Hillbilly Madness Run Amok.
Western Canada's Premier Rockabilly and Roots Band
Cousin Harley is a rocking hillbilly trio and the central touring project of Paul Pigat.
Considered to be Western Canada’s premier rockabilly and roots band, his Cousin Harley style is deeply rooted in the playing of Les Paul, Charlie Christian and Link Wray with a modern twist to create a style that is exhilarating in its intensity, yet at the same time fluid and precise.
The band has a hard-earned reputation for delivering everything from hot-rod rockabilly to foot stomping vintage country and western swing. Paul is joined by Keith Picot on upright bass and Jesse Cahill on drums to create an unstoppable rock ‘n roll wrecking crew. From classic honky tonk and cow punk rippers, to a helping of western swing and classic jump blues, Cousin Harley plays in the old tradition — slugging it out hot and heavy in roadhouses across the land and across the seas.
From the humble beginnings of recording their first EP on Vancouver Island using a dilapidated 1965 Chevy Nova as an isolation booth, to playing a invitation-only event with Jeff Beck in California for Gretsch Guitars, Cousin Harley has come a long way. Together for over 20 years, this powerful little trio has been setting stages on fire around the world and have been feature performers at festivals across Canada, the USA, Europe and Australia.
Always a festival favourite, Cousin Harley can explode like an active volcano, swing like the Basie band and holler like A lonesome hillbilly in the back woods of the Appalachia, all in a single show. This trio has performed with such greats as Bill Kirchen (Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen), James Burton (Elvis Presley), Albert Lee (Emmylou Harris), Brian Setzer and a wide host of other notable acts.
The Cousin Harley sound is unique. Although deeply rooted in Hillbilly, Rock n Roll and Honky Tonk music of the mid 20th century, they consistently breathe new life into the genre and infuse everything from Be- Bop to shredding guitar rock into the music that would influence everything that came afterwards.
Their most recent musical offering on Cellar Live Records(released in 2025), “Cousin Harley Plays the Blues Volume 1”, harkens back to the pre Rock n Roll era where small combos were mixing Blues, Jump and Boogaloo music.
Cousin Harley has achieved a cult like following around the world and is known as one of the most virtuosic and entertaining trios around.
“Pigat is a ballsy; confident vocalist, at home equally with forceful rockabilly, laid back western swing tunes and slow ballads. His lead guitar is stunning and the generous breaks bristle with invention and at times are lightning fast.” -- Harry Dodds – “Now Dig This” Magazine, UK
