“You look back and you’re like, that’s just how things had to go.”
That’s what Peter Stone thinks about the events that lead to 100 Mile House’s latest album, Hiraeth. The folk/roots duo, consisting of Stone and his wife Denise MacKay, is coming to Yorkton on February 8 as part of the Yorkton Arts Council’s Stars for Saskatchewan series.
The title, Hiraeth, is a Welsh word that does not have a direct translation, but the definition that spoke to Stone was a feeling of nostalgia for something that didn’t ever exist. To Stone, that meant his home in England, which has changed a lot over the years, as well as their struggle to meet their son. The album was recorded over a stressful time in the duo’s lives and Stone admits it was very difficult to make.
“There was a lot going around us that we couldn’t really ignore, and instead of ignoring it we kind of embraced it. Any form of art can be a really healing process.”
The title of the album came with its own challenges.
“It didn’t even occur to me that it’s not an English word so people are going to struggle to say it on the radio,” said Stone.
After listening to the album, you might be surprised to learn that this will be the duo’s first tour with their son. After all, the song Last Branch, for example is about being unable to start a family. Stone is glad that they could make a meaningful album, but happier to have their family.
“The album spoke a lot about people passing away and the struggle of starting a family, and then we released it, and about a year after we released it we had our first kid, so it was kind of nice to put the album out there and have a really nice response... Everything we were singing about kind of turned around, so it kind of has a happy ending which was really nice.”
He expects that the next album will be influenced by their young son.
“Our first tour is going to be with our baby. We get to sing these sometimes difficult songs, but we will have some happier songs now, for sure.”
The album has received a fair amount of positive attention, including winning a Western Canadian Music Award for Roots Duo/Group of the Year. Stone views the positive attention as a confirmation they’re doing something right.
“It makes you feel like you are doing what you should be doing and are on the right path when you get awards and nominations... The nicest thing is when you get messages from people who have heard it and what it’s meant to them. It’s always really nice to have industry and community recognition as well. It’s always nice to feel like you are doing what you should be doing, we all want to feel like we are doing what we are doing.”
None of this would have happened, however, if a friend of Stone’s was good at his job. 100 Mile House began thanks to a misprint in an advertisement for one of Stone’s solo shows, advertising it as an open mic event. The promise of an open mic is what brought MacKay out to the show with her guitar. He let her play anyway.
“She ended up being way better than me and my friend, so she ended up playing half the show with me and then we sang together before we even spoke... Not long after she asked if I wanted to move to Edmonton, a few months after that we got married... I will always be grateful about that guy being bad at his job.”
The Saskatchewan tour will be new for the group, especially as they’re touring with their baby. He admits that the local arts councils have been very enthusiastic about having the whole family.
“Everyone has gotten back to us and said there are about 20 people who want to hold your baby, so it’s going to be fine.”
They hope to play shows through the summer and record again in the fall.
100 Mile House will be in Yorkton on February 8 at 7:30 PM at the Anne Portnuff Theatre.
