By Angela Brown

Musician Hawksley Workman sings praise for the Battlefords

Jan 5, 2019 | 7:00 AM

Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman is shining a positive light on the area with his new song called Battlefords.

The 43-year-old multi-instrumentalist grew up north of Huntsville in rural Ontario and is currently based in Montreal.  

Workman said he titled his song Battlefords simply because he liked the sound of the word when he first heard it. He has a positive memory of the image of the Prairies and North Battleford from the time when he was a teenager and was taking a trip across Canada while performing with a church musical many years ago.

“I’m somebody who loves words and loves the sound of words,” he told battlefordsNOW. “The word Battlefords in and of itself is so beautiful.”

He said he had the word in a notebook of words he wants to use in his songs for quite some time.

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The song Battlefords offers a nostalgic look back at growing up in a rural Canada. The lyrics are sentimental and Workman reflects on simpler times of youth buying freezies and riding around on bicycles with banana seats.

Workman described the song as “a piece of Canadian nostalgia, celebrating life in rural Canada in the 1980s, and the emotion and innocence that was specific to a quasi-technological time in the late 20th century.”

“I like things the old way and that’s maybe my folk-music-heart speaking,” he said, adding he is very proud of the song and expects to be playing it “at every concert for the rest of my life.”

Workman’s music is described as both “anthemic folk” and “cabaret pop.” He has been making music professionally for more than 20 years.

Workman, who has made music for more than 20 years, will be playing a sold-out show at the Sheraton Cavalier Hotel in Saskatoon on Jan. 26.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW