MEET OUR
INSTRUCTORS

DUANE STEELE

Duane Steele is among Canada’s top country recording artists and songwriters with a professional career dating back to 1984.

Duane’s professional career began, fronting the band Rock ‘N’ Horse. Their album, Highways, was released in 1991. Despite top 20 singles, non stop touring, and a Juno nomination for Country Band of the Year Rock ‘N’ Horse disbanded in 1993.

In 1995 a showcase at Canadian Country Music Week in Calgary resulted in his signing a recording contract with Mercury Canada. Duane’s solo debut album “PO Box 423” was released in February 1996 and saw his first three singles go Top 5 on the Canadian Country Charts, including the #1 Hit “Anita Got Married”.

Touring and promoting became a way of life and put him on the road traveling with his CCMA award winning band opening for some of the hottest acts in country music including Shania Twain, Terri Clark, Trisha Yearwood, Sammy Kershaw, and Prairie Oyster.

After releasing 8 Albums and numerous Canadian music industry awards, Duane was recently inducted into the Country Alberta Music Hall of Honour and released a new single called ” Grumpy Old Men ” in May of 2023 .

DAVE MILNER

A legend on the strings, camp organizer and a pillar of the Canadian Country music scene!

Kicking off in 1985, Dave formed the Rock 'N' Horse band with friend Duane Steele, and toured Canada extensively, winning 5 Alberta Recording Industry awards. Dave was nominated for a Juno award in 1991, as well as best Country Group of the year by the Canadian Country Music Association.

TOM COLE

A lanky, ranch raised cowboy from Rose Prairie in northern BC, his music style stays true to his roots. His rich Baritone voice was made to sing cowboy songs and make you believe every word.

The 90’s were spent on the road with his award winning band, Cole Cole Heart and later years working with long time friend and Cowboy Poet, Brian Salmond. Today he lives close to family and runs a Commercial Recording Studio from his home, Hilltop Studios in Charley Lake BC..

CHRIS MCINTYRE

Chris McIntyre is a performer, composer, audio engineer, and teacher from Brandon, Manitoba.

Chris came to Grande Prairie while touring with his trio, “Buck 5,”in 2004, which led to acquiring a house gig at local venue BJs. Chris also became the house audio engineer, and worked with many of the acts who came through the club. Chris taught at the local college, has scored music for film/media, freelances as a guitarist and vocalist and runs his own home studio. A man of many talents!

RANDY RINK

Randy has been a fixture in the western Canadian music scene since the late 1970's.

He has performed virtually all styles of popular music on electric and acoustic guitar in every imaginable venue, from lounges to concert stages. Randy has performed at many festivals and opened for the likes of Dwight Yoakam, April Wine and Lou Graham (Foreigner). He is currently a freelance artist, appearing in numerous music videos, and maintains an intense enthusiasm for teaching the next generation of musicians.

KARYN ANDERSON

Karyn has lived the life of a country song - hard, fast and full of heartache. She puts her past on paper, singing about it for all to enjoy and inviting her audience to become empowered on a muscial journey of love, heartbreak and the happiness she found along the way.

With less than four years singing and playing onstage Karyn is currently focusing on musicianship and was recently promoted as the New Host of Open Mic at Tractor Jacks.

GREG LOEWEN

Greg was born in Lethbridge and grew up in the Grande Prairie area. He started playing guitar, with Eric Dalen, when he was 7 years old, played in bands from the age of 12, and after high school completed a music program, at Grant MacEwan, where he majored in guitar. He then went on to spend 16 years playing and teaching in Vancouver, BC.

He currently plays guitar and fiddle for the Travis Fowler Band, as well as his own band Pontiac Moon while enthusiastically continuing to teach music lessons.

CHRIS RAWLYCK

Chris Rawlyck was raised in small town Alberta( Lacombe). and got the music bug, by hearing his best friend’s impressive cassette collection. Going home with Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ozzy, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest pirouetting in his brain it wasn't long before he wanted to be rocking out in a band as well. After 4 years of lessons and practicing 6-14 hours a day, Chris started teaching guitar himself at 15 and playing in his original band called Lost Kauz throughout junior high and high school.

After High School Chris attended Grant MacEwan College( now University) and graduated with a diploma in Music performance.

After graduating Chris Played with Gord Bamford for a year, and then The Jaymes Gang.

After a couple years playing in Vancouver Chris moved back to Alberta to play with Sotthern Justice.

Chris has also played with Six west, Craig Moritz, Roger West, Julian Austin, Duane Steel and subbed in and freelanced for countless others.

Chris released a solo album in 2019 independently.

Chris now lives in Grande Prairie and is playing with Great National Railway and Roger West while freelancing and teaching at Markevich studio.

JONNY QUICKSTAD

Jonny's unique style of playing and his relentless pursuit of making music that people feel in their hearts, allowed him to tour Canada , the United States and France.

Notable achievements include:

- Performed with legendary Bo Diddley

- CCMA Guitar Player of the Year Nominee & Performer

- Multiple Breakfast TV Performances

- Played in Gord Bamfords band

- Opened for George Straight, Martina McBride, Brooks and Dunn, Tim McGraw

When working with Jonny you will learn beginner to advanced country licks, melody importance, song structure, timing, rythm, tone, amp & pedal set up, guitar maintenance, wiring basics and learning how to play songs the proper way.

BRAD SCOTT

Originally from a town near Ottawa, ON, Bradley first started teaching himself how to play guitar at age seven and began playing publicly at eleven years old. He quickly became an "in-demand" sideman and session player in his teens and performed and toured with the likes of Charlie McCoy, Ali McCormick, Liv Charlette, Tara Shannon, Brea Lawrenson, The Timber Line, Old Whiskey Road, Great Northern Railway, The Brad Lynch Band and many more. Whether playing fiddle, mandolin, banjo, bass or guitar, as a sideman, or playing his own brand of slap-pop-percussive original fingerstyle acoustic music, Bradly's one true home is the stage.

TRAVIS FOWLER

Travis Fowler returns to this years camp with even more excitement and eagerness to help aspiring musicians reach new levels of ability.

Travis studied music at GPRC before enrolling in the Jazz Program at Grant MacEwan Community College (now MacEwan University) as a drums and percussion major.

As a professional musician, he is a singer-songwriter, composer, stage technician, educator, and multi-instrumentalist. Travis' favourite part of the guitar camp is how fast the students progress and how much they learn, saying the Friday concert is a highlight.

DONNA HEDGES

Drawing on folk roots blended with shades of pop, Donna Hedges has an appreciation for all music and searches for the common threads within all musical genres.

Donna is an elementary school teacher who has been teaching across all grades for nearly 20 years in Fort St. John, B.C. As a child, she had always wanted to play the guitar, but was never given the opportunity. In her early 30’s, Donna made a New Year’s resolution to learn how to play the guitar.Her first teacher was Tom Cole. Donna next delved into song writing and created a band called “Eyes of Blue”.

Most of Donna’s time is spent teaching elementary level students how to play guitar and uke, but she also teaches private lessons. In addition, Donna was a guitar and uke teacher at the Hotchkiss Guitar Camp for 15 years. Donna is also proud of her most recent accomplishment of receiving a Master of Education through the University of Alberta.

JIM ZWICK

Jim Zwick was musically inspired by his father, at the age of 13. He began his musical venture (self taught) by listening to a variety of other musicians and guitarist. Some of his favorites being The Ventures, Steve Wargner, and Merle Haggart.

At 15 he began his professional career learning other string instruments, bass, mandolin, and banjo.

Spending many years freelancing for different genre bands, across Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario, expanding over the years his unique style of rhythm picking.

Jim Joined up with a bluegrass band (Due North)in the 1990’s and won an award for B.C. bluegrass band of the year. Jim has been Teaching guitar for over 40 years and to present day continues entertaining, playing lead guitar with the Rusty Rails Band.

NORMA JEAN ZWICK

Norma Jean Zwick Started in the music world at the age of eight in a church choir. Playing the church organ by thirteen. She continued her musical studies in theory and voice for the next 8 years at several different schools in Toronto, including the conservatory.

Music theater (Playhouse 99) was also a part of her studies.

In 1978-1980 she played classical 3/4 bass in the all-Scarborough philharmonic orchestra, concerts taking her across North America.

For the past 35 years She has been teaching voice piano guitar and theory at a beginners level to inspire and empower students to embrace musical growth, sharing her knowledge and love of music to all who wish to learn. Her newest venture playing keyboard in the Rusty Rails Band.