Acclaimed performer, songwriter, and actor Crystal Plamondon will be spending a few days in Cochrane to become reacquainted with the community.

She's giving a performance here on Saturday night (Sept. 30) at the Cochrane Lions Event Centre, which was a curling rink when she lived in the area for about 13 years.

"Cochrane has a really close connection to me and my heart. At the time, we were working at Rafter 6 Ranch and our kids went to the francophone school in Cochrane. It was just a great place to be. I can't even believe how much it's grown."

Her son did high school rodeo here and played hockey in Morley. 

"I realized I hadn't done any live shows since before COVID and I had to make a choice to either get back out there or shut her down. And I thought, you know. I'm gonna give it one more go, and I've been quite enjoying it. So Cochrane is pretty special to me, and  I'm really really looking forward to the show on Saturday night."

Even if she was a complete stranger to Cochrane, you can be assured her warm personality, wit, and talent will fill the room... and the dance floor.

"I pulled some songs from my first record, some new songs I wrote, and some Cajun country standards that people can just dance and hoot and holler to. There'll be laughter, maybe some tears, and a whole lot of fun."

"It's a chance for people to forget their troubles and just have a night visiting with friends, dancing, laughing, and enjoying each other's company."

Crystal is bringing along a top-notch band that includes guitarist Gord Matthews, who has toured with both k.d. lang and Ian Tyson.

READ MORE: Crystal Plamondon bringing her Cajan Country to Cochrane

Some may know her from her work on the popular television series Heartland.

"I was fortunate enough to produce four songs for them. In three of the songs, I'm the voice of Grandpa Jack's dead wife, Lindsay when she comes up in dream sequences."

"It was really quite a lot of fun. I was really thrilled that Heather Conkey, who is the showrunner and head writer, asked me to produce those songs. That's been a highlight of mine, and it's such a great Canadian show, but predominantly an Alberta show. "

Crystal has represented both our nation and province abroad and has appeared twice on Parliament Hill on Canada Day.

"I'm a proud Albertan and a proud Canadian and I just could never say enough how fortunate we are to live here and to be Albertans and Canadians. People really need to realize that, and I'll just keep saying it, keep shouting it on an apple crate until my dying days that we're really blessed to have been born here or moved here."

Tickets are available in advance online on Eventbrite for $30 ($33.28 with service fees) here. They're $35 at the door.

Proceeds go towards community projects of the Cochrane Lions Club.

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