Local musician Layten Kramer, who started his musical journey in Canmore and the Bow Valley, never forgot his roots and the people who helped him along the way. Now he's returning the favour by starting a scholarship to help those on a similar path.
Local musician Layten Kramer, who started his musical journey in Canmore and the Bow Valley, never forgot his roots and the people who helped him along the way.
Now he's returning the favour by starting a scholarship to help those on a similar path. Kramer will host a fundraising concert at Communitea Cafe on Saturday (Sept. 26) for his new project entitled the Canmore Youth Music Scholarship.
“It's me and Boreal Sons and it's a fundraiser because I'm starting a music scholarship for kids, through the Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation and artsPlace,” Kramer said.
Kramer is taking part in the Peak Performance Project this year, offered through 95.3 The Peak Radio, which helps in developing Alberta-based emerging artists.
“It's basically an artist enhancement project, it's through the Peak station in Calgary, and they select 12 artists and they put them through an intensive process over four months and at the end you submit a final report and they select the top three bands,” Kramer said.
“The top three receive $50,000, $75,000 and $100,000; along with that comes five challenges you have to do and one of them is pairing up with a charity and incidentally that was one of the things I wanted.
“Obviously Canmore has really helped me start my career and has been very supportive and I want to give that back and make awareness of that for the youth there. I think it's important that no matter where you are you have motivation to make art or whatever your passion is.”
The musician knows firsthand how much a scholarship offering extra funding towards a person's dreams and goals would mean to people starting in their careers.
“It would totally take their art and their music to the next level,” Kramer said.
One of the locals who stood by Kramer from the beginning was Communitea Cafe owner Marnie Dansereau.
“She's been a huge help, she was the one who first believed in my music and let me open for Michael Bernard (Fitzgerald) for his show four or five years ago at the café and that was kind of the first big show I ever got; since then I've done every big CD release, every big stepping stone event at Communitea,” Kramer said.
“I thought there's not a better place that we could do it than Communitea because that's what they also believe in - helping out artists and helping in supporting, so it kind of worked out perfectly.
“With Boreal Sons, we've been good friends for years and originally played at Communitea and that's where we met, so it's just kind of this fun full circle and they were also part of the Peak Performance Project last year, so it's kind of nice to keep that family together and include people who've been in it in the past and work together and know the community out of that.”
Tickets are available at Communitea or on the Communitea website for $18 in advance and $22 at the door. Doors open at 8 p.m. for Boreal Sons and then the Layten Kramer Band.
