Jimmy Rankin is excited to tour five small communities in the Northwest Territories next week – an area he has never visited before.
Photo courtesy of the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
"I've been touring Canada for many years, and I've toured most places in Canada, but not in the North," said Rankin. "I like to see places in Canada that I haven't seen … and perform in places I wouldn't normally go to as a tourist. It has been a quest of mine to get to these places."
Rankin will begin the tour – which is part of the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre's (NACC) autumn concert roster – in Fort Smith October 14.
Rankin will play in Inuvik October 16 at the Our Lady of Victory Parish, and continue on to Norman Wells, Yellowknife and Hay River later in the month.
The Juno-winning Canadian artist performed in Yellowknife last year, according to Marie Coderre, NACC's executive director.
"He really wants to meet the communities and live the experience of the North. He was in Yellowknife in 2017, and he loved Yellowknife so much, that I proposed he come on tour in 2018, and he agreed," said Coderre. "A person of his caliber, normally they play in big venues, so I'm really pleased that he's willing to play in our smaller venues like community halls and churches."
Rankin will also be performing for students at East Three Secondary School.
"We always stop at the schools, because we want to increase youth exposure to the arts," said Coderre. "It is so important that they get a chance to develop an interest in the arts and get motivated to participate in the arts if it is what they want to do."
Rankin said he will be playing songs from his new album, Moving East, which he describes as "East coast folk rock."
"It's an album of coming home. The music is all story songs based out of the area that I'm from," he said. "It has a very organic feeling … all of the music and album art were made by artists from the East coast."
Rankin said he's really looking forward to touring the territory.
"It's interesting for me to find out how other people live, and see the similarities to where I'm from, and experience other cultures," he said. "I come from traditional, family-oriented genealogy and people in these kinds of areas are the same – they talk about their ancestors in the same was that people in my community remember our grandparents and great-grandparents."
Coderre said tickets can be purchased online or at the door. The cost is $25 for adults, but $15 if they bring a youth. Youth admission is $10 and senior admission is $15.
"The sales are going so well in the communities," she said. "I've never seen so many people buying tickets in advance. Normally people come at the door, so I'm expecting it's going to be packed."