He's a real singing cowboy who knows all about southeast Saskatchewan, having been raised on a ranch near Kennedy, while she can sing your soul out with her sweet sounds. She's from Fosston.
Blake Berglund and Belle Plaine, slightly road weary warriors, will be in Estevan this weekend with a unique blend of entertaining music while helping the Souris Valley Theatre raise a few bucks.
The two have just completed an ambitious Maritime tour that took them as far as Charlottetown, P.E.I. where they entertained Canada's Premiers and First Ministers at the Confederation Conference. They helped a few smaller communities raise funds with their concerts, played a few more halls on the island then hopped over to Truro and Halifax in Nova Scotia before heading back to Saskatchewan via Via Rail. Berglund and Plaine were happy to provide passengers on the Via Rail express from Montreal to Toronto to Saskatoon with a little entertainment on the way.
Asked if he's going to be arriving in the Energy City with a bit of a fatigue factor, Berglund simply laughed, "I don't think I'm ever fully rested, in fact, if I was, it probably wouldn't be a good thing."
Berglund and Belle Plaine say they're ready for another good time in Estevan. Both have been on stage here before but in different musical formats.
The Saturday night show in Frehlick Hall at Woodlawn Regional Park, will begin at 7:30. A burger barbecue will precede the show, starting around 6:30. Berglund said they'll be ready to entertain a party-hearty crowd or settle into a neat concert-like setting, whatever the audience dictates.
"We're coming with my full band. It's a pre-release of my Jasper album and we're ready for anything. I hope there's a good turnout. I know the oilpatch, I know what's going on in that corner of the province, so if some guys and girls want to take the focus off work for a few hours and have some fun with us, then this will be the place for them to be on Saturday."
Berglund will be bringing bassist J.R. Lewis, Bryce Lewis on guitar and Steve Leidal on drums. He and Belle Plaine, having just completed the Maritime tour, are beginning to come together quite "organically," he said.
"We're both lead singers and harmonizing was difficult for us. I know when I did that tour a couple of winters ago with Chris Henderson and Jess Moskaluke (Canadain Country Music Award winner), they took on harmony so easily, it was just second nature for them, whereas we have to work at it," he said chuckling.
Berglund said their appearance at the premier's reception in P.E.I. was a special night and one that everyone, including the entertainers seemed to enjoy. A couple of nights later in Milton, Berglund noted that Saskatchewan's Premier Brad Wall was in the audience again.
"I guess he just bought a ticket and there he was in the back of the hall. What a nice surprise. I guess he likes country and western music."
Berglund has some fun with politics in a few of his songs, including Where Have All My Horses Gone?,a song he wasn't afraid to sing in front of Canada's political leadership group.
"I like politics. I kinda get into it. I know what it's like to take a stance on your economy and the oil industry. That's why I know that the arts and oil community can work, because it does in southern Saskatchewan."
The Jasper album was recorded live in the Jasper, Alta., Legion Hall and contains some tunes from Berglund's Coyote album and others that were catalogued earlier.
With a classical piano training and a love for all musical genres as well as horses, Berglund had a great basic training ground for his career in fresh-styled, genuine country music.
Belle Plaine, on the other hand, also draws from a 12-year background in classical music, which eventually led her to her jazz and contemporary musical stylings. Her textured voice handles country as well as 1940s swing tunes to soul-searching blues and jazz with emotional honesty such as lyrics found in Notes from a Waitress.
"Don't worry, we've done this before, we'll make it sound as if we know what we're doing," Berglund joked just before climbing aboard the Via train in Montreal.
"We'll be in Saskatoon by Tuesday. Someone is picking us up there and we'll be in Regina on Wednesday and then I want to hit Estevan by Thursday or Friday, maybe do a little promotion work, try and sell a few more tickets you know, because your live theatre productions there deserve the support I know your people can bring it. Arts and oil, they do work together. Everyone is just trying to make a living for their family. We're hoping we can help get something done while having fun."
Having just come off a tour that featured full concert halls and Canada's premiers, as well as house concerts, schools, theatres and bars, Berglund said he and Belle Plaine are ready to respond to whatever the Energy City has to offer on Saturday.
The Souris Valley Theatre has been providing live musical theatre in Estevan for over 24 years and have added a variety of special events and performances, such as this, to their schedule every year in an attempt to attract audiences with wide-ranges of interests.
