Short bio
Word count: 155
Comical, spirited, and always surprising, The Berta Boys have been the most popular country music group from Alberta in Montreal since 2023. Coming from the Franco-Albertan scene and now based in Quebec, Antoine “Tony” Laroche, Joseph “Joey” Blaze, and "Sharp Shootin'"Shae Brossard promote Franco-Canadian diversity through their music, which is both playful and politically charged.
Criticizing the oil industry, car culture, and labor shortages, they write songs about current working-class issues, from outlaw country to bluegrass, from rap to metal, from disco to boogie-woogie, always topped with a cowboy hat.
Their album Dans Les Prairies (2024), featuring the singles Hurry Hard and Chui Né Dans Les Prairies (played on over 35 French-speaking country radio stations), earned them a GAMIQ nomination. They then released the instrumental album Alberta: OST and the nu-metal song TRUCKSICKOMAN. Les Berta Boys are currently working on their next album, a collection of 15 French-language songs, set to be released in 2027.
Detailed bio
Word count: 527
Comical, spirited, and always surprising, the Berta Boys are the most popular Alberta country music group in Montreal since 2023. The three members (Antoine "Tony" Laroche, Joseph "Joey" Blaze, "Sharp Shootin'" Shae Brossard), from the Franco-Albertan scene, are now based in Quebec, promoting Canadian bilingualism through their music, which is both playful and politically charged.
Critiquing the oil industry, car culture, and institutional factors leading to labor shortages, the Berta Boys write songs addressing current working-class issues, both in their home province and their adopted province. Their style is eclectic, easily moving from outlaw country to bluegrass, from rap to metal, from disco to boogie-woogie, to create a kaleidoscopic, engaging, and unique sound, always topped with a cowboy hat.
Their debut album Dans Les Prairies, released on September 1, 2024, earned them a nomination for the GAMIQ Country Album of the Year. The first single Hurry Hard caught the attention of Olympians Cheryl Bernard and Randy Ferby, two stars of Alberta curling. The second single Chui Né Dans Les Prairies (Mais Le Québec C’est Le Pays Que J’ai Choisi) achieved success on Canadian Francophone country radio, playing on over 35 stations across the country.
Two months later, the Berta Boys released their second album Alberta: OST, an instrumental album paying tribute to the landscapes of their home province.
Meanwhile, they were also becoming the most sought-after country DJs in Montreal, with weekly residencies at the Spaghetti Western and Bottes & Whiskey bars, as well as performances at festivals across Quebec. They use this success to fund their musical projects, the production of absurd music videos, and the purchase of new cowboy boots.
In 2024, the Berta Boys surprised their audience with the release of TRUCKSICKOMAN, a nü metal song adopting the rap-metal codes of Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Deftones.
The Berta Boys have appeared at several festivals over the years, including the Festival Tempéo at the Place des Arts, the Melo festival in Repentigny, POP Mtl in Montreal, and headlined the Fête Franco-Albertaine in Nordegg in the Alberta Rockies. They have shared the stage with renowned artists from various backgrounds, including Marilyne Léonard, Sam Faye, Québec Redneck Bluegrass Project, Matt Lang, Patrick Bourdon, Nora Kelly, and Tom Chicoine.
Since 2023, the Berta Boys have been organizing a series of multidisciplinary concerts bringing together dancers, circus performers, drag artists, athletes, games, and musicians. The latest edition attracted over 400 people who participated in line dancing on Mont-Royal Street before the Berta Boys' performance.
Beyond their musical activities, the Berta Boys are also active in various spheres of Montreal culture. They organized an air hockey tournament at North Star Machine à Piastre, designed a clothing collection for the Chaque Mois collective fashion show, and participated in the 2024-2025 edition of the DJ MicroRave competitions. They have also been brand ambassadors for the sports drink BioSteel and for the Alberta Genuine Draft brewery in Calgary.
The Berta Boys are currently working on their next album, a collection of 15 French-language songs, which will be released in 2027. In the meantime, you can find them on the decks at the Bobby McGee bar, on baseball fields, or at the next rodeo.
Discography
Albums
Dans Les Prairies
September 01, 2024
Nominated for the GAMIQ award in the "Best Country Album of the Year" category, the Berta Boys' debut album offers a bilingual mix of outlaw country songs celebrating the rural life of Alberta and Quebec.
Stingers: Vol. 1
September 02, 2024
The Berta Boys' second album, released a day after Dans Les Prairies, is a compilation of radio jingles that the Boys produced for their DJ sets.
Alberta: Original Soundtrack
November 01, 2024
An instrumental ambient country album composed and recorded in one day, paying tribute to the landscapes of their home province.
Singles
Hurry Hard
April 23, 2024
An ode to the magnificent sport of curling. This single caught the attention of former Olympians Cheryl Bernard and Randy Ferbey.
Dans Les Prairies
June 24, 2024
Chui Né Dans Les Prairies (Mais Le Québec C’est Le Pays Que J’ai Choisi) - A song that celebrates the Berta Boys' roots in the prairies while affirming their choice to live in Quebec.
Oilfield Xmas
December 01, 2024
A Christmas country rap single that pays tribute to life in the Alberta oilfields during the holiday season.
TRUCKSICKOMAN
June 18, 2025
The Boys don't remember why they wanted to release a truck-themed nü metal song, but they did it anyway!
Videos
Festivals
- July 03, 2026 - July 04, 2026 - Fête Franco-Albertaine
- June 06, 2025 - Festival Melo
- September 24, 2025 - POP Mtl
- December 27, 2024 - Noël Dans Le Parc
- September 11, 2024 - Festival Tempéo
Residencies
- August 2023 - October 2023 - Bar Champs
- November 2023 - October 2026 - Spaghetti Western
- July 2024 - January 2025 - Bottes & Whiskey
- March 2025 - November 2025 - Marche à Côté
- October 30, 2026 - present - Bobby McGee
Press quotes
Bound by their shared passion for country music, the trio explores all its sounds with boldness and humor.
This group of Montrealers originally from Alberta has country music in their blood—and the best tunes to wear out your boots!
They bring boundless energy and playful charm wherever they go. With a sound that blends country roots and contagious humor, they create a lively atmosphere that gets everyone dancing.
Excellent song
Thanks for writing such a great song about Boston Pizza!
Awards & nominations
- Nomination - 2025 - GAMIQ - Country Album of the Year
- 2025 - Corporate LiveWire Global Awards - Music Group of the Year
- 2024 - Canadian Business Awards - Best Canadian Country Music Group
Stampedes
- June 15, 2023 - Montreal Stampede
- October 14, 2023 - Montreal Stampede II: Haunted Saloon
- March 08, 2024 - Montreal Stampede III: Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics
- September 01, 2024 - Montreal Stampede IV: Dans Les Prairies
- June 21, 2025 - Montreal Stampede V: Gathering of the Jongalos
- June 27, 2026 - Bontreal Stompede: Jean VI