Entertaining the troops

Africa was an eye-opener

By JENNIFER LANG
FOR THE THREE “prairie
chicks” who form the pop-
country trio Fatmer's
Daughter, performing for
Canada’s Peacekeepers in
Eritrea earlier this month
was a mind-blower,

Angela Kelman, Jake
Leiske and ShaunaRae
Samograd will be bringing
Farmer’s Daughter’s trade-
mark three-part harmony
sound to the R.E.M, Lee
April 22,

Just 12 days earlier,
they arrived back from Eri-
trea, says North Vancouver
based Kelman, nursing a
case of jet lag that's kept
her up to 4:30 a.m. answer-
ing emails.

‘In Africa they rode in
_.army vehicles along roads
. that were hundreds of

years old past small plots

of farm land, where people
walk 30 kms to market —
in seating 60 degree heat —
to buy-a bag of rice that

will last their families a

week, -

““T saw = 115-pound
'- women carrying 110-pound

sacks,” Kelman says. “It

was preity eye-opening
. and overwhelming. We got
io see things most Western
hemisphere people will
never see,”

The experience left her
feeling prateful to be a
Canadian, admits Kelman,
who explains why our
peacekcepers are needed
in the north African coun-

A cease-fire six months
ago ended a civil war with
Ethiopia that had raged for
30 years.

Canadian peacekeepers
arrived over Christmas and
will spend six months
sweeping land minds and
clearing roads.

While the band finds
performing for the troops a
welcome privilege, Kel-
man finds connecting with
the peacekeepers before
and after the show even
more rewarding.

. She talks fondly about
Theeting up with a young
peacekeeper in Eritrea
who'd gone to her high

school in Brandon, Man-
itoba.

“Oh my God, we grew
up in the same place,” she
recalls thinking. “These
are little moments these
guys hold on to for their
tour of duty.”

After eight and a half
years of touring, the band
has just taken five months
off and will spend the next
six months touring the
country.

Little wonder they can
relate to troops spending
so much time away from
home.

The band arzives in Ter-
race following dates in
Kamloops, Grand Prairie,
Alberta, Peace River.
When they arrive here,
their zebra-striped tour bus
should easily stand out
among the 4x45 and pick-
ups.

Last time out our way

Misty Quer

Misty River Books |

113-4710 Lazelle Avenue, Terrace
BOOKS, 635-4428 © 1-800-861-9716
e-mail: mistybooks@kermodemet -

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 18, 2001 - B3

Spronsored by

their bus broke down just might get a pitch for the

outside of Prince George,
so they drove a van rest of
the way to Terrace.

“Tt might have been
Smithers or Terrace, but
we gol nabbed by the
RCMP because we got
caught for speeding.” After
explaining their plight and
signing some autographs,
the officer let them go.

Despite a string of hits,
a stack of awards, and do-
zens of music industry no-
minations, Farmer's
Daughter remains true to
the fans. Kelman promises
a spontaneous playlist of
familiar tunes and q cou-
ple of classic Canadian
covers thrown in,

And look for Angela

Canadian music indusiry,
a cause Kelman calls her
personal crusade.

“It’s really important to
support Canadian artists.
Buy the music. Go to
shows.”

The band has made a
conscious decision to only
play communities that
make them money on tour,

Since a breakthrough in
the lucrative U.S, market
continues to elude many
Canadian artists, including
Farmer’s Daughter, she
stresses it’s crucial to have
that support.

“We do it because we

.love it,” she explains.
“We're not doing it be-

cause we’re making a for-

D) MISSION $5.00

‘ing ~ audience members -

Jake and ShaunaRae sign-
ing autographs and meet-

tune. We want people to
support Canadian music as
much as they can, other-
wise it’s going to become
a dying art.”

here after the show,
if you do say ‘Hi,’ you

éd, Skeena Mall.

Schedule of Upcoming Events

Seafest

Spring Fling Dessert Concert
Spirit Journey: Expressions by Women
Coffee House
How | Learned to Drive

Banff Rocky Mountain Festival
National Music Festival, Ottawa
The Rez Sisters
Arts & Crafts Sale |
Skeena Zone Drama Festival. _
Annual! Dessert Concert

Year-End Concert with Trio Accord
Pacific Northwest Music Festival « Terrace Concert Society ¢« Theatre Alive Society

Terrace Community Band
Terrace Art Association

Terrace Musicians’ Association

Terrace Little Theatre

Skeena Parents for Music
Skeena Parents for Music

’ Skeena River Players
Terrace Art Association
Hosted by TLT
Northwest Singers
Terrace Pipes & Drums
Terrace Symphony Orchestra

B.C. Arts and Culture Week

Creative Seeds ¢« Future Forests
| X is proudly promoted by The Terrace & District Arts Council

April 23-29, 2001

— April28
_ ends April 29
April 28
April 26, 27, 28
May 3. 4.5
April 29-30
May 24-28
May 3
May 5
May 23-26
May 12
June 9
June 23

The Terrace Arts Council is joining scores of arts and cultural organizations
and schools across British Columbia in demonstrating the important
contribution of cultural activity to our communities by participating in Arts
and Culture Week, Apr. 23-29. Arts and Culture Week is a province-wide

initiative of the British Columbia Arts Council.

BRITISH
COLUMBIA
ARTS COUNCIL

Ka

BRITISH
COLUMBIA