Kim Berly is a founding member and drummer of Calgary’s multiple Juno Award-winning band, The Stampeders.
With so many iconic Canadian seventies hits, including Sweet City Woman, Wild Eyes, and Hit the Road Jack, Lethbridge welcomes back The Stampeders: One More Time.
“We see people as often as possible. This year, it’s the Prairies,” said Berly. “We’ve been almost everywhere. It’s always great. Any time there’s a new place to go, we’re totally up for it.”
According to Berly, the band plays all the songs fans want to hear. “We try to freshen the show up each tour with a couple of new songs.”
On this tour, Berly noted, the band has been doing part of the show as a remembrance to former bassist Ronnie King, who passed away in 2024.
“I tell some stories about him. We have a video that plays behind the band. We wanted to make sure we got that kind of remembrance of Ronnie out to everyone,” Berly added.
With all the stories, Berly said the band loves hearing the audience laugh. “It’s just one of the great rewards of being on stage. That seems to happen a fair bit, so it’s a good time.”
One story Berly shared was when Ronnie befriended radio icon Wolfman Jack at the American Song Festival in New York in the seventies.
“Wolfman was hosting along with Paul Williams. Ronnie was at the small airport when Wolf arrived. After a brief conversation, a lifelong friendship was born. After The Stampeders had recorded Hit the Road Jack, Ronnie gave Wolf a call and asked if he would like to be on another Canadian band’s record,” Berly explained.
Wolfman Jack had also lent his legendary pipes to The Guess Who’s Clap for the Wolfman.
“Ronnie and our manager flew to Los Angeles with the tracks and Wolf and Ronnie improvised the rap. Wolf appeared onstage with us a few times after the song became a hit,” added Berly.
The band, Berly explained, is the best it’s been in many years. “There’s nothing quite like the communion between a performer and an audience. It’s a unique experience, and one I cherish. I’m ever so happy to be still doing it.”
A new documentary about The Stampeders will also be out fairly soon for fans.
“It brings you back to the role The Stampeders essentially played in the Canadian music business, which did not exist before. The content regulations came into effect in 1970, and they were resisted by a lot of people, including me. I didn’t want to become famous on the back of a government regulation. It basically forced radio stations to play Canadian music, which they did not want to do,” Berly explained.
Berly added recording in Canada also felt inferior because there weren’t a lot of studios. “We didn’t have the producers. The talent’s always been here, but it had to go to the United States to become recognized in Canada. We went to the U.S., but we always toured in Canada. We were the first band ever to tour coast-to-coast in Canada, and we played all kinds of venues.”
Many people have told Berly the band was one of the first live acts they saw that had songs on the radio. “That’s kind of our legacy. It’s just very cool we’re still out doing it. It’s also been such a joy in my life to get to know people from St. John’s to Tofino. We’ve been everywhere in Canada many times and watched the country change over five decades. It’s been a remarkable experience.”
Don’t miss The Stampeders live at the Vic Juba Community Theatre June 18.
For more information, check out TICKETS | Vic Juba Community Theatre.
Written by: Stan Ashbee – Vista Radio
