No stranger to the Bow Valley, Saskatoon-based singer-songwriter Jen Lane returns to the Rose & Crown in Banff for a performance on Sunday (Oct. 2).
She’s touring Alberta in support of her latest album, For The Night.
“Banff is a national park, so you meet people from all over the world, " she said in an interview last week. “The last time I played there we met people from all over the place – it’s great because there are so many tourists. "
This will be her third time playing the Banff venue. She’s also played the Drake several times.
“Some people get put off by the fact that it’s a touristy place, but I think, being musicians, it’s nice because all of a sudden you have people from Germany and the Ukraine buying your albums. "
“And Banff is beautiful, " she added. “I’m born and raised in Saskatoon and I always love a trip out to the mountains. "
Lane best describes her folk country sound as roots.
“Roots puts it in a nutshell, " she said. “It’s always hard to describe your own music. I get compared to Sheryl Crow or Sarah Harmer – I just call it chick music, 'girl with guitar’ music.
“I have fun doing it and that’s the bottom line. People seem to be keeping interested, so it gives me an excuse to keep doing it. "
Songwriting is something Lane’s always felt compelled to do, she explained.
“It came really naturally and it’s about the gratification of coming up at the end of the day and saying 'hey, I really liked that song,’ it just makes you feel more human, " she said. “Songwriters really have to put themselves out there, you’re writing about some of your most intimate moments. "
This current swing through Alberta makes up for having to cancel dates here last year.
“We had a big cross-Canada tour last year, and my husband’s mum unfortunately passed away and we had to cancel our Alberta dates, " said Lane. “We’re coming to the one-year anniversary of this happening and we’re doing the Alberta tour and it just seems meant to be.
“We’re excited to come back to Alberta leading up to the Western Canadian Music Awards. "
Lane has been nominated for Roots Solo Recording of the Year for the awards, to be held in Whitehorse in October.
“We’re going to the Yukon – I’m excited, I’ve never been – it’s really neat to be nominated, " she said. “We’ll be playing a couple different showcases and it sounds like we’re going to be playing the awards show too. "
Lane played at the awards in Kelowna last year. Other recent performance highlights have included North by North East (NXNE) in Toronto and South by South West (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.
Touring with Lane is her husband John Antoniuk, who goes by the moniker Smokekiller.
“We met at a show and started jamming together and one thing led to another and now we’re married eight years later, " she said. “He plays with my band and backs me up. We do a duo thing, and I sing with him and play guitar. It just works out nice. "
Smokekiller has more of a rock sound, which will give the show a more diversified dynamic.
“I know a lot of artists that have to be away from their significant others, " said Lane. “We’re really thankful that we have that common dream and understanding. "
To hear their music, visit Lane’s website at jenlane.com and Antoniuk’s at smokekiller.com
