Rossetta Paxton and Randy Pokeda from the lakecity band Hwy. 97 will be among performers at the 7th annual Cowboy Christmas Concert happening at the Gibraltar Room this Saturday night.
Formed in 2009, Hwy. 97 includes Paxton on rhythm guitar and vocals; Pokeda on dobro and harmony vocals; Mark Lees on electric bass, harmony and lead vocals; and Pat Myre on fiddle, lead guitar, harmony and vocals.
Paxton says the whole band won’t be performing because the concert features a number of talented local artists, but she and Pokeda are looking forward to performing at the concert.
She says Hwy. 97’s repertoire features original compositions by band members, many traditional bluegrass, classic country, old time fiddle and classic rock standards.
Hwy. 97 will be recording over the winter months and will be looking forward to releasing a CD in late spring.
On her own Paxton has two CD releases to her credit, Rossetta and Friends and Looking Back.
She also teaches guitar and appears on other artists recording projects, and co-ordinates the annual 108 Cabin Fever Bluegrass workshops.
Pokeda has released two CDs Mixing It Up and Dobro Express. He has been playing professionally since age 12 and is an accomplished and much sought-after musician, producer, writer, studio musician and recording artist with his own studio Harmony Productions Recording Studio.
The Cowboy Christmas Concert hosted by the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance at the museum or at the door.
Paxton and Pokeda join the legendary saltwater cowboy Alan Moberg, creator of the Williams Lake Stampede Song; the city’s fast talking cowboy poet Frank Gleeson, and popular lakecity entertainer Stanley Stump in Saturday night’s concert.
A free cowboy/western trade show of arts and crafts with an open mic takes place in the Gibraltar Room during the day from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.