Nickelback Invites World Champion Cowboy On Stage in Unforgettable Moment

The Hondo is rewriting the books on the standard of rodeo.

Zeke Thurston on stage with Nickelback's Chad Kroeger | Brayden Lambert

Zeke Thurston on stage with Nickelback - it happened. He didn't just join them on stage for a quick minute, he actually sang an entire song with them with dancing around the stage.

Who says cowboys are cool? It begs the question: who was the celebrity on stage? Thurston and Nickelback have a lot in common, actually.

Nickelback's Rise to Stardom

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Nickelback was formed in 1995, originally from Hanna, Alberta. They eventually relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1996. After an incredibly successful career, the band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2023. They were named the "most successful rock band of the decade" by Billboard in 2009.

Nickelback has had over 10 billion streams, 50 million albums sold worldwide, and 12 consecutive sold-out tours according to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Thurston's Domination in the Arena

Laura Lambert Media

Thurston claims Big Valley, Alberta as his home.

Thurston is an 11-time NFR qualifier in the saddle bronc riding. He has claimed four world titles along the way in 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2023. He also earned the NFR average title three times in 2016, 2022 and 2023.

In 2025, Thurston won the championship at six different rodeos including three in his home country - Lethbridge, Alberta; Medicine Hat, Alberta; and the famous Calgary, Alberta Stampede.

He has earned $244,268 in 2025, which brings his lifetime earnings to over $3 million. He will enter the NFR in the No. 4 ranked position in the world standings with a strong chance to earn another world title.

Laura Lambert Media

As he was introduced on the stage at the Hondo Rodeo Fest, Thurston went into rockstar status character like he had lived it his whole life. He just belonged on stage and in the midst of stars.

When the co-founder of the band, Chad Kroeger started to ask Thurston if he was nervous, Thurston just laughed and yelled into the crowd, "How about that rodeo PHOENIX?"

Well, my question is, "How about that THURSTON?"

As Thurston bounced around and sang, "Cuz we all just wanna be big big rockstars...", he wrote his name in history as one of likely a very few that have joined Nickelback on stage close enough to put their arms around the performers. One thing was certain: Thurston is already a rockstar.

Maybe he's done this before but that cowboy completely owned his spot on the stage. Surely, it is a memory he will never forget, there's no doubt rodeo fans won't forget!

---