Musician Eliza Doyle bridging Sask. communities with bluegrass
Banjo artist holding workshops for Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation and Loon Lake, Sask.
She may live in Nashville now, but that doesn't mean Eliza Doyle has forgotten about her Saskatchewan roots.
Doyle, a banjo player for the band The Midnight Roses, has returned home to Loon Lake, Sask., with a mission to use music to bridge some gaps.
The artist was chosen as a program coordinator for Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Music Society as part of a Saskatchewan Arts Board grant.
"What that does is it allows us to go into rural communities and to bring bluegrass music to schools that might not otherwise be able to hear it," Doyle told CBC Radio's Saskatchewan Weekend.
Thinking it would be nice to bring her love of bluegrass back to where she started, Doyle arranged for workshops in both Loon Lake and the neighbouring Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation.
The communities are about 170 kilometres northwest of North Battleford, Sask.
Connection through music
Doyle said she's hoping music can help bridge relations between the two communities.
She held a workshop at each community's school, and plans to bring everyone together for a performance Saturday night.
"It's just kind of a safe zone to kind of bring people and bring communities together through music. And, I really think it's a very healing thing to do," Doyle said.
It's a platform where people can be themselves and it's a universal language. It doesn't matter who you are.- Eliza Doyle
She said the experience so far has shown her the power of music.
"It's a platform where people can be themselves and it's a universal language. It doesn't matter who you are."
As for the style of music, Doyle said there is something about bluegrass that is special for this type of event.
Bluegrass typically has a uptempo and cheerful beat that she said is easy to clap along with, and has subject matter that's easy to identify with.
Doyle said she's hoping Saturday's concert isn't the last time she's in Loon Lake playing bluegrass.
"It's also something I'm looking forward to in the future. Coming back to this community every year and building on it and seeing if this could be maybe a pilot project and seeing if we could do this in other communities that might be having similar issues."
The concert starts at the Loon Lake Recreation Centre at 7 p.m. CST.
With files from CBC Radio's Saskatchewan Weekend