The roots of Edmonton based singer -songwriter Kimberley MacGregor’s tour with Matt Patershuk, Mike Stack and Lethbridge songwriter Ryland Moranz lie in last year’s the Folk Alliance Conference in Kansas City.
The foursome begin their tour together in Lethbridge at the Geomatic Attic, March 31.
“
It’s kind of cool, Folk Alliance is where I met Matt last year. I learned some of his songs and we toured together,” she said.
She learned some of Patershuk’s songs and accompanied him on his CD release shows in Calgary and Edmonton.
“ And I got to play with him during Wide Cut Weekend,” she said, adding that is the essence of the current tour— having all four songwriters play on each other ’s songs.
“For the first couple of shows you’re just getting used to each other’s music. By the end of the tour it comes naturally, but we want it to be natural on the first show of the tour,” MacGregor said.
“ I don’t know Mike that well, but Matt and Ryland are two of the finest humans I know, so if he’s a friend of theirs, he must be all right,” she said.
“ It’s exciting. I’ve played with Matt before and Ryland plays with Leeroy Stagger and is pretty much a natural on any instrument, so I’m excited to hear him,” she said.
She enjoyed her Folk Alliance experience.
“Folk Alliance is overwhelming. The three floors of the hotel turn all of the rooms into private showcases. They just move all of the furniture aside,” MacGregor said, adding she played two showcases this year- the Alberta Room sponsored by organizations like CKUA and the Bow Valley Music Club and the Break out West Room.
“Shows run all day starting at 1 p.m. to 2:30 to 3:30 in the morning and then the jams and socialization start. We were up until 7 in the morning. And I got to hang out with Billy Bragg, but don’t tell Harry Manx, he might get jealous,” macGregor laughed, noting she got to hang out with Harry Manx and accompany him on stage after meeting him during a session at the Banff session last year.
“Folk Alliance is like a global community. I slept maybe a few hours then it was back to workshops,” she enthused.
MacGregor, Moranz, Patershuk/ Stack play the Geomatic Attic at 8 p.m., March 31. Tickets are $32.50.
