Five internationally successful singer/songwriters brought 'A Nashville Christmas' to the Mae Wilson Theatre on Dec. 7 and 8, and Jared Mathieson, co-founder of non-profit entertainment group River Street Promotions (RSP) and the event's main organizer, said it was their best production yet.
The concert, which raised money for youth mental wellness in south Saskatchewan, featured Emily Shackelton, Sarah Darling, Jenn Bostic, Jonny Mo, and Lindsay Ell. Music industry veteran Joel Stewart was the host, and led audiences through stories, hit songs, songs that didn't chart but that are still special, secrets of the industry — and, of course, how the singer/songwriters themselves have coped with mental health challenges in their lives. Each artist accompanied each of the others, with multi-instrumentalist Jonny Mo's violin adding a lauded new layer.
In keeping with RSP's mission, high school students from in and around Moose Jaw were treated to two exclusive shows at the Mae Wilson on Dec. 7, before the main concert event on Friday evening. (Except for Lindsay Ell, who did not arrive until the Friday show.)
"So, Thursday morning, we had, I believe, 11 (rural) schools come in, from the Prairie South School Board and the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division," Mathieson said. "A lot of logistics, but the school boards were awesome and got them all here on time for a 90-minute show.
"The girls would play a round of songs, then Joel came out and asked (the artists) pre-submitted student questions. And then a second round, and Jonny jumped in for a solo, followed by the girls, then another round of Joel Stewart questions, another round of songs, and it finished with a song that the girls wrote last spring when they knew they were coming to do this, and that was called, 'Don't Let This World Break Your Heart', which was kind of the theme for the week. ... And then they did the same show in the afternoon for local high schools."
Many questions for the artists had to do with Nashville and the music industry in general, but most concerned the mental health journey every human being has to go through. It was an emotional experience as Shackelton, Darling, Bostic, and Mo shared personal stories and inspirations with the teens. Mathieson noted how impressed he was by the respect the high schoolers showed — they were quiet for the stories, enthusiastic for the songs, and asked good questions — and how powerful the event turned out to be.
'Don't Let This World Break Your Heart' was an awesome custom surprise for the students, and was followed by another one: Nine local high school choir students came out Friday afternoon and learned the song.
"The girls taught the choir 'Don't Let This World Break Your Heart' and then we surprised the crowd with it right before intermission in the Friday night show," Mathieson said. "It was a pretty special moment for the kids."
This is the third year of this particular show. Since its founding, RSP has raised hundreds of thousands to establish the RSP Fund, which enables school in and around Moose Jaw to hold events, host resources, and work on infrastructure to build the mental wellness of staff, students, and families.
The Friday night included a live auction featuring some exclusive items.
"We had a Chicago Blackhawks jersey, so like a team-issued Conor Bedard jersey, and that sold for $6,000," Mathieson said. "And then, Emily offered a home concert, and that went for $10,000, so she'll be flying back thanks to WestJet, and we might even have two of those depending on logistics. That was pretty awesome."
A complete total of funds raised will be announced in the New Year, probably coinciding with the release of the date and artist line-up for Homestand '24.
Learn more about the cause, the artists, and upcoming events at www.riverstreetpromotions.com.
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