Young talent takes to stage at Voices of the North

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It's a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, and it's all fun.

Prince Albert, Sask. was treated to the seventh installment of Voices of the North on Feb. 18 to 20 as part of the Prince Albert Winter Festival, and organizers say the music showcase is getting bigger and better with each year.

The show features the best of Aboriginal talent from around Saskatchewan and has become one of the highlights of the yearly winter festival.

Bernice Sayese, co-producer and one of the founders of the showcase in 1993, said attendance at this year's event surpassed last year and featured the best roster of acts yet.

"Overall we felt it was very successful," Sayese said. "I was very pleased with the calibre of the performers, considering several of them were new."

Although the show featured fan favourites and veterans of the spotlight, the show could have easily been called Voices of the Young North.

Many of the performers were young up-and-comers, like 15-year-old Krystle Pederson of Martensville, who easily captivated the audience. Although only in Grade 10, Pederson brought a highly polished and expressive performing style, and a crystal-clear singing voice, to bear on the Rankins' "Gillis Mountain." She later came back to close the show with "That's What Friends Are For", leading the rest of the entertainers in what was billed as the theme of the 1999 Voices of the North show.

Pedersen said she is currently studying both voice and piano in Saskatoon and says she is hoping to parlay her talent into a career in music.

Pederson, who has already been very successful at various music competitions, was encouraging to other young singers likewise hoping to make it big. She said they should set their goals and just follow their dreams.

Other strong performances from the younger singers came from Loretta King, 16, of Meadow Lake and Prince Albert's Charity Greyeyes, 22. Prince Albert's nine-year-old Shayleen Dawn McNabb and Lindsay Jarrett, 15, of Shellbrook, were also hits with the crowd.

Fletcher Greyeyes has been a keen observer of the talent show since it began in 1993 when his brother, Gerald Greyeyes helped found it.

He said it's been exciting to watch the show grow from its beginning and seeing what it's done for Aboriginal talent.

"It was really hard for an Aboriginal person to break in," he said. "Aboriginal talent never really had a showcase."

Now Greyeyes sees all the young singers at the show, including his daughter Charity Greyeyes, and can see the positive effect it has had on them. He would like to see that talent continue to be nurtured.

"I can foresee a Northern Ol' Opry up here," Greyeyes said. "The talent up here is just phenomenal."

Greyeyes would like to see a weekly open stage where performers can hone their skills.

"It's very important to foster continuing support - we have the voices, we just need the support."

Sayese said the Voices of the North is starting to have a very positive effect on young talent coming up.

"I think that's one of the things that is happening," Sayese said. "I think it provides a lot of incentive."

The show normally features 12 regular singers plus other guests and four youth singers, Sayese said.

This year with 20 youth trying out for the show, there were double the usual number of auditions for the youth spots.

Deressa Shingoose, 16, of Yorkton, had been a youth participant last year, but made it into a regular spot this year on the strength of her talent, Sayese said.

All that growth in the younger talent pool may prompt Musqua Entertainment, the non-profit organization that produces the show, to add a separate youth show.

"We find from the interest of the youth we need to do a youth show," Sayese said. "That's one of our goals, to expand into other areas."

She said Musqua will be trying to line up grants or sponsorship money for the potential youth show for possibly as early as this fall.