2024 Rivers 'n' Roots Performers

Mixing the old with the new, The Prairie States was born out of a desire to put a fresh

touch on a classic design. As eleven time Country Music Alberta Award recipients

including the 2018 Rising Star, 2019 Horizon Group/Duo Of The Year, and 2020

Songwriters of the Year, 2023 Group/Duo Of The Year as well as 1st place in the 2018

Project Wild Artist Development Program and a nomination for 2022 CCMA Songwriters

of The Year, it’s proof that this Edmonton based band is moving in the right direction.

Mat Cardinal, Jeff Dick, Mike Nash, Jay Der and Doc de Groot formed The Prairie

States in 2017 and immediately started writing songs for their debut full length album,

Lost In The Right Direction. Independently released in June 2018, it was nominated for

the CMAB Album Of The Year and included three radio singles, which all broke the top

100 Mediabase Canadian Country Chart. Since then, the band has released seven

more radio singles all of which also cracked the top 100.

To go along with the release of their single, Low Life, the band teamed up with

Edmonton based Sea Change Brewing Co to create a custom branded beer called Low

Life Lager. The brewery made 17000 tall boys of this perfect summer sipper which

included a Spotify QR code so the person enjoying the beverage could also “Scan The

Can” to instantly hear Low Life.

Waiting On You, released in 2022, hit as high as #28 at Canadian Country radio (their

first Top 30 single), sings with cool confidence and simplistic certainty that the love we

have is the love we’ve been waiting for. Loaded with infectious melodies and hooks, the

release followed up The Prairie States break-out single Rebel Phase, which has over a

million global streams and over 2000 spins on Canadian country radio.

Their latest release, Backroad (That 17 Summer), is like your favorite cassette blasting

from the dashboard of an old pickup truck. Driving fast and free with the snarl and twang

of classic 90’s country, their next single is about the feeling of reminiscing and reliving

the butterfly moments of a past summer love.

The band had two big developments in 2022 that will help them climb to the next level.

They signed a recording contract with Willing Records/Universal Music and an agency

deal with Sakamoto Agency.

They have also been out on the road and wowing crowds with their undeniable live

show. In their short time as a band, they’ve shared stages with Aaron Goodvin, The

Washboard Union, Jess Moskaluke, as well as Brothers Osborne while kicking off the

2019 Big Valley Jamboree.

Ready with a stack of brand new recordings underway and shows booking up, the

future looks bold for The Prairies States.