Jeffery Straker

I hope everyone's 2024 is starting off with gusto! I'm out of the gate with some exciting things on the go. My new album is already off at the factory with vinyl + CDs on the way, we finished a lovely outdoor video shoot yesterday (near Rouleau SK - froze my buns off wow!), and another video shoot is coming up this week in Ottawa. In a few weeks I head to Nunavut for a show and some songwriting workshops (I love the far north❄️❤️). Final details are coming together for the big 11-date March tour with Royal Wood in theatres across Western Canada (CANNOT WAIT☑️), and for those of you who have been checking the website it's undergoing a total overhaul too. It's lots of work and will be complete soon in all of its new snazziness.
We're starting to book shows for the launch of the new album this spring/summer, including a series of shows in some VERY unique venues. Stay tuned for details. A NEW SONG will launch Jan 18, in advance of the full album. Watch for it: it's a co-write with the lovely, talented Canadian folk-roots tune-smith Lynn Miles. I'll share a sneak peek in coming days...
If you've made resolutions, set intentions, written down goals... I hope you're sticking to your guns on your way towards them.
One of the reasons I like living under the big wide open prairie skies is that there's so much room up there for dreams and thoughts and hopes to percolate. It's never resolved, always changing (just like life). Looking up kind of guides me, keeps me on my toes, and reminds me where the ground is. Here's a pic from a photo shoot this fall with photographer Ali Lauren. Big Sky, Big Dreams.

Shouting out a big THANK-YOU to the Saskatchewan Arts Board SK Arts ! I was awarded funding through their Independent Artist Program, to help cover costs during time spent writing new songs last year. Some of these tunes will be on my upcoming album releasing in 2024💥 The Saskatchewan Arts Board has been around since 1948 & has been supporting creativity in Saskatchewan ever since. It's the oldest public arts funder in North America. Not bad at all! I'm grateful for their ongoing support of my work as well as countless creators across the province.
Sask Art Board support is made possible through funding provided by the Government of Saskatchewan.

Pretty excited to be wrapping up the year with some BIG gratitude going out to Creative Saskatchewan!! I've been awarded funding to support a fall tour I performed and I was also awarded some funding to help contribute to the costs of making my upcoming full length album that I can't wait to share with everyone in 2024. This funding is greatly appreciated. Grateful to be in a province that supports the creation and marketing/export of the arts💥🙌🏻

We took a breather and went skating on a frozen pond near Rouleau Saskatchewan. Perfection on the prairies!💥🎄❤️ This is out in a field on my partner Michael’s parents’ farm. I swear the pond was at least a half mile long and almost as smooth as glass. So long Joni Mitchell could ‘skate away’ on this one.

This year I REALLY am dreaming of a white Christmas🌲❄️ I released this version of the Irving Berlin classic "White Christmas" a few years ago and was DELIGHTED to get a message from the Irving Berlin Society giving me a nice nod congratulating me on the cover. As the highest grossing Christmas Song of all time it's been covered by a lot of folks. I hope you like this version too; iIt features some lovely backing vocals by Breeann & Jill.
LINK IN COMMENTS BELOW!

I loved seeing this at the show the other night at The Bassment in Saskatoon! Bryn Besse, who some of you will recognize as the fella who’s been playing guitar with me so much over the last few years, had the pleasure of having his dear mom Jan in the audience, AND his Grandma Besse - 89 years young! ❤️❤️ We dedicated the song "Old Toy Trains" to her. (grandma Besse evidently takes daily baths in the fountain of youth!) 💥

What a fantastic night at The Bassment in Saskatoon performing “A very prairie Christmas” to a SOLD OUT room. A great energy in the venue for the final performance of the year for me. Big thanks to the band and that wonderful audience. Thanks Bassment (Don)! for having us again. Troy did a great job on sound. A huge thanks to the volunteers, including those merch sellers - who make that whole place run so smoothly!
So much joy with everyone there last night.
Congrats to the winners of the dainty tray🙌🏻 and I’m passing on their thanks to Michael Templeton for baking it
Merry Christmas!🎄🎄. Ps: even some Punnichy expats in the house❤️

Great Big thank-you's go out to the Saskatoon folks who grabbed tickets to the show tomorrow night Dec 19. It's sold out & we're looking forward to a great night at The Bassment ! Bringing some Very Merry Prairie to the Christmas season 🌲🌲❤️❤️

Woot! Just sent the final mixes of my new 10-song record off to get mastered! I'm so looking forward to releasing this new collection of songs. Just taking a wee pause for a breath, and looking into 2024 with some jitters and excitement and.... endless hankering for more home made pie and baking...🤣🤣 But seriously, between bites of pie we're really busy over here planning for the touring to share this album. Where should we go?!
I MUST INCLUDE A BIG THANKS to Great Dark Wonder for featuring "Brand New Light" (the 1st single off the new record) in their Dec picks of tunes to listen to. They described it as "a rollicking good toe-tapper...cracking fiddle and piano-driven Cajun-meets-Americana tune". Mission accomplished ❤️💥 I'll post a link to their article in the comments below too - pls take a peek.
📸 Ali Lauren (shot near Lumsden SK)

Sharing some fantastic official photos (by Chris Graham) mixed with pics from folks who snapped some on night #2 of "A Very Prairie Christmas" at Casinos Regina this past Sunday. Thanks to 2 nights of amazing audiences! Thanks to the band and guests Amy Nelson, fiddlers Donna Turk and Karley Parovsky. Shout out to Bryn Besse for the duet on 'Old Toy Trains'! Can't say enough thx to the sound & light crew. It was a great night complete with an (🤣🤣🤣), joy, tears and lots of memories (shopping at the Northgate Mall included). Merry Christmas everyone! Looking forward to our SOLD OUT Saskatoon show at The Bassment Dec 19. hohoho

Well that was a Christmas romp! A huge thank you to the wonderful audience at my “Very Prairie Christmas” show last night at Casinos Regina. Hard to believe this is the 7th annual!💥🎄 It was an honour to play with that talented band (wow!), and to be in the hands of the amazing sound and light crew-merci. Can’t wait to rinse and repeat & do it all again for our 2nd night tonight, Sunday. Thx all y’all for making this such a fun show to do🎄❤️ ps-I got most of these pictures from various folks Facebook posts. Thanks for snapping & I hope it’s ok that I reposted !📸📸
Also - thank you Michael Templeton for baking the dainty-try for the audience give away. what a hoot!

Christmastime is a season of giving & I'M DOING A GIVE-AWAY! I've got my big "A Very Prairie Christmas" shows this Sat & Sun at Casinos Regina. Sat has a low ticket alert! In the festive spirit I'm giving away 2 FREE TICKETS for the Saturday night show + 2 FREE TICKETS for the Sunday night show at the Show Lounge. All you have to do to enter is 1 of 2 things:
a) Share this Post
b) Sign up to my E-mail newsletter (link in comments below)
Tomorrow (Friday) by supper-time I'll draw from the list of people who shared/signed up & announce the winners. This is as easy as eating too much Christmas turkey🌲❤️
The band and singers are all rehearsed & ready, the special guests are rarin to go, the grand piano is tuned, and there might even be another give-away happening at the shows!?... Can't wait
Falalalala, lalalala💥

BREAKING CHRISTMAS NEWS! Special Guests announcement for my big Dec 9 & 10 Casinos Regina "A Very Prairie Christmas" shows. We're excited to welcome back Fiddle Duo Karley Anne Parovsky + Donna Hiller-Turk. And we're excited to welcome country Singer & Songwriter Amy Nelson !! Can't wait to have their talents on that stage. Counting down the days.... Hope you can join us for this annual Christmas spectacular🌲🌲🌲

Christmastime is...GIVE-AWAY-TIME!
First, just a reminder that I'm performing my big "Very Prairie Christmas" shows Dec 9-10 at Casino Regina and Dec 19 in Saskatoon. Dec 9 has a LOW TICKET alert & Saskatoon Dec 19 has... SOLD OUT! To celebrate the holiday season & Saskatoon selling-out, I have 2 FREE TICKETS to give away to the big BONEY M Holiday Show this Friday Dec 1 at TCU Place in Saskatoon: I'm the show opener & I'm excited !! It's gonna be a great time.
To enter just do 1 of 2 things:
1) share this post
2) sign up for my email newsletter (link in comments)
Late tomorrow I'll draw from the names of folks who have entered & announce the winner! It's as easy as eating a whole shortbread cookie in 1 bite 🌲💥 Falalalala,lalalala

So grateful for the support for my annual 'A Very Prairie Christmas' shows🌲❤️ Dec 9 & 10 at Casinos Regina & Dec 19 at The Bassment Saskatoon.
Dec 9 has a LOW TICKET ALERT; Dec 10 has some seats!
Dec 19 is SOLD OUT🌲
I'll be singing loads of holiday classics plus some Christmas originals of my own, telling some stories and it's all backed by a STELLAR band. The Special Guests for the Regina shows will be announced in the coming days. Much like the jolly man himself, I bought a new red suit for these shows - I'm lookin' forward to gettin' festive! Fa-la-la, parum pum pum pum

What an audience, and what a great time performing in Atikokan Ontario! Big thanks to the Atikokan Entertainment Series for hosting us. Met so many great people at the break and after the show. And a special shout out about the dainty tray that magically appeared in our green room after the show! It made my dessert-loving heart expand 3 sizes. And I’ll just go for extra runs this week so my waist doesn’t expand three sizes ha ha ha. A great way to wrap up our run of shows shows in Northwest Ontario Thank you!! (& Special mention to Heather for the amazing decor in the lobby, complete with salvaged piano keys - wow!) and the “dollars and dimes” left on the piano were staggering ! Merci 💥❤️

A Brilliant night performing a show in Geraldton Ontario at the Geraldton Country Club. Thanks to our great hosts at the Geraldton Concert Series, and that kind kind audience. That multi purpose venue works so perfectly as a concert hall and fun fact - it’s often a bar with acts a bit different than mine on the same stage haha. take a look through the photos and see--I even got a pic with the pole! Also, The drives in northern Ontario have been breathtaking. I included a few pics from Thunder Bay too: the breathtaking Terry Fox monument, a famous local ‘Persian’ donut, the Sleeping Giant at dusk 💥

Dryden Ontario! Phenomenal evening performing a show for the Dryden Entertainment Series. Gorgeous theatre, great crowd (sang along with gusto💥), awesome hosts. Also got to meet Max the Moose while in town. And a killer breakfast at the Twin Towers Restaurant before leaving to Thunder Bay (& buttertarts for the road). I wanna come back! Thank you Dryden

Wonderful show last night in Winnipeg! Thanks Dawn Rolke and Churchill Park United for hosting it. It was a benefit for “Reaching Out Winnipeg” - a great and deserving local charity. We got to stay with Dawn at her wonderful home in Winnipeg-A veritable manor house. WOW What a stunner! All the gifts of pre and post show snacks- so kind! Travelled on to Dryden Ontario today into the Canadian shield. No snow! Did an afternoon visit and talk with a music class at Dryden High School. Thank you Mr. Graham and students for having us in. That was fun! (Including the gift of peanut butter!)😁🙌🏻 Looking forward to the big show tonight at the performing arts center. Gonna meet the local ‘max the moose’ tomorrow before heading to Thunder Bay

Basking in the warm sun and post A&W glow💥 in Moosomin en route to play a show in WINNIPEG TONIGHT! Come join us for some live music. Then 3 shows up through northern Ontario this week joined by Bryn Besse on guitar. Will stop to see the Terry Fox monument in Thunder Bay for sure. Max the Moose in Dryden is also on my list🤓 There’s bound to be some good pie along this route too. Here we go.
If you know anyone along the route let them know we’re coming.

It was a big thrill to perform my songs live with the Youth Ballet of Saskatchewan, at their 40th Anniversary Gala. They were breathtaking. It’s a pretty emotional experience to have that calibre of dancing happening while you play your music live. They & their artistic director thanked me with…TWO perfect home made pies!❤️💥 Danny Jones joined on upright bass & Jill Straker on backing vocals. I may share the pies with them… we’ll see 🤣🤣.
Thx for the awesome experience YBS and happy anniversary
(I’ll try to post as short video clip I received, down in the comments below)

Excited to be sharing some new music -> Here is BRAND NEW LIGHT. At the start of the pandemic I went on a date (a very rule-breaking maneuver at the time if you can recall! lol) I fell head over heels and 3 & a half years later, Michael and I are still in love. This new song I've just released is about new love tilting you on your axis & helping you see the world in a new (better, brighter?!) way. I wrote it in the months after we met - it's a 2-step, turn it up!
LINK TO LISTEN in the comments below.
Thanks for listening & if you like it please help me out - share it with a friend or 2.
Big THANKS to producer Steve Dawson for conjuring up such a great roots-americana sound at The Henhouse studio in Nashville TN this past summer when we recorded this.
cheers! Jeffery

Brand New Light Choose your preferred music service

This is such a fantastic gift from talented Wilkie Saskatchewan blacksmith & fan Jim Gerlinsky. It's a Mobius or Mobius strip, and he etched into it lyrics from the chorus of my song "Heavy is the Burden" about grieving the loss of my dear mom. A mobius has so many meanings. You can't determine clockwise from counter-clockwise with it. In psychology it represents the inside and the outside (rational and irrational) being part of the same surface. As you trace it, when you try to go forward, you go round and round, & when you try to circle in you find yourself outside. An allegory for losing control. With the lyrics of the song on it, it's stunning! I'm marvelling at how he got the letters so perfectly & evenly spaced. I snapped several angles so you can get a good look. it's also quite heavy! thank you so much Jim! very kind ❤️💥

This is gonna be really fun - I'll be opening the big BONEY M Holiday Show at TCU Place in Saskatoon Dec 1. They have some amazingly huge holiday songs: When a Child is Born and of course Mary's Boy Child are a few that pop to mind. I grew up on the farm at Punnichy SK listening to these tunes on my parents record player, singing along at the top of my lungs.
Before they blow the rafters off with their hits I'm doing a solo set at the piano. Then I get to watch them from the wings!! Come and join us for some fa-la-la festive goodness 🌲🌲 Gonna be a great night 🌲🌲

howdy WINNIPEG & REGINA!
WINNIPEG I'm coming your way, Nov 21 for a lovely benefit show that is being staged at Churchill Park United Church. Funds go to a great local charity called "Reaching Out Winnipeg" who do wonderful work in the community. If you are in Winnipeg or know folks in town please considering sharing this to help spread a bit of word.
REGINA folks! Coming up next week I'm pretty excited to be a guest performer in the 40th Anniversary Gala performance of the Youth Ballet of Saskatchewan (Nov 17 & 18). in 2017 they choreographed a big work using 11 of my songs (it was stunning - my mom was there; she cried!❤️❤️). We're reviving 2 of those songs for these upcoming shows. (pic is from our rehearsals in 2017) What a thrill to perform live while they dance on the same stage.
All the info is at JEFFSTRAKER (dot) COM cheers!

A big ol' blanket of snow landed on Regina SK today and got me thinking all the Christmas-y thoughts (a nice distraction as I shovelled out my car lol...). My favourite time of year is the festive season, hands down. Part of that for me is creating the annual tradition of my "VERY PRAIRIE CHRISTMAS" show. This year the Regina shows at Casinos Regina are Dec 9 & 10. Saskatoon is Dec 19. Saskatoon's show at The Bassment is very close to sold out=only a few tickets left. Just a heads up if you're planning to come.
Regina tickets are really moving! only balcony seats are left on Sat, & the Sunday tickets are slipping away too. Come and join myself & a killer band, for all the great songs of the season & some good laughs. Pa rum pum pum pum 🌲🌲🌲
A link to tickets & info is in the comment section below❄️❄️❄️

It was a thrill to sit down and chat with the "Canada Out of the Closet" podcast hosts, Travis & John! This was such a unique interview where I got to talk with them about how being gay and 'out' has played into my music & music career over the last 16 years. Thx for the brilliant chat fellas! And to top it off, these interviewers showed up at my recent concert in Medicine Hat AB.
I hope you can take some time to listen to this PODCAST on SPOTIFY or APPLE 🏳️‍🌈🙌🏻❤️.
LINKS TO LISTEN are in the comments section below.
If you do listen, I welcome any comments on it, in the comments section below too cheers Jeffery

I'm pretty excited to have new music launching coming up in November!💥 It's a toe-tapping, boot tapping, roots/folk single called "Brand New Light". You can be first to hear it on launch day by pre-saving it:
The PRE-SAVE LINK is in the comments section below (or click LEARN MORE) It let's you pre-save the song on any music listening service (Spotify, Apple, Amazon etc). When you pre-save the song, it helps me out too.
(pssst - There's a sample of the song in the link as well...)
Can't wait to have this tune out for everyone to hear🎹

Jeffery Straker - Brand New Light Listen on your favourite streaming service