaiq Music Festival in conjunction with the IAAF on Thursday, July 22. Also performing that evening will be El Fuego as well as Star Academie winner Wilfred LeBouthilier.
The Divorcees most recent record “The Last Of The Free Men” was released in 2009 and has been the focal point for the band’s promotional activities of the past 14+ months.
The band recently returned to Moncton after playing a run of four shows through Southern Ontario. Prior to their Ontario shows, the group also had the opportunity to play the Dauphin Countryfest in Manitoba alongside artists such as Terri Clark, Corb Lund, Keith Urban and One More Girl.
According to Divorcees vocalist-guitarist Alex Madsen, a good time was had by all playing the Dauphin Countryfest , Canada’s longest running country music festival:
“Not only is Dauphin a huge festival but it’s also a big, big party,” Madsen says. “This year, it was great to hang out with a lot of our peers.
“We also had a lot of fun and laughs in Ontario playing with Jerry Leger and his band The
Situation. They are very talented guys and great people to boot.”
Madsen goes on to admit that before too long, the group will be setting its sights on the huge but potentially lucrative American market. Noting that getting on people’s radars south of the border won’t necessarily be an easy task, he is confident in their ability as well as the ability of those working on behalf of the band.
“The album has done well so far in Canada but for the moment, I think our main push
is to get things moving in the States. There are definitely plans in the works to start incorporating the US into our touring plans.”
Although “The Last Of The Free Men” is still a viable tool for promotion, Madsen and his band mates are eagerly looking to the future, leaving no musical possibility unexplored.
“The band is definitely in a creative phase right now,” he says. “There is a lot of new
material getting written and we are trying some new things.”
But before you concern yourself about The Divorcees shifting genres and joining the ranks of pop stars like The Black Eyed Peas, you had best continue reading:
“I think that we will always do country the way we have done it. But over the past few years, we have had the chance to be inspired by many different bands, players and singer-songwriters and I think you are going to hear those influences pop up in our future work.”
Madsen says that he and the remainder of The Divorcees are very much looking forward to their upcoming Moncton performance as a part of the IAAF.
“Having the opportunity to play the track meet is a pleasure for us. It is great just to be involved in such a huge event. It helps to put Moncton on the map and we are glad to be there for it.
“I think it’s also going to be a great opportunity to show New Brunswick’s countryside to a lot of people who might not ordinarily see it.”
Article published in July 21, 2010 edition of the Times & Transcript