Article content material

When Andrea Home was 10 years previous she thought her father was a basic nation songwriter.

“He used to play guitar, and when my dad and mom received divorced I discovered a cassette of him singing and taking part in these songs,” the actress, singer and author says with a small snicker. “So I grew up pondering that every one of those songs by Willie Nelson had been written by my dad.”

Article content material

It’s in all probability not so shocking that a long time later Home would herself find yourself singing basic nation songs, although within the voice of Tammy Wynette. Strike that; not within the voice of Wynette a lot as channelling the spirit of the legendary singer-songwriter in Golden Ring: The Story of George and Tammy. Debuting Sunday afternoon on the Jubilee Auditorium, Golden Ring is a celebration in story and music of the 2 legendary nation superstars, with Duane Steele taking the a part of George Jones.

Article content material

It’s not her first foray into the style. In previous years Home has paid tribute to Dolly Parton in addition to her pop’s favorite singer, in a Fringe efficiency known as Chasing Willie Nelson. She’s additionally touched on rock and pop, placing collectively The Story of Linda Ronstadt for 2 performances at Pageant Place earlier this spring. Final 12 months, Home and pianist Chris Andrew wrote and carried out a Fringe musical known as Salsa Lesson, utilizing son, rhumba and semba rhythms to underscore the story of a newly divorced mom discovering Latin music.

It was that position that gave Home the primary of two Sterling Award nominations for this 12 months, the opposite for her supporting position in Reed McColm’s The Fallacious Folks Have Cash. The Sterling Award winners can be introduced June 26.

“Salsa Lesson was only a fantastic expertise,” she says. “It was an exploration of me studying Latin rhythms, my deep dive into that world. We had Raul Gomez Tabera, a percussionist from Calgary, Rubim De Toledo on bass, and Chris. That was the trio. I wrote a bit that was all rhyming, all the piece high to backside, so I’ll have invented a brand new style known as mother rap.”

Article content material

Article content material

If that’s the case, we are able to throw that in together with her different accomplishments. Armed with a level in French literature, Home had different plans in thoughts earlier than turning to the theatre and choosing up a guitar on the age of 25. Appearing faculty wouldn’t have her however Stewart Lemoine was blissful to, and he or she grew to become an everyday within the acclaimed playwright’s steady of actors. She picked up a number one actress Sterling Award in 1998 for her work in Babes In Arms, and parlayed her acclaim as a theatre actress into roles in films like The Street To Saddle River.

Home continues to be a busy performer, whether or not singing or straight appearing. She was Rosie in final spring’s Mayfield manufacturing of Mamma Mia, and he or she’ll be again later this 12 months to sing Joni Mitchell songs. She stood out within the forged of Plain Jane Theatre’s 2022 revival of the musical Girls On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and in July she’ll be the title character in Teatro’s upcoming All people Goes To Mitzi’s. One way or the other, within the midst of all of that and a day job as an acupuncturist, Home additionally recorded a brand new album, Hearth, her third since her 2003 debut, Coronary heart’s Resort.

The long-gestating file took place when Home was taking part in at CKUA. After the present, she was approached by a person whereas packing up and requested why she positioned her capo so excessive on the guitar neck. Home politely defined it was as a result of she’d seen nation singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett do that and requested if the person had heard of Lovett earlier than.

Article content material

“He stated on this lovely southern accent, ‘Yeah, I’m acquainted,’ then smiled and walked away. My guitar participant for that present stated to me, ‘Have you learnt who that was? That was Lyle Lovett’s guitar participant, Mitch Watkins.’”

Home and Watkins struck up a friendship after that present, and when Home despatched alongside a brand new monitor she was engaged on, Watkins indicated he appreciated it a fantastic deal and needed to play on it. From there the 2 agreed Home ought to work on the brand new album with Watkins in Austin, Texas. It led to a deeply-felt album that gained them a spot on the Edmonton People Music Pageant in 2019, and in some ways, it was the proper match, Watkins’ spectacular musical resume in nation, jazz, surf music and past, mirroring Home’s rambling profession in music and theatre.

“He was Leonard Cohen’s guitar participant for years,” she says with some awe. “I discovered a lot by listening to Mitch, sitting in his studio in Austin and getting an opportunity to listen to tales about Leonard Cohen and life on the street. He’s a fantastic instance of a musician’s musician, somebody who can play something.”

Home can also be able to nice vary as a performer, however she hastens to level out that she’s not taking part in Wynette within the Golden Ring efficiency on Sunday, she’s paying homage to her.

“I might by no means in one million years fake that I’m something like these singers,” she provides. “I don’t try to imitate them, there’s no approach I may try this. I may by no means be Linda Ronstadt, I may by no means be Dolly Parton or Joni Mitchell. However on the identical time, whereas I’m not trying to be these individuals I feel I actually do make up for it by actually, obsessively, loving and researching these artists. Once I get an opportunity to sing any person else’s music I’m going on the deep dive, learn all the things, analysis the songwriters. I strive actually laborious to do my homework in order that what I carry is a ton of coronary heart to that second. I can carry respect and love for the music, and I really feel like if I can try this, I can dwell with it.”

Article content material

Just like the character she performs in Salsa Lesson, Home is a single mother. Her dance card is full with theatre and musical performances, however she nonetheless must complement it with exterior work. In Home’s case that’s as a practitioner of Chinese language drugs and a licensed acupuncturist, two roles exterior the theatre that she takes simply as significantly, a lot in order that she’s a sessional teacher in acupuncture at Grant MacEwan. Many artists have a tendency to cover their day jobs for concern they’ll be dismissed as dilettantes, however the fact is that even lots of the most profitable want a security internet for leaner instances.

“I bear in mind Andy Donnelly from CKUA saying a very long time in the past, ‘By no means be ashamed of your day job, and by no means be ashamed of taking care of your self as a musician. And don’t be shy about that.’ And so I’m not. I’m grateful that I’ve one other approach of caring for myself, and I like that I do these issues as effectively.”

PREVIEW

Golden Ring: The Story of George and Tammy

That includes Andrea Home and Duane Steele

When Sunday at 2 p.m.

The place Jubilee Auditorium, 11455 87 Ave.

Tickets $51.10 together with taxes from jubileeauditorium.com

Article content material