Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 09/99) - Fort Smith, in the South Slave region of the Northwest Territories, has a population of just 3,000 people. Of those, there are approximately 50 practising musicians. I've known this for some time and have always marvelled at the numbers.

It's tempting to say that that's above average, but as Bill Wade -- owner of Shadowland Records, located in the same town and who has recorded many a local musician -- notes there really is no way to measure that fact.

"In fact, one of the reasons I have Shadowland Records and my studio here is simply being to tap into some of the creative talent," Wade says.

"Yeah, per capita, I don't know how you'd ever measure that but, per capita we certainly have a lot of people interested in music. And interesting, I had a dialogue with the lead singer from Captain Tractor when I was up at Folk on the Rocks and he was saying it was exactly the same thing as when he grew up in Winnipeg. His perspective was that it was just a long cold winter. It's something to do inside. It's warm and kind of fun. And I do wonder sometimes if that's a contributing factor."

Wade adds that he's well acquainted with the fact that it's a lot harder to be in a hot studio or garage playing when it's really sunny and nice out.

My assumption was, then, that the Friendship Festival was a great way of bringing everyone together and sharing that musical creativity with the community.

Wade concurred.

"I think of it as a focal point and opportunity. It's a venue. Where we live in the North there aren't a lot of venues to play unless you're willing to travel some pretty long distances. Go full time at it."

"The way it works for Fort Smith," he continues, "it revs everybody's energy up and gets people practising and preparing. I think one of the years, a great example of that, was about two years ago, we produced a compilation CD called Cravin' for Raven."

At this point I let out a holler, because I've had that CD near my desk, without a case, since I took this job and never listened to it or figured out what it was. As soon as I got off the phone with Wade, I listened to it. TALENT!

"It's the official Friendship Festival CD," notes Wade.

"It's an eclectic taste of Fort Smith. We have everything from a 65-year-old church gospel woman to 2 Milpoly cranking out their sound."

Wade makes the point that the Friendship Festival serves as a focal point.

"The musicians shine, they're at their best. That's what the festival's like -- it's that place to shine and to perform. I have to say it's one of the few remaining musicians' festival, it really is, you get to perform a pile... Over five venues to play at."

The man's enthusiasm is non-stop for the festival. He also makes the point that the festival has maintained its focus on just Northern performers.

"And that's not a criticism on what Folk on the Rocks does.

"That's wonderful as well. It's great to interact with the Captain Tractors of the world and stuff like that. But this particular festival, it's Northern focused and it's high-quality. It's treated as if it's a huge festival. The sound systems are all there."

This year, according to Wade, Pido of Yellowknife is doing the sound, for the first time giving the locals a break.

"We're taking a year off to just have fun and play, and not have to do sound."

As a last note, Wade says that a most exciting aspect of the festival has been watching the younger kids, who were once audience members, take to the stage.