There’s snow on the ground, a chill in the air and prairie songwriter Jeffery Straker is more than prepared to begin the holiday season with the launch of a new Christmas EP and his upcoming holiday tour opening in Moose Jaw.
Straker will be taking the stage at the Mae Wilson Theatre on Dec. 1-2 to kick off A Very Prairie Christmas, the annual and wildly popular holiday show that will be touring around the province until Dec. 18.
This will be the second year in a row that Straker brings the tour to Moose Jaw, following an enthusiastic response last year at what he says is his favourite venue to play.
“The Mae Wilson is one of my favourite places to make music in Saskatchewan, if not all the prairies,” said Straker. “The first time I ever played there, years and years and years ago, I called it the Carnegie Hall of the prairies, because it's so perfect and I’m always looking forward to getting back there.”
The tour is now in its fourth year, originally an exclusive to Casino Regina before branching out to include stops in Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Saskatoon and Prince Albert last year. This year, the show has once again expanded with a total of 14 dates in nine communities across Saskatchewan.
A Very Prairie Christmas will feature an hour and fifteen-minute set filled with classic holiday tunes that the audience will recognize, with a few of Straker’s own original tracks sprinkled throughout to offer a homey, folksy feel.
In fact, Straker has some new music that will likely be joining the setlist this year, included on his latest EP titled This Christmas, which released on streaming services Nov. 13.
The new EP offers a little taste of what to expect from the holiday show, said Straker, featuring three holiday-inspired tracks for fans to enjoy — including a cover of the classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and an original song about the passing of his mother, who was a huge part of his family’s festive season.
“There’s a lot of people out there who miss someone at Christmas, so I think that song will hit home with some people,” said Straker.
There will be a few differences at the show this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, including the shortened set and lack of an intermission, but Straker is really looking forward to being back on stage to spread the holiday cheer.
“My job is to give people the music of the holidays, and hopefully have them walking out the door in a festive spirit, so that’s what I’m going to do,” said Straker. “There’s a lot of people who won’t be going out for a lot of Christmas things this year, so this is a chance for people to come out in a safe environment and have a dose of Christmas, and just hopefully forget everything for the hour we’ll be there together.”
And, much like last year’s show in Moose Jaw, A Very Prairie Christmas will be a family affair when it takes the stage, with Straker’s sister Jill joining him and his piano for an extra homey touch.
The new EP and upcoming tour aren’t the only things Straker has been doing this year, as he did a series of pandemic-friendly backyard concerts throughout July and August that turned into a 36-stop tour and also recently performed a run of four shows with the Regina Symphony Orchestra at the beginning of the month.
But he’s still excited to be returning to Moose Jaw’s most beloved venue, he promises, and he encourages fans to check out This Christmas before the night of the show.
“It’s the real flavour, the three Christmas songs [on the EP] arranged in a folks roots style, the country kind of way. . . and that’s what the show is going to be too, so it’s going to be a really nice rootsy, singer-songwriter, sort of homey Christmas feel to it,” said Straker. “[The Mae Wilson] has such a fun place in my heart. I love it and it’s so special, so I really can’t wait and it’s the perfect place to kick off this tour.”
This Christmas is only available digitally and can be found on all streaming platforms available, including Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music. Straker will also be released lyric videos for the new tracks in the next few weeks.
Tickets for A Very Prairie Christmas with Jeffery Straker on Dec. 1-2 can be purchased from the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre box office, either by visiting in person during operating hours or calling 1 (306) 693-4700.
