I’m off to the Folk Alliance International 2024 in Kansas city. I am in Lethbridge tonight and crossing the border tomorrow. Wish me luck!
Author: ruthps
Show at The Nick
Hi Luvs! I am opening for the indelible Oscar Lopez on May 7, 2022 at The Nickelodeon Folk Club in Calgary, Alberta. Doors are 7:00pm, Show @ 7:30 Address is Crescent Heights Community Hall 1101 2nd Street NW Calgary This is a CASH only venue. BIG LOVE!
Exciting News!
Exciting news, I’m about to become a published author and would love your support! My true story titled “Finding My Way in a New Day” is in the next collaborative Woman Of Worth book “Women in Business in a Changing World.” Every book in this WOW series has been a #1 Bestseller so far, and the online launch for this one is on JUNE 22. I’d really appreciate you going to the book page right NOW at Women Of Worth and take a look. These stories are about women empowering women to navigate CHANGE, and all royalties will be donated to charity. Thank you so much for supporting me in becoming a bestselling author and making a difference, it really means a lot.
New Album coming soon..
Video Release From New Album – Captain Kirk – May The ‘Fourth’ Be With You
Folk Unlocked 2021
Starts today!!! I am thrilled to be performing as part of the Folk Unlocked Virtual Conference. Usually, this in-person version of this amazing event is only available to artists and industry professionals, but this year you can tune in!
LINK – Showcase Donations
Donations for public access to this event will go to The Village Fund, a grant program for folk artists and independent music industry professionals experiencing financial hardship, administered by Folk Alliance International.
This year has been hard for artists in our community. This fund will support artists like me, so we can recoup some of the losses this year. XOXOXO ❤️
Right Then…
Hello! Is there anybody out there? Where do the days go, My friends!? I can tell you one thing: It is a quick run!! I have been very busy these last YEARS, but, to be truthful, finding the zip to attend to my e world has just not made the list. I truly resist things that I do not like…Life has been one heck of an adventure since I last caught up with all of you. Let’s see, where did I leave off?…
I DID, indeed make it to Folk Alliance International in 2017!
Setting off from the Calgary International airport, I had not been to America since 2014, had never attended a music industry conference, was not sure of myself at all anymore (story for another day), and was just starting to get what would be super crazy high from the prednisone I was taking from the car crash repercussions. I guess I seemed like a bit of a twit, because the US Customs Officer stopped me mid sentence, as I rummaged to get all my papers in order to show him, and told me to ,”Just go!”. I DO tend to talk too much and too fast if I am at all excited…
The world of Folk Alliance and Kansas City was astonishing! For a number of reasons, I had not been travelling much in my time prior to this. The adventure of another country, different landscapes, architecture, peoples (It was an international conference), and just being part of such a huge community of music love, was a lot to process. I knew that just going to The US for a few days to attend the gathering would not be long enough, so I arranged to fly home from Nashville two weeks later. I had NOTHING else booked except Folk Alliance, which was 4 days long. Fortunately, as nuts as it was, I was tripping on prednisone. I had no inhibitions and did not need to sleep. These are probably the two most valuable assets a person could have at the conference…or while travelling in America as an independent singer/songwriter. I don’t know if everyone gets as manic as I did, but I was fearless. The Alberta Room is one of the numerous performance presentation spaces at the FAI, and where I was sponsored by The Bow Valley Music Club to perform.
There were shows happening starting at 11am until 4am the next day, each night. As well, there was a trade show/market, meetings, panels, seminars and meet & greets all happening simultaneously. Performance wise, the best time I had was when I decided to have a few drinks one night (tons o booze everywhere…for free!), and I stumbled into the vast back stairwell that attached all the floors. Some folks were playing instruments and I just started to do vocal dances over their playing as I descended the stairs. I was pretty pied, but it was quite magical. Nobody important heard us, but it was my best performance of the conference. Another funny thing happened. The first night there was an awards ceremony, and Kris Kristofferson was being honoured. I was not sure where to go, so I stood beside the entrance door to the hall where the awards were being presented. People were streaming in past me, and I winked at an older gentleman as he was sort of ushered by. He winked back, as if to say, ” Ya, I am not really sure where to go either, and this all seems a bit silly, but I am going in here…”. It was Kris. Yep. That’s me…winking at celebrities…
Anyway Gang, I have YEARS of catching up to do. It is gonna take a while to get all this e stuff linked up properly. It is gonna take a while to tell all the stories…there are many! Since I am stuck at home now, I just may get ‘er done!
In the meantime, please tune into Facebook for my livestream on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 7 pm Alberta time. The Show, I Love Ruthie, can be found LIVE on my wall or on my pages later. I get the show on other platforms soon as well, I hope!!
What’s Coming Up?
In my previous post, there is a lovely photo of Chanie (my beautiful[brown belt karate] daughter), Lyle Lovett (whom no one knows) and me. This was taken after the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium performance by Lyle and his five piece acoustic band. This night I was the production assistant (the person who takes care of lunch for the artists…and cold remedies).
The night before, I had opened the show at Calgary’s Jack Singer Auditorium, for Lyle Lovett. Through much duress, (the details of which I can not impart) I endured to the moment of walking onto the stage. But the thing that was so epic was that moment when I stood in front of the mic and picked up my guitar, I felt that I had finally come home. Indeed, I presented one of the most enduring performances, of my own material, ever.
The next night, when we took this picture, I was truly honored when Lyle asked me to sign a copy of my debut CD for him. Since I was a teenager, I have been a wild fan of Lyle Lovett, so all of this was so sublime, it’s sometimes hard to believe. I couldn’t make this shit up!
Chanie, Lyle and Ruth at the Northern Jubilee in Edmonton, Alberta September 23, 2014
Coming up?
Now that my car has been totaled (I’m not the bad guy) and I’m limping around like an old woman, the challenges are sufficient for me to start getting my plans together for the Folk Alliance International in Kansas City, Missouri. I have been chosen by the Bow Valley Music Club to represent Alberta at this year’s conference in the Alberta Room. Next Sunday afternoon, February 5, 2017, there will be a fundraiser at the Ironwood Stage and Grill to help artists who will be going to the conference. Hope to see you there, so I can sell you lots of stuff so that I can do this. Crazy enough, I’ve decided to go to Nashville after the showcases.
I haven’t been to Nashville since 2014 when I was there writing with Fred Koller. I hope that he’ll still let me into the bookstore.
What’s Been Happening?
There was the tour! There was finding my long lost brother! The car is totaled! Yes! There was all that stuff!
These last months have disappeared like the prairie winds! I am aghast at the state of the world, but my life is, as ever, eventful.
The tour with Esther last summer still has an entire twenty hours of Go Pro film footage to be edited. This too, shall happen! You can catch a taste of this on my Facebook page, if you scroll back to the fall! I think it’s hilarious because I kept teasing Esther, but maybe that’s why she hasn’t ‘had any time’ to edit it yet. ;0)
A few things from the highlight reel include recording three of the Bill Durst songs with the Bill Durst Band, traveling all over central Canada, mostly Ontario and finding my long lost big brother, Stephen in Owen Sound. As well, I had my inaugural performance trip on Via Rail, playing my way home from Ontario. More to come…
If you don’t know, the original music scene in Calgary is blossoming! I expect we will be the last Nashville of the Apocalypse! With all of the support for original music that I see now, sustainability is within reach for songwriters in this town. Thank you to all of you who support this agenda!
Blinking back to 2014, with everything that is coming up, I want to share this photo with you all.
Chanie, Lyle and Ruth at the Northern Jubilee in Edmonton, Alberta September 23, 2014
Little Concerts and The Sweet Beet Stage
Hi Folks! It has been a whirlwind, &, as ever, my administration goes by the boards…I have had a VERY busy summer! The tour was epic! More about that soon. JUST GRATITUDE!! I have a show THIS FRIDAY, September 9th with Little Concerts at Fort Calgary. Tickets are cheap!! Dave Holloway, Brian Sovereign and I will do the opening set at 7pm. We will be followed by Horizon Ridge with their CD Release show.
The next day, September 10th, you can catch me at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Market’s ‘Sweet Beet Stage’ from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.
I have news and adventures coming …see ya soon I hope!! XOXOXO ♡♡♡