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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Having stepped away from the centre stage of Northern politics, Stephen Kakfwi is happy to have found another, more modest stage as a musician and storyteller.

"I was in politics before," he said. "I gracefully, I like to say, got out five years ago. Very happy to be gone. Never looked back."

Stephen Kakfwi fondly remembers Kole Crook, whose life was tragically cut short at 27, as one of his main inspirations as an artist. - Peter Varga/NNSL photo

As a youth, the now 57-year-old Kakfwi dreamt of doing much the same as Bob Dylan, whom he counts as his main musical influence. In the thick of his political career as premier, he took up the guitar and songwriting - a creative outlet for reflections on life in the North and his own personal experiences.

Although he most admires Dylan and the power of his lyrics, Kakfwi credits the words of another musician, much closer to home for having drawn him into performing his own music. That story begins at the end of 2001.

"It was the first year I was premier," Kakfwi said, recalling well-loved Northern Metis fiddler and singer Kole Crook.

"He was a young, dynamic, incredible fiddler. He used to go from town to town. Just visit all the old people, get to know their names, just split wood with them, eat with them, learn how to tan moosehide, do traditional stuff, and play for anybody, anywhere."

When he played, those listening never stop moving, said Kakfwi.

Crook had just performed in Fort Good Hope and was bidding goodbye on New Year's Eve when he met Kakfwi's brother.

"Kole Crook told him, 'You know, if you have a gift, the creator gave it to you for a reason and no matter how small that gift is - if you can sing, you should sing for old people, kids.

"Entertain people. Bring joy to people. Make them feel things and share their feelings," Kakfwi remembers.

"And 20 minutes later, his plane crashed into a mountain."

Crook died at the age of 27 when the four-passenger plane he was taking to Tulita for his next performance crashed into the side of a cliff. The pilot and two other passengers were also killed.

"So that was the message he left," said Kakfwi, who was in the south at the time.

"To make it short, I came back and I learned a Bob Dylan song called Lay Down Your Weary Tune. And I never sang before, but I memorized the song."

The then-premier attended Crook's wake, where he performed the piece - "with the help of a couple of friends of mine," he smiled.

"So that's how I got started. It was from this message from a young man."