Billy Currington & Kevin Costner Band Members Among Injured at Canadian Festival

Billy Currington photo by Danny Clinch, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

August 3, 2009 — The Associated Press reports that the Big Valley Jamboree festival in Camrose, Alberta, Canada was canceled on Sunday after a powerful thunderstorm caused an outdoor stage to collapse, killing one person and injuring 75 others. A member of Billy Currington's band was among the injured.

Billy’s label, Mercury Nashville, released a statement, saying Billy "was taken to the hospital and suffered a minor concussion but is expected to make a full recovery. He has been released from the hospital and has returned to his home in Nashville. Currington’s bass player Alex Stevens was pinned under the wreckage of the stage for half an hour while rescue personnel removed debris to free him. Stevens underwent immediate surgery to repair a severed artery and nerves in his left arm and is currently receiving treatment in Nashville."

Late this morning, Billy posted this tweet on his Twitter page: "The boys and I are very grateful to be home and for life itself. We thank you for your prayers and concern and will see you on the road again soon." Additionally, from his home in Nashville, Billy released this statement: My heart goes out to the family of Donna Moore who was killed and all of the other fans who were hurt on Saturday."

Additionally, the AP adds that Camrose Police Chief Darrell Kambeitz said about 21 of the injured were taken to hospitals, two of whom were in critical condition.

Billy and his band had just finished their set and actor Kevin Costner and his band Modern West were just about to take the stage when the storm hit. Officials said there was little advance warning of the storm.

"We had people on the stage at 5:57 p.m., and the storm struck between 5:57 p.m. and 6 p.m," said Kambeitz.

Kevin’s manager, Nick Meinama, told the AP both he and Kevin were caught underneath the stage.

"He was unhurt. I was unhurt. We wiggled our way out," Meinama told CTV News Sunday. "We found that our road manager and guitar player had been hurt, but the ambulance and the paramedics were here instantly to take them to the hospital."

Meinama said the two were later released from the hospital and were flying back to the U.S.