Okotoks women with a talent for belting out tunes will take centre stage at the performing arts centre this weekend. Singer/songwriters Tanya Ryan, Ellen Doty and Brettyn Rose have been invited to entertain for Okotoks Culture and Heritage’s inaugural Women of Okotoks Concert Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rotary Performing Arts Centre (RPAC). “We were jamming around ideas and this one came to the forefront,” said Allan Boss, culture and heritage manager. “We had hired these women before and we thought why don’t we do a showcase and present some of the amazing talent in Okotoks.” With the department’s mandate to promote arts in the community, Boss said he’s always looking to program the concert series at the RPAC to get people in the doors and participating in arts, culture and music. Featuring Foothills’ vocal talents could become an annual tradition, said Boss. “There are a number of other women in the community who are fabulous artists and also a number of men,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to have our local theatre featuring the talent we have in our town so our community realizes what an amazing artist and cultural community this is.” Doty, who’s become known for her soulful pop, jazz, folk and indie music, said it’s been a while since she’s performed locally and she’s eager to get on stage and share some new tunes with Foothills fans. “It’s a nice way for each of us to showcase our individual styles,” she said. “I’ll be playing some stuff from my new album Come Fall and a new song as well. I usually play a familiar song or two that people will know that demonstrates my musical style.” Having grown up in Okotoks, Doty’s had many musical influences including former Grade 2 teacher Terry Siqueira, who taught her to play guitar, and vocal teacher Naomi Koch in high school. The singer has kept busy touring the world since releasing her album last spring, including a jaunt to Japan where she performed at the Tokyo Jazz Festival in September and signed a distribution deal. “I had a pretty busy spring and summer of touring,” she said. “It will be fun to play at home. It’s been a while since I have.” Seventeen-year-old acoustic pop singer Brettyn Rose is also making a name for herself. Rose is the anthem singer for the Calgary Hitmen and the Okotoks Dawgs, as well as a university student. Rose said she’s honoured to be among the women selected for the concert. “There are so many talented people in Okotoks, and especially women, I’m so excited to be performing,” she said. “I’m going to sing some new songs that people haven’t heard. It’s going to be a great night of music.” Rose is preparing to release some singles and an EP in the new year. The Okotokian said she’s grown a lot in the past year as an individual and artist, and her audience can expect to hear about her life experiences in this weekend’s performance. “These songs truly reflect what I’ve been going through and experiencing in the past year,” she said. “I’m really excited to share my experiences and stories with people through music.” Rose’s inspirations have come from music teacher Carey Gruber, who taught her piano and vocals, as well as singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran. “His music really inspired me to do my own writing,” she said of Sheeran. “That’s what got me into songwriting. I’m always trying to find new music and artists to listen to. It really helps to keep my inspiration going.” Ryan, an award-winning singer, songwriter and bass player out of Millarville, is currently touring Europe and is eager to join Doty and Rose on stage. “I’m very excited about the show,” she wrote in an email. “It never ceases to amaze me how much talent we have in our town and I’m so grateful that Okotoks cherishes the arts as much as it does.” Ryan wrote that her inner feminist is stoked that the show focuses on women of the arts. “Ellen and Brettyn are super cool, brilliant, and talented, and I’m looking forward to sharing a stage with them,” she said. “I’m as excited to be a guest of the show as I am to play.” Since rooting herself in the Foothills in 2008, Ryan has celebrated many musical successes. She was recently nominated for the Calgary YYC Music Awards for Female Artist of the Year and Country Recording of the Year, the Alberta Country Music Association Awards numerous times and the Canadian Country Music Association for Discovery Artist in 2014. Ryan has performed on the Calgary Stampede Coca-Cola and Nashville North Stage numerous times and placed third in the Wild 95.3 Calgary radio station and Alberta Music’s Project Wild last year. Tickets to see the Women of Okotoks cost $25 in advance and $30 at the door. They can be purchased at the Okotoks Art Gallery, by calling 403-938-3204 or at okotoks.ca
