‘Magical opportunity’: Local band hits stage with country music royalty

A local band is opening for country legends, Alabama. CTV Windsor’s Stefanie Masotti has the details.

A local band is getting the chance to warm up the crowd before Country Music Hall of Fame band Alabama performs at Caesars Windsor on Thursday.

“They’re legendary,” said Rob Higgins, writer and lead vocalist of the band, Higgi Country Music. “They’ve won more awards and more albums than any country band ever.”

Now Higgi will be the opening act for Alabama.

“To walk on a stage with band like that…it’s a magical opportunity for us,” he added.

Higgins partly credits the practice of ‘networking’ with Caesars Windsor officials for landing to this opportunity.

“David Foster, who’s a huge legend in Canada… talked about how you can have the best music sitting on the shelf, but if nobody’s hearing it, it’s not going anywhere. You have to know where it can get it in the right hands,” he explained from inside his studio.

“People talk about luck. I don’t believe much in luck. I think you have to work hard and just keep it out there and keep pounding it, and eventually people will take notice to you. They’ll come find you if you keep working at it, they’ll come find you, but you have to be out there for them to find in as many places as you can be.

The band is looking forward to sharing their original songs with a growing audience.

“There’s some that are emotional that you write for people that maybe aren’t around anymore…Going through life, having kids, going through good times, bad times, all this kind of stuff adds different, perspectives to life,” said Higgins. “If you can write about that and connect with somebody else that’s kind of a cool connection.”

It’s a cool connection he hopes to make with 5,000 people in the stands Thursday night.

“Can’t wait for one more night. One more sleep.”