Barenaked Ladies Lead Singer Eager for Oshkosh Gig

October 12, 2016 - Ed Robertson, the lead singer of the multi-platinum band Barenaked Ladies, distinctly remembers when he discovered he wanted to be a pilot.

“My uncle flew a (Cessna) 185 on straight floats,” he said. “He took my older brother and I fishing once … I was hooked.”

The now-avid pilot will get to combine his passions of flying and music at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017 as Robertson and the band will headline the always-anticipated opening night concert on Monday, July 24, immediately following the afternoon air show. The concert is once again presented by Ford Motor Company.

After his first flight, Robertson’s aviation dream sat for a while until his wife gave him a ground school course as a 30th birthday gift. Now, flying is as important in his life as music.

“What really appeals to me is the precision of it, the learning and the intellectual demands,” said Robertson, who flew a Cessna 206 amphibian for many years before selling it and now flies a G-1000 Cessna 182 on wheels. “It’s fun and challenging to push yourself to learn new things. I’m in a rock band so my entire adult life has been focused on creativity. Pushing myself to do my instrument rating was really satisfying.”

And then, of course, there’s the cool stuff about flying. Robertson has worked extensively with the Canadian military and even acted as an Honorary Colonel for 424 Squadron Search and Rescue. That’s allowed him to pilot C-130s, Hornets, and even Gryphons (although he admits he’s “a terrible rotary pilot”).

Floatplane flying, though, is where Robertson finds true joy.

“The flexibility and rugged beauty of float flying is like nothing else,” the Canadian-born singer said. “Outside of Toronto, you don’t have to go very far at all to where it may as well be 1930. It’s just lakes and rocks and trees forever. It’s truly a beautiful experience to fly up there.”

Barenaked Ladies bring a set to Oshkosh that is well-known, fun, and infectious. Among the band’s biggest hits are “One Week,” which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard chart, as well as instantly recognizable hits such as “If I Had $1,000,000” and “Pinch Me.” The group has received numerous Billboard Music Awards, Grammy nominations and Juno Awards (Canada’s equivalent of the Grammys). One of the band’s most recognized songs is the theme song from the top-rated CBS comedy “The Big Bang Theory.”

“Ford is proud to be a partner with EAA and we try to bring memorable experiences to the visitors at AirVenture,” said Edsel B. Ford II, member of the Ford Motor Company board of directors. “Since 2006, Ford has been proud to bring top-notch entertainment to AirVenture and provide fun for everyone who joins us at Oshkosh. We’re very much looking forward to the great hits of Barenaked Ladies on opening night!”

Just as with pilot and singer Dierks Bentley, who played the AirVenture opening night concert in 2015, aviation will have a special connection when Robertson and Barenaked Ladies take the stage on July 24. It’s a one-of-a-kind Oshkosh moment for the singer.

“It means I’ll finally be able to make it to the show!” Robertson said. “I’m always working during AirVenture. I look forward to taking it all in. Happy flying, everybody, and keep the dirty side down!”