聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 A new generation of a musical family with roots in Kamsack has launched a career as a singer and songwriter and was especially busy last week during the Calgary Stampede.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Chelsea Cherkas of Okotoks, Alta. was one of 68 contestants in the Calgary Stampede Talent Search, which was to have concluded on the weekend.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The daughter of Dean and Marianne Cherkas of Okotoks, Chelsey is the granddaughter of Peter and Lydia Cherkas of Kamsack. While her grandfather is well-known in the Kamsack area as a musician who is currently a member of the Polka Pals, her father is also a musician who has been a member of the Prince George-based trio, Single Car Garage and is now a member of the Rae King Blues Band based in Okotoks.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 waiting for a call back,鈥� Chelsea said last week, referring to her involvement in the Calgary Stampede Talent Search. 鈥淏ut so much is happening right now anyway.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 very busy for the Stampede and have something going on almost every day,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 not complaining. I鈥檇 rather be tired than bored.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 She said that she was preparing to be the opening act the next night for Foxxworthee, a country-mixed band that was performing at a Stampede venue in Calgary鈥檚 south end. She is currently working on having her website developed and is receiving rave reviews over Work of Art, an original song she wrote and performed during the Stampede and is now 小蓝视频 viewed on YouTube.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檝e written a ton of original songs,鈥� she said, adding that her immediate plan is to release, within about six months, an extended play (EP) recording of five to seven songs that will have been recorded in a studio.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After that EP is released, she said she plans to acquire professional management, do publicity and then possibly go on tour.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏eing from a musical family, I鈥檝e always played music,鈥� she said, adding that she started playing a fiddle at age five or six.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Born in Fort Nelson, B.C., and raised in Prince George, Cherkas said she has taken music lessons and then after picking up the guitar, she took more lessons and studied music theory. Three years ago the family moved to Okotoks where she has performed at competitions and has accepted weekend gigs.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Concerned with good health, Cherkas makes regular trips to the gym where she trains and is involved in kick-boxing. She also plans to move to Vancouver Island to study as a registered holistic nutritionist (RHN).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Asked to describe her music, Cherkas said she was country or country-folk but has an alternative flare, even a jazz feel.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 quite fully developed my sound,鈥� she said, adding that some of it, including Work of Art, is 鈥減retty dark.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 look at what鈥檚 wrong in the world,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 try to be real and try to stay true to what I write.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 All her life, Cherkas has been coming to Kamsack at least once a year to visit her grandparents. She performed at their wedding anniversary and when visiting her great-grandmother, the late Florence Konkin, she would perform at the nursing home.
