Camrose collapse injures singer Currington, bass player

Country singer Billy Currington says he and his band are "very grateful" to be alive after the collapse of a concert stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta., on Saturday.

Donna Teresa Moore, 35, of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border town of Lloydminster, was killed when a sudden windstorm destroyed the stage. Another 75 people were injured.

Currington was on his last song when the staging was blown on top of him and his band.

The performer sent out a Twitter message to his fans Monday afternoon, marking the first time he had made a statement since the tragedy.

"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.

"My heart goes out to the family of Donna Moore, who was killed, and all of the other fans who were hurt on Saturday," he said.

The singer, 35, was taken to hospital and treated for a minor concussion. He has returned to his Nashville home and is expected to make a full recovery.

Currington's bass player, Alex Stevens, was pinned under the wreckage of the stage for half an hour while rescuers tried to free him.

The musician underwent immediate surgery to repair a severed artery and nerves in his left arm and is in Nashville getting treatment.

The four-day festival was to finish on Sunday with country super star Tim McGraw, but the last day was cancelled.

Panhandle Productions Ltd., the organizers of the festival, said they had no time to react to the storm's advance.

"Our office received a call at 5:55 [p.m. MT] that a severe windstorm was heading directly at our venue," promoter Larry Werner told reporters on Sunday.

"At that time, I ran for the stage from our production office."

By that time, Werner said, the stage had already come crashing down.