Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy, son Sam Polley coming to Manitoba for shows in Flin Flon, Killarney, Minnedosa

Sam Polley has been on road trips with his dad before, but he expects it will be a bitdifferent this time around.

Polley and his father Jim Cuddy of the iconic Canadian roots-rock bandBlue Rodeo are scheduled to play four shows in Manitoba in the coming week, beginningwith a Wednesdaygig at the R.H. Channing Auditorium in the northwestern city of Flin Flon.

The father-son duo will also stop at Winnipeg's West End Cultural Centre for a sold-out show Thursday, before heading toMinnedosaon Jan. 13 and Killarney on Jan.14.

Polleyhas previously played shows togetherwith his dad and older brother, Devin Cuddy, but the upcoming shows in Manitoba will mark the first time Polley and the elder Cuddy will be the only two on stage.

"We've never done anything exactly like this," Polley said Saturday from Toronto.

"I travelled alone with my dad when I was a kid, so I'm sure there'll be a bit of reverting back to old habits, but it'll be fun to do it in a work capacity."

Each show will be styled like asongwriter's circle gathering, something Polley is looking forward to.

"It's exciting to be able to do this type of format, and to be able to sit beside someone who's done it a lot and knows it well," he said.

"Not only is it fun because it's my dad, but it's great to watch someone that's a professional at it do it so well."

Toward the end of each show, "we'll just whip it up," he promises."We've got a bunch of covers we do, which are fun."

Polley and his own band, Sam Polley and the Old Tomorrows, played in the southwestern town of Killarney last July, and he's looking forward to returning.

Killarney with a population of around 2,500 also holds a special place inPolley's family history, as his great-grandmother was born there.

His grandmother, who now lives in Brandon, north of Killarney, was especially excited to havePolley come her way to play the 1950s- and '60s-style rockabilly licks, old-country twang and Motown-inspired musichis band is known for.

WATCH | Sam Polley and the Old Tomorrows perform in Toronto in 2019:

Polleysaid he'snever been to Minnedosa, another small southwestern community, or Flin Flon, but he's looking forward to those shows.

"These small towns always have really surprisingly beautiful places to play, and the people are always so incredibly appreciative, and love the music," he said.

"They're very fun shows to do, especially for me, who doesn't do a lot of those intimate shows."

Off the beaten path

Cuddy, who co-foundedBlue Rodeo in 1984,said he's also looking forward to being back in Manitoba.

He recalled playing at Winnipeg'sWalker Theatre, now known as the Burton Cummings Theatre, and returning to become one of the first few musicians to play at the venue after it reopened following a long closure.

Headlining the Winnipeg Folk Fest and playing the Canadian anthem alongside Winnipeg-born recording artist Chantal Kreviazukfor the return of the Winnipeg Jets in October 2011 also makeCuddy's highlight reel although he admits to still having reservations about the latter performance.

"We didn't do a particularly good job ... but it was still exciting to be there when the Jets came back," he said in an interview.

Now he will have the opportunity to make new Manitoba memories with his youngest son.

"It's exciting for me because these are brand new experiences for Sam," Cuddy said."He's pretty young and he hasn't toured extensively, and so this is an unusual tour with four dates in Manitoba, and I think it will be very cool."

Like his son, he also says he looks forward to performances outside of bigger centres.

"I love all areas of Canada, and any opportunity to go somewhere off the beaten path is always welcome," he said.

Polleysaid hejust hopes to keep his nerves in checksomething his dad believes will be easy for him.

"Sam has always been remarkably calm on stage. I don't know why, but he never seems to have suffered from stage fright. He just grew up a very confident kid. So if he's got nerves about going on stage, he doesn't show them to me."

Polleysays not being alone on stage helps keep the nerves at bay.

"I think I was a lot more fearless as a kid, and I think that spilled into adulthood,"he said.

"There's always going to be nerves depending on the show, but [I'm] confident that it will go well and [we'll] push right through."