For 30 years, the two sides of Robert Billard have fought each other tooth and nail. The Architect vs the Recording and Performing Artist. From the street corners of Halifax playing original maritime folk music to Blues/Rock on the main stage of a CBC Gala performance broadcast across Canada, Robert played his heart out. Just as passionately, he has designed buildings in 7 provinces and territories from Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, to Victoria, British Columbia, to Canso, Nova Scotia. He’s shared stages with everyone from The Barenaked Ladies, Great Big Sea, Garnet Rogers, Archie Fisher and James Keelaghan. As The Oakfield Times, he played the Maritimes with original folk music releasing two albums, Passages (1993) and This Land, This Sea (1994).

 

In 1999, Robert moved to Iqaluit, Nunavut, and in 2002 his band performed at the nationally broadcast Arctic Winter Games CBC Gala and released as a full-length album Terra Incognita Live! In 2013, as The Concord Creek Band, Gravel Runway, was released.

 

In 2018 Robert and local musicians started The Draggin Hearts: Tom Petty Live! Tribute Band.

 

In 2020 Robert recorded a new Contemporary Blues album at Fifth Chord Studios in New Westminster, BC. It features Gowan, Clayton Hill (Trooper), Guy Wilson-Roberts, Alexander “A-Train” Boynton (The Payola$), Tobin Frank (Spirit of the West), JW-Jones, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Tony “Wild-T” Springer (Rough Trade, David Bowie), Murray Porter, and Tonye Aganaba. The album, Stop., was released on May 14, 2021.

 

With the amazing success of Stop. across Canada, the United States and Europe, it was time to bring the music to life on stage.

 

The Cold Calls are:

 

Clayton Hill (Trooper) - Drums

Budd Marr (Sweeney Todd) - Bass

Hayden Althuizen - Lead Guitar