BCCMA Hall of Fame Inductees, Dirt Road Opera Release New Single “Where The Chicory Grows”
Alt-country band and BCCMA Hall of Fame inductees Dirt Road Opera (DRO) are back with their new single, “Where The Chicory Grows”, released November 20. With rich three-part harmonies, pedal steel, and vibrant fiddle melodies, the song is a heartfelt tribute to lead singer Rachel Matkin’s family and their history in Keefers, BC, blending poignant reflection with uplifting energy.
The track honors cherished memories while mourning the loss of their family home to a devastating forest fire last year. This release follows DRO’s celebrated legacy, including their former incarnation, The Cruzeros, and showcases the band’s dynamic range and emotional depth.
Fronted by Rachel’s powerhouse vocals and backed by award-winning musicians Barry Mathers, Robert Bailey, and Mike Brown, DRO continues to captivate with their signature blend of storytelling and soul-stirring sound.
First off, care to introduce Dirt Road Opera to our reader?
Hey everyone, we are Dirt Road Opera! Barry Mathers and myself (Rachel Matkin), started DRO about a decade ago. We are an alt-country/Americana group based in Kelowna BC.
Can you share the inspiration behind “Where The Chicory Grows” and the story it tells about Rachel’s family in Keefers, BC?
Rachel: I was inspired to write “Where the Chicory Grows” following the heartbreaking loss of my family’s homestead in a forest fire last summer. The song tells the story of how my Grandparents moved my mom, and her siblings from Saskatchewan out to the abandoned railroad town of Keefers BC to look after the land. My mom met my Dad in Keefers when he ended up there after he left the Vietnam War. Keefers was my first home, and over the years, it became a very special place for a lot of my family members and friends! A lot of memories are rooted in that place. I also named my son Keefer, and he is always a source of inspiration for me.
How has the experience of losing the family home to a forest fire influenced the way you connect with this song?
Rachel: The connection that I have to this song is obviously deeply personal, and it’s more than just a story of how the place that is so special to so many of us was destroyed. I think it’s more a reminder, and a tribute to the connections that will always hold true, even in the face of devastation, and loss.
Your music features intricate harmonies and rich instrumentals. Can you tell us about the creative process behind building the sound for “Where The Chicory Grows”?
Barry: We began recording Chicory with Rachel singing a reference vocal track along with an acoustic guitar. After that, we started trying out various guitar parts until we found what worked for the song and then on to the steel, fiddle, bass, and drums.
Once the bed tracks were done, Rach sang the final lead vocal, and the Barry’s harmonies were added. We usually try a lot of different parts and then decide which ones sound the best.
I think the last thing we added was some B3 on the keyboards and sent it off to our engineer Bill Buckingham who mixed and mastered the song.
With performances lined up in Canada and the upcoming tour in Mexico, what are you most excited to bring to audiences during these shows?
Barry: We were recently inducted into the BC Country Music Hall of Fame along with our former bandmates from the Cruzeros. So the shows we have coming up here are celebrating that honour and we’re all looking forward to playing together again.
The Mexican gigs are really a working vacation and we have a ton of fun playing down there. It’s very relaxed and the crowds are always super appreciative. AND it’s a warm place to be in February!
Rachel: I’m really looking forward to incorporating our new music into the live shows. It’s long overdue, and I’m really proud of the new stuff that we’ve been working on. It’s always fun performing songs in front of a live audience for the first time. Hopefully, listeners will dig the new tunes as much as we do!
What are some of your goals for Dirt Road Opera in the coming year as you continue to build a new legacy in Canadian alt-country?
Our goals haven’t changed much since the beginning of the band. Creating original songs that (hopefully) people like and building up our following.
The next few months will be focused on finishing our 2nd album and then getting out and promoting it as much as possible.