Doc Walker

Back at the start of the 1990s, a country band from the town of Westbourne, Manitoba appeared on the scene. It was fronted by singer/guitarist Chris Thorsteinson and began building a reputation the traditional “weddings, parties, anything” way. In 1994, Thorsteinson recruited his childhood friend, singer/guitarist Dave Wasyliw, and the pair quickly established a formidable songwriting partnership that now after nearly three decades has resulted in a Juno Award, 14 Canadian Country Music Association Awards, 21 Top 10 Canadian country radio singles, eight #1 CMT videos and millions of streams.

Although the numbers certainly support the notion that Doc Walker is one of Canada’s most successful country bands, its foundation remains Chris and Dave’s unshakable creative partnership. They’re putting it on display again with a new single, “She Wants What She Wants,” to coincide with their return to stages across Canada (watch this space for a national tour announcement soon). Produced by Dave at Stereobus Recording in Winnipeg, “She Wants What She Wants” is the first new Doc Walker music since the 2017 album Weathervane and finds them in top form with their trademark harmony, a heart-swelling chorus, and a modern spin on traditional instrumentation.

Chris says, “The idea for the song came to me one morning while I was messing around in the studio. I came across an ‘80s guitar sound and it was like a time machine for me. I started to remember all the great music recorded in the ‘80s and it inspired me to create something similar. The lyrics came from thinking about my three children, and realizing that someday my little girl is going to have her heart broken. It scared me, because my job as a father is to protect my children. But I came to the conclusion that life happens and all you can do is try to raise your kids to be strong enough to overcome those situations—and most importantly to have respect for yourself and those around you.” Dave took Chris’ initial demo and reworked it as the song’s producer before handing it over to well-known Canadian producer Eric Ratz for his final mix magic.

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