A versatile Calgary quartet will hit all the right notes in a church southwest of Calgary this weekend.
Seasoned singers and multi-instrumentalists Helen Goodchild, Peter May, Steve Goodchild and Dianne Quinton with Horizon Ridge are bringing inspiration from a world of musical styles to the Red Deer Lake United Church March 8 at 7:30 p.m. through the On the Edge Concert Series.
The group will perform both originals and cover music in a variety of genres including country, folk, blues, rock and gospel - from traditional to modern - at this weekend’s concert, said Quinton, an original member.
“One of the things we love to do is harmony,” she said. “We work it into a song or do full a cappella songs. There’s something about when you hit those notes, there’s just a sweet spot that resonates within your whole body.”
Horizon Ridge began as a trio of friends in 2007 that morphed into a quartet that plays festivals, music clubs, coffee houses and concerts across North America and the United Kingdom.
“This version of the band has been around since 2014,” said Quinton. “(Being a quartet) increased our options in terms of what we can do and what we can present. It added more versatility for us. Because everybody can sing lead and harmony it gave us other options.”
The quartet released its first album Enough Is All You Need in 2016, and is now working on its second one.
“We’re doing more live off the floor,” Quinton said. “That’s an interesting process. It’s a little bit of a different feel and a different sound to it. It’s a different energy when we get to all play together.”
Quinton said the quartet, which consists of two couples, has a lot of fun together.
“We’re lucky to be really good friends,” she said. “We get along so well, personally and musically.”
In addition to adding versatility from different musical backgrounds, instruments and strengths, Quinton said there was something about the four coming together that clicked.
“I think it can be rare to find that combination where things piece together so well that magic happens and you can have fun while you work hard to do what’s best for the song and the audience experience,” she said. “We’re very lucky that way.”
Horizon Ridge is a part-time gig for the four musicians, but Quinton said it remains 100 per cent in their souls.
“Music is like oxygen,” she said. “It’s part of the bloodstream. We feel pretty lucky to get to do this.”
Quinton said each member of the quartet performs lead and harmony with their voices and instruments.
“We get to mix and match,” she said. “We will rotate through who plays what. The harmonies are really neat when you come together with different things that make one. There’s just something about the blend that resonates in the body.”
Harmony Ridge also gets the audience involved in the concerts, inviting them to sing along to some of their songs, Quinton said.
“It’s important for us for people to enjoy the show,” she said. “Music touches people in different ways - it might be a song that reminded them of someone. You see tears, you see laughter. It’s so cool for us to be part of that with people.”
Tickets to see Horizon Ridge perform cost $25 for adults and $10 for youth ages 13-18.
They are available for purchase at reddeerlakeuc.com or by calling 403-256-3181 ext. 5. Children ages 12 and under are free.
