The wild ride that has been the last year for six Cranbrook high school-aged musicians rolled through the normally buttoned-down confines of city hall last night (May 27).

Sporting one of their now well-recognized tee-shirts, City of Cranbrook Mayor Wayne Stetski and council honoured the members of the Good Ol’ Goats, along with their mentor and teacher, for their recent successes.

Along with being named Artist of the Year and Best Roots and Blues act at the Kootenay Music Awards and ‘newsmaker of the year’ by the Cranbrook and District Chamber of Commerce, the Goats achieved national attention with an incredible run to second overall in Canada in CBC’s Searchlight contest.

Interestingly, it was a former Newfoundland teacher whose band captured top prize – Corner Brook’s Sherman Downey and the Ambiguous Case.

The Good Ol’ Goats are Nolan Ackert (16) on lead vocals, banjo and guitar; Angus Liedtke (17) on guitar, dobro, banjo, harmonica and vocals; Theo Moore (17) on standup bass and backing vocals; Angus MacDonald (17) on mandolin, backing vocals and fiddle; Joelle Winkel (17) on shaker and backing vocals; Alysha Seriani on melodion, rainstick, tambourine and backing vocals; and Julian Bueckert (16) on drums.

Five of the six band members attended the city honour last night, with Joelle Winkel unable to attend because she was working.

Mount Baker Secondary School music teacher Evan Bueckert (Julian’s dad) has guided the young band every step of the way and was singled out by Mayor Stetski for his work with them and “for many, many kids. He has really made a difference. You have given them the passion to be the great entertainers they are.”

Note of interest for Invermere readers: Evan Bueckert was raised in Invermere and graduated from David Thompson Secondary School.

For more on the Goats: https://goodolgoats.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheGoodOlGoats .

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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