11-time Country Music Alberta Award recipients The Prairie States released their brand-new album, Trouble Is, today, January 12, 2024.
Dana Haggith caught up with Mike Nash, one of the founding members, to discuss the release:
Featuring their signature infectious melodies and rhythms, the 10-track recording, released by Willing Records / Universal Music, is a collection of classic, feel-good music that offers a real sense of home.
Trouble Is was produced by Erik Dylan and Bobby Wills, and the title track “Trouble Is” has an anthemic singalong chorus that radiates excitement and exhilaration as the band reminds listeners that true love is always worth the trouble.
“Backroad” (That 17 Summer)” is a fast and free-driving song with the snarl and twang of classic 90’s country that feels reminiscent of reliving the butterfly moments of a past summer love.
Also included on the album is the new track “Heart Was A Place,” imagines what the heart of the one you love would look like if it were a spot where you could live.
Band members Mat Cardinal, Jeff Dick, Mike Nash, Jay Der and Doc de Groot formed The Prairie States in 2017.
Since then, they have been named Country Music Alberta’s 2018 Rising Stars, 2020 Songwriters of the Year, and 2023 Group/Duo Of The Year, in addition to landing a nomination for the CCMA Songwriters of The Year in 2022.
Their album, Lost In The Right Direction was independently released in 2018 and nominated for the CMAB Album Of The Year and included three radio singles.
“Waiting On You”, released in 2022, landed the band their first Top 30 single at country radio.
Loaded with infectious melodies and rhythm, the release followed up The Prairie States break-out single Rebel Phase, which has over 1.8 million global streams and over 2,000 spins on Canadian country radio.
The band joined Jess Moskaluke on the Winter Wonderland Tour in December 2023, which included performances in Calgary at the Deerfoot Casino, Winnipeg’s Casino Winnipeg and the Ovinti Events Centre in Dawson’s Creek.
More details are available at https://theprairiestates.com/.