聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Names like Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Buck Owens come to mind when people talk about the great country singing storytellers. Saskatchewan鈥檚 storytelling, guitar playing, singing, song writing cowboy, Blake Berglund, originally from Kennedy, is a newer name to country music, but is one that should be added to that list.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The singer-songwriter spent 2016 on the road touring and his musical endeavours have garnered him the Saskatchewan Country Music Association (SCMA) Roots Artist of the Year award. Now he鈥檚 gearing up for a Western Canada tour this summer before the release of a new album this fall.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This month, however, Berglund is going back to his roots 鈥� to when he first decided to pursue a music career 鈥� and has set what he calls 鈥渁 lofty goal,鈥� to sell 1,000 records in May and to do this he plans on connecting with fans, door to door.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 an ambitious undertaking, but I find I push myself in a positive way when I set lofty goals for myself,鈥� Berglund said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a challenge, but I鈥檝e decided to revisit the way I used to sell albums, which was door to door from 2008 to 2012. Back then I just went out and sold CDs from my vehicle. When I started touring, that was when I sold my last door to door CD, but to sell 1,000 CD鈥檚 this month I thought I would re-approach that and see how things have changed since I last was out.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 intimidating to be walking up to strangers鈥� doors, but I鈥檝e met some great people and some wonderful fans.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The May project is Berglund鈥檚 way of funding his future: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a fundraising effort. Right now I have a great team of publicists who are going to be promoting my record and this industry is taking a digital route, so I have a website that needs to be up to snuff, and music videos. So, I鈥檓 raising capital to operate the business.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 plan to go out everyday this month and any online orders will count towards the 1,000 as well, so if you send me an email or Facebook message I鈥檓 happy to send one out. They鈥檙e $20 each and a couple of dollars for shipping. Or Michael [Ellis] saw what I was doing and being the generous person he is wanted to help, so there are 25 albums available at Michael鈥檚 Coffee Shop for people to pick up if they鈥檙e interested.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 If interested in supporting Berglund鈥檚 efforts he can be found on Facebook by searching: BLAKE BERGLUND or contact him through his email: [email protected].
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This summer he is planning to tour across Western Canada with Belle Plaine, which includes performances at the Calgary Stampede and Regina Folk Festival. Although they have no southeast Saskatchewan dates set, Berglund is forever grateful to his hometown and surrounding communities that continue to support his efforts in the music industry.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In addition to a busy touring schedule, Berglund will be releasing a new album this fall: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a concept record, I鈥檝e listened to Pink Floyd and a lot of 鈥�70s concept albums, so Dark Side of the Moon was a big influence in this, then I was listening to a lot of old school country, 鈥�90s country, and Marty Stuart. It鈥檚 a spiritual country concept record; my band and I are really proud of the sound, it鈥檚 super twangy, it鈥檚 real country.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The new fall album 鈥� will be pressed as both a CD and vinyl 鈥� is written by Berglund: 鈥淭here are three co-writes on the album, one with Belle Plaine and then two written with my band. Other than that I鈥檝e written everything on it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 very blessed to be doing what I鈥檓 doing,鈥� Berglund stated.
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