Alberta-raised country star Gord Bamford part of Calgary Stampede lineup

After a year of postponed concerts and performances, this year is shaping up to a busy one for Alberta-raised country star Gord Bamford. 

He released a new album, opened his home to cameras for a video and podcast series and is already booked to play a few live shows — one of which is at the Calgary Stampede.

"I'm really hoping that [the performance at Stampede] continues and goes through and that will be one of our first shows back. So we're hoping that happens. You know, I think there's a bit of light at the end of the tunnel," he told The Homestretch on Thursday.

However, he adds he will need to do a few rehearsals first to get the vocals back in shape after COVID-19 shut down live shows for over a year.

"I think knocking the rust off is probably going to happen a little bit," he said.

The artist also announced the release last week of his 10th album, Diamonds in a Whiskey Glass, after three-year hiatus.

"We're really excited about this record and, you know, come out of the gates really strong and debut at No. 1 in Australia and same in Canada," he said.

Bamford says the album has been a work in progress the past couple of years, but that the pandemic shifted the release dates.

"Before the COVID and all that hit, I actually took a year off and I was just in the studio, you know, making music," he said.

"This pandemic kind of got in the way of a bunch of plans.… It was tough because we don't like to go that long between new projects."

However, the musician said it was important for him to tour after releasing the record so he's hoping he timed it right.

"It's just kind of a back to the grassroots (album) of where I started," he said. "And there's songs on there for everybody."

Bamford opened up his house to cameras for a video and podcast to give people a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at his life. 

"It was, you know, pre-pandemic that we got that done, but I think it's kind of something that we've talked about doing for years."

While there hasn't been a release date announced yet, he says he's excited for fans to tune in and see how he lives on a day-to-day basis.

"From entertaining to farming to, you know, giving back," he said. "And I think people are going to find that I'm really no different than them."

You can listen to Bamford's new album, Diamonds in a Whiskey Glass, on all streaming services.

With files from The Homestretch.