“When I was 13 years old, I wanted to be an Elvis impersonator when I grew up!” Conrad Bigknife confesses with an embarrassed laugh. “I just wanted to be on stage so bad and in the 1980’s there were these three kind of famous Elvis impersonators and that seemed like a pretty good way to make a living.”

As a teen Bigknife may have taken a lot of inspiration from The King, but as an adult, he’s found a sound all of his own.

Conrad Bigknife’s third album, Full Circle is a mix of soaring country vocals, shimmering guitars and choruses so catchy, they’ll remind you of the first time you heard Take it Easy from The Eagles. It has all the makings of a modern day country hit, but with none of the over-produced glitz. There’s a simple beauty to these songs that is worth paying attention to.

Bigknife grew up in a large, close-knit family on Starblanket First Nation with 3 sisters and 4 brothers. He remembers his father as the ultimate “Jack-of-All-Trades” driving snow plow in the winter, doing carpentry year round and raising cattle on their farm. His Mom somehow managed to take care of all of the kids and also drive school bus.

At the age of 8, Bigknife remembers listening to classic country albums with his Dad and siblings. Some of his favorite performers were: Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty, Freddy Fender and of course, Johnny Cash. By the age of 13, he was a full on Elvis fan. He says, “There were times when I got very close to sounding like Elvis on “Jailhouse Rock” and “Hound Dog” and right then I knew that music was what I was going to do with my life.” Bigknife will still play some of those beloved Elvis songs for the fans who request them when he plays at the local Province casinos.

Bigknife released two albums prior to Full Circle. 1997’s Hurry Up and Wait and 2003’s This World.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full Circle is only Conrad Bigknife’s third album, but he’s really found his sound with this one. “I feel like I’m finally doing exactly what I was meant to do with my music” he says. “For the past 15 years I was playing in a country music cover band and it just wasn’t fully me. I never knew if the audience was clapping for my performance or just because I was playing a popular song that they loved. So I started to sneak my own songs into the sets we’d play. I wanted to see what would happen.”

Turns out Bigknife’s original tunes were as catchy and memorable as some of the country and soft rock classics he was covering. He noticed that after playing a few of his songs several times during a long set, that the people on the dance floor started to sing along to his songs just like they had during the Elvis, Eagles and country hits covers.

There were some good times playing those cover songs too. Bigknife recalls, “One of my most memorable moments was Nashville North Stage 1997. I was singing my last song, ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Brothers. As the song came to a close, the entire place erupted into thunderous applause and a standing ovation. It was honestly one of the greatest moments of my life. Now, I want to have those kinds of moments singing my own songs.”
 

When asked what it’s like writing songs with his wife Shannon, Bigknife reveals a very personal side of himself. "As We Are is actually a song about our marriage. It’s from Shannon’s point of view. It’s about the flexibility and understanding that we have as individuals. We don’t feel like we are trapped because we are married but rather we truthfully believe the heavens brought us together.”

The lyrics are:
As we are what will be
Full on living you and me
As we are we’ll never find another road like yours
Another road like mine

The vocals on As We Are and the stripped down style are reminiscent of some of Keith Urban’s more mellow, easy-going songs like Memories of Us.

It’s easy to imagine Hearts and Lucky Charm becoming big roots/country hits. From the opening melodic guitar solos to the choruses that will stick in your head for days, these songs remind country music fans of why they love this genre so much.

Bigknife’s big heart and endless determination remind us of another star who was able to transcend musical boundaries and who stood proudly on the stage right up to the end — Roy Orbison. Bigknife has that clear, powerful Orbison-esque voice and it’s easy to imagine that through the years Bigknife’s songs will evolve and become classics just like Presley’s and Orbison’s did.

 

RV: I’ve read where it was stated that you really found your sound with the release of your third album, Full

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Circle. What personally stands out for you in terms of achievement with your most recent album compared to your previous work?

 

Conrad: In previous works we’ve (Shannon and I) always tried to follow the trends of the time. On this project we decided to just record what we wanted. Didn’t try to emulate anyone else’s sound or produce the way everything we heard was being produced. I think what stands out on this work is the simplicity of it all. We didn’t add all the bells and whistles to it, but rather just kept it as simple as we could.

 

RV: I can't help but envision a future of success waiting ahead of you as I listen to Full Circle. The song Lucky Charm sounds like it belongs in the top 10 count down. At what point in your career would you say that you've obtained fulfillment or has this already occurred for you?

Conrad: I’m very proud of this song. It was one of the first ones written without trying to create what was on radio at the time. I have and haven’t found fulfillment. I’m happy with the way things are musically at this stage but still haven’t found the end of the road yet. I have a lot more to write and sing about and don’t see retirement setting in for quite some time. Fulfillment for me comes from looking ahead to the next level, of whatever that may be, but yet keep focus on what’s at hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Click to Listen”

 

RV: Where does your inspiration to write and compose your own music come from?

Conrad: As co-writer my inspiration comes from movie scores and instrumentals. When Shannon, lyricist, finishes a song and brings it to me for the music. We sit and talk about the song, what’s the mood; the story itself and what emotions are involved and I have to compose the score to her mini 3-4 minute picture.

 

RV: I saw where your parents were working all the time while you were growing up “my father was the ultimate “Jack of all trades”, driving a snow plow in the winter, doing carpentry year round and raising cattle on the farm”. Your mom also drove a school bus while raising a family. Do you feel that your parents hard work had any influence on your strive to achieve where you are today?

Conrad: There hard work has definitely played a huge part in my career to date. It made me appreciate everything I’ve worked for. I can’t imagine what it’d feel like to not have the feeling of accomplishments attained by your own sweat and determination, and not handed to you from someone or somewhere.

 

RV: I’ve read that your wife Shannon influenced the song “As We Are”. I've also read a lot of how music was introduced in your life and influenced by such artist as Elvis Presley and Merle Haggard. Do you have a pronounced affinity for the songs that you’ve personally written and composed compared to other artist music that you've performed or do you find an equal level of bonding for all music including those that influenced your career?

Conrad: It’s quite a bit different performing your own material to a crowd than it is to perform someone else’s. In singing our own creations I do feel more connected with them. I’m telling stories as we see things and not another’s point of view. Singing songs from other artists? I try to imagine what they are trying to send out to their audiences. Some of my favorite shows I’ve done were the ones where I can see the looks on people’s faces as I performed and felt they connected with the song I was singing. I truly believe that a song with no emotion is nothing more than words to music, no matter what you’re saying.

 

RV: What milestones have you experienced as you progressed through the ladder of your career and what motivates you to keep climbing?

Conrad: I don’t think in terms of milestones, everything I’ve done was just the next right thing to do, hopefully. To quote whoever said this…”It’s not about the destination, but about the journey”. That’s pretty much how I feel about my career.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RV: Is there a rush that you feel after performing a live performance in front of large crowds? Has it always been easy for you to perform in front of a live audience?

Conrad: The feeling I have after performing in front of a large crowd, without saying, is pure excitement! Adrenalin is flowing, if the crowd is pumped up and in a frenzy, which gives you more electricity to give it your best. Performing in front of a live audience is something that still scares me. It’s a lot easier to perform in front of a huge crowd than a small one. There’s more intimacy in a small crowd, which can be nerve-racking. But I always knew that’s where I wanted to be though.

 

RV: What projects are you currently involved in and where are some of the places that will you be performing?

Conrad: Since the release of Full Circle in Oct,09 we’ve been donating $3.00 of every disc we sell ourselves to a local charities, and will continue to do so for the duration of this release and all future released projects. We are currently in the process of booking shows for 2010 and will post on my websites as they’re confirmed.

 

RV: Please feel free to add anything here that you would like to share with your fans and readers. .

Conrad: One thing I really started thinking about lately is our little blue marble in the universe. I am getting concerned about the environment and general state of our planet.

 

I would like to thank Conrad for his kindness and generosity. Conrad’s music is as extraordinary as his humbleness and musical talents. If you would like to learn more about Conrad please visit his website by “clicking here”. You can also purchase Conrad’s CD here