He may be a poor nameless boy, but he's well known in Estevan and Joel Henderson recently took the next big step in his musical career after releasing his debut album The Activity Book.
Henderson performs under the moniker Poor Nameless Boy and recorded the album right in Estevan. The Activity Book was recorded at Sector One Sound and produced by Sandon Weber, a rig worker who now runs the recording studio in Estevan.
Henderson previously released an EP titled Sleep it Through, and Weber produced that as well. Henderson noted the process between the EP and the album were different for him. Sleep it Through consisted of some songs he had ready but they weren't meant to be part of one final piece. While they are all separate of one another, Henderson said producing the album required fitting each track together into one polished work.
"When I finished four or five songs that I liked and knew were going to be on the album, then it was about writing songs that I felt completed the album," he said.
Looking at the content of the songs he had helped realize what he still needed to flesh out the album fully.
"The goal was making an album, not just making a bunch of songs. (I wanted to) make an album that sounded complete when you listened to it all the way through, something that ended well and something that started. One thing I learned about an album is giving it time to breathe," he said.
After recording, he realized that the next day, listening to the track he didn't hear what he wanted to hear. He found that it might take two months from the original recording before new ideas came forward to make songs pop a little more. With the recording beginning in October 2012 and running to March, there was plenty of time for reflection.
"It's like you're holding a secret that not many people care about," joked Henderson about sitting on songs that had been recorded for months.
Henderson is now living in Regina but remains connected to the Estevan community.
The step up from an EP to an album was one Henderson was happy to do, even if it wasn't necessarily what he planned.
"It was nice to be able to have something as distinguished as an album sound. For an EP it's a little taste, but for a full album it's like this is what he sounds like. It's more definitive, and it puts a stamp on your performance and your character and what you write about," said Henderson.
"At the time I put out the EP, I was satisfied. I have aspirations and goals, but musically it has always been to take what I feel is there. If I see an opportunity great, but I was prepared to leave it as a four song EP."
After his first recordings, he didn't see himself as a full-time or professional musician. Music, however, has been a big part of Henderson's life and in his family. He received a $10,000 grant from Rawlco Radio to record, and thought if he had that money available to him, he better get something down on tape.
"I was feeling out what the next step would be, and I applied for this one significant grant," said Henderson, and with that being sufficient to record a complete album, he immediately went to work.
The proceeds from the first single off his new album went to Compassion Canada.
"It was almost like a little reminder to myself of how blessed I am to be able to make music. If I am going to do this I can't forget how blessed I am to be able to even consider music as a career."
He said he felt that if this was going to be his first album he wanted to start by giving.
Henderson continues to spread the Poor Nameless Boy name as he tries to connect with new audiences through his personal stories.
"As a songwriter you try to tell stories that people understand, and when people know you better, it's easier to tell those stories."
Henderson is continuing to write.
"This summer has been pretty creative. As an artist you get opportunities to play, you get opportunities to create and each one has a season," said Henderson.
The season for shows will come more in the fall, as he said there are more appearances lined up for later in the year.
He performed at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum for their 35th anniversary bash in June. He will be back in the fall to again play at the EAGM.
