Band will bring songs of Garth Brooks to Cape with 'Fresh Horses'

Musician Les Smith believes a haircut helped him land his gig in a Garth Brooks tribute band.

Based in Toronto, Ontario, Smith was working in a country band in 1997 when he was approached by an agent who wanted to put a Brooks tribute band out on the road.

Smith said he believes one of the things that drew the agent to him was his new haircut at the time.

"Everybody started calling me Garth Brooks," Smith said. "The look was already there, I guess."

He put a band together and hit the road, playing fairs and festivals, and a few honky-tonks.

In the height of Brooks' popularity, the band was playing about 150 gigs a year, Smith said.

"What we do, is we emulate Garth Brooks' show the best we can," Smith said. "We bring the next best thing to the audience."

The band now performs about 100 shows per year, and two of them will be in Cape Girardeau.

Smith and his band will perform "Fresh Horses, Garth Brooks Tribute" at 7 and 9 p.m. Oct. 30 at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Smith said fans can expect to hear a lot of their favorite tunes, such as "Friends in Low Places," "Ain't Going Down" and "The Dance."

"The Dance" is a song Smith said many people connect with and is one of Brooks' most famous.

"This song has been played at weddings, funerals, anniversaries, ceremonies; it's one of those songs that everybody can relate to," he said.

Smith said the five band members have been playing together for about 15 years, and it's given them an unbreakable bond.

"We are like a band of brothers," he said. "We all celebrate holidays together; we've become a family. It has enriched all our lives."

Audience participation is an important part of the show, Smith said.

"I like to be very informal with the audience and have the kind of participation where we have dialogue back and forth," he said.

"We encourage crowd participation," he said. "We really, really encourage people to come and enjoy the music, get involved and sing with us, or sit back and relax and enjoy the show and listen to all your favorite Garth Brooks songs."

Smith said the band also is happy to take requests from the audience, even if the songs were performed by someone other than Brooks.

If they are interested in hearing music of other country artists -- such as Johnny Cash, George Jones or Brooks and Dunn -- Smith said he can accommodate those requests.

"If you like Garth Brooks and you like singing along, you'll enjoy it," Smith said.

The high-energy show is more like a rock show, he said, because the band's musicians have backgrounds in rock 'n' roll.

"Country came to us," Smith said. "Country music doesn't have to be whiny. It can be really fun," Smith said.

This show is different from some other tribute shows because, Smith said, the band was given permission to perform the songs from Brooks' management team.

Tickets to the show are $10, and are general admission. Doors for the 7 p.m. show open at 6 p.m. and at 8:30 p.m. for the 9 p.m. show.

Pertinent address:

777 Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.