The Country Classics bring listeners on a musical journey through decades of country music, celebrating the timeless stories, heartfelt melodies, and unmistakable sounds that shaped the genre.
With rich harmonies, unique instrumentation (piano, bass, cello, and vocals), and a deep love for country’s roots, the band pays tribute to legendary artists while bringing their own fresh energy to the stage.
Whether they’re reviving honky-tonk favorites, crooning smooth ballads, or kicking up the heat on the dance floor, The Country Classics create an unforgettable live experience that resonates with audiences of all ages.
Featuring Larry Bjornson (guitar/vocals/bass), John Ebata (keys/piano), and Shimon Walt (cello).
Larry Bjornson (guitar/vocals/bass) developed a deep appreciation for the sincerity and honesty of country music at an early age. Growing up with country music as a constant presence on the radio, he was influenced by its authentic storytelling and emotional clarity – values that continue to inform his artistic perspective today.
Larry’s music education began at Detroit’s Centre for Creative Studies Jazz Workshop, led by trumpet great Marcus Belgrave. He continued his studies earning a bachelor of music in jazz performance at McGill University in Montreal, then continued graduate studies in performance at Wayne State University, Detroit. Larry has performed as a member of the Michigan Opera Theatre orchestra, and has played with a broad spectrum of artists ranging from The Moody Blues, Nell Carter, Mitsou, Charles MacPherson, James Carter, and Charles Tolliver, and has backed up personalities like Joan Rivers and Regis Philbin. Larry is currently a member of the Stadacona Band of the Royal Canadian Navy. He resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia with his wife and three children.
John Ebata’s (keys/piano) talents are Versatile with a capital V. He is respected in all the extended categories of musician, songwriter, producer, musical director, arranger, and recording engineer. Equally versatile in all musical styles, from jazz, to world folk songs, to rock and R&B, he has become the first choice accompanist of many great singer-songwriters and is acclaimed to be of the very top Canadian piano-keyboardists. He continues to work with artists from all parts of the world.
Since his arrival to Nova Scotia in 1976, Shimon Walt (cello) has been an integral part of the province’s musical life. Whether on concert stages with Symphony Nova Scotia, in solo recitals or in chamber music concerts, or teaching in the classrooms of Dalhousie University, he is totally dedicated to the art of music. Shimon is known as a dedicated teacher; many of his students have gone on to professional music careers. He has acted as a provincial adjudicator for the Kiwanis Music Festivals in Nova Scotia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland, and has served on national juries for FACTOR (the Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Record) and the Canada Council for the Arts.