Musician Corb Lund named Whoop-Up Days parade marshal

By Lethbridge Herald on July 21, 2023.

Al Beeber
Lethbridge Herald

The name Corb Lund is synonymous with country music in southern Alberta and now the much-honoured Taber native has been named parade marshal at this year’s Whoop-Up Days.

Lund first came to the attention of music fans with his rock band The Smalls before turning to country. His Corb Lund Band also includes bassist Kurt Ciesla – a Lethbridge native, Brady Valgardson of Taber and Grant Siemens of Winnipeg.

During his career, he won a Juno Award in 2006 for solo roots and traditional album of the year for his recording “Hair in My Eyes Like a Highland Steer.” That album also won the Canadian Music Association Award for Album of the Year in 2006.

The Corb Lund Band has multiple other CCMA awards and nominations to its credit, the latest win coming in 2022 for alternative country album of the year for the record “Songs My Friends Wrote.”

“As a born and raised Southern Albertan, Corb Lund has played a leading role in showcasing the heart of our region to a world-wide audience,” says Mike Warkentin, Lethbridge & District Exhibition CEO in a press release. 

“What Corb is able to do through his music is what Lethbridge & District Exhibition attempts to do through Whoop-Up Days – bring people together, share an authentic experience, and shine a light on this amazing part of the world. We are thrilled Corb is able to join us and lead our parade this summer.”

Lund, whose family has a long ranching history near the  southern Alberta communities of Cardston, Taber and Rosemary, is known for embracing his heritage and indie rock past in his music, says the Exhibition.

“It’s an honour to lead the Whoop-Up Days Parade in Lethbridge, especially given the theme of this year’s event; celebrating Southern Alberta. Both sides of my family have been here a long time. Though I’m lucky enough to travel all over the world singing about this place, it always feels great to come back to the foothills and the prairie that are home to me,” said Lund in the release.

The parade will start at 9 a.m. on Aug. 22. The route starts at Park Place Mall, turning onto 3 St.S., east onto 3 Ave. where huge crowds can be expected to gather and then north onto 13 St. N. which is always packed with viewers. It will then turn east onto 9 Ave. N. before dispersing at Galbraith Elementary School.

Anyone interested in participating in the parade can apply to enter until Aug. 1 at whoopupdays.ca Entry is free.