The Humboldt and District Gallery is wrapping up their Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) Stars for Saskatchewan 2017-2018 concert series with Saskatchewan favourite Chris Henderson taking to the stage on April 14.
This will also be the last performance for Henderson with 14 performances scattered throughout October, January, and now his final one in April.
Even with his Saskatchewan background and touring for the last 11 to 12 years, Henderson says there are still many places in the province where he has not performed.
“It’s surprising. You think you’ve hit every community in the province at one time or another over the last decade but there are still some rooms I walk into and go, ‘wow, I’ve never been here. This is beautiful!’”
Waving that Saskatchewan flag has been a big part of Henderson’s career with many songs about Saskatchewan experiences and work outside music supporting Saskatchewan initiatives like Telemiracle.
“I’m very proud of where I’m from and really like to embrace and wave that flag as much as I can.”
Working with OSAC and the many different arts councils has made touring easy, he says, with artists just walking in and doing their show while everything else is taken care of.
Henderson mixes traditional country with a modern sound with many stories to tell. After touring for so long and strange things happening to you, he says, it is hard not to come up with stories to tell his audiences so there is a storytelling aspect to his shows as well.
His OSAC sets are a little more subdued compared to previous shows, he says, with a cocktail drum kit, a kit that is not a full set, as well as another guitarist on back up, with Henderson playing guitar and singing.
Even if members of the community have not heard of him or his music, they still want to support their communities and arts councils, says Henderson.
“With OSAC, there’s a bunch of people who’d like to support the arts councils, whether they’ve heard of me or not. We’ve made a lot of new fans and a lot of new friends.”
Even with three albums and 11 singles, Henderson still brings some interesting covers into his set, including songs where he can feature himself on trumpet, which he played in the award winning jazz band at Estevan Comprehensive School.
Things have evolved for Henderson from his first album in 2006 with him pursuing music full time in 2010.
“It used to be something I just did for fun and then it become a weekend thing outside of the job and now it’s more or less my living.”
