Country star George Canyon made his annual visit to Lethbridge for a close to sold out show at Average Joes, Friday, Nov. 16.

 You know George Canyon is going to be a good time, and a solid bet for entertainment because he plays his hits and other popular hits in spades and gets you up on your feet. He’s big and affable and you just want to party to his music.

 He had a solid band behind him, all sporting Team Canada hockey jerseys, including a guitarist, bassist and drummer plus keyboardist Mike Little, who brought out the accordion for a couple of songs including “Good Day To Ride” and a little later, Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.”

  I missed his show opening version of “ The Hockey Song,” which was an  apt way to  open his  Made In Canada tour stop, not to mention a great way to present his latest album “Southside of Heaven,” which features the Stompin’ Tom Connors ’ classic.

 His hit heavy set was interspersed with jokes and stories and  little tidbits of Canadian history.

So all the familiar mid tempo rockers and heartfelt ballads  were there including  “Slow Dance,” which had a good sized crowd doing just that, “ I Believe in Angels” and “Never Do Better Than You.”

 Another highlight from the new CD was “Your Old Man’s Son,” but the show was all about his multitude of hits, interspersed with Canadian trivia.

Because the show was Made in Canada, he dedicated the middle of the show to a tight acoustic medley of Canadian artists including Gordon Lightfoot, Anne Murray and Ian Tyson.

 He was supposed to play a version of The Tragically Hip’s “Blow at High Dough,” but I missed it as there were other to shows I wanted to see.

 He did play one of his early hits- a countrified cover of Crowded House’s “Better Be Home Soon.” and the always popular version of “Rhinestone Cowboy.”
 I ducked out after one of Canyon’s newer hits “I Got This.”