Belle Plaine is a singer, a songwriter and an inventive musician who was raised on the Canadian prairies near the hamlet of Fosston, Saskatchewan – population: 45. The ingenuity, lonesome yearning, and collaborative work ethic of country life have infiltrated her songwriting, her sound, and her methods. Belle’s reverence for artists who defy categorization has led her to create a brand of roots music that combines vintage blues and swing tones of the 1940s with classic country styles made popular in the heyday of the Grand Ole Opry. Belle’s greatest strength is an unfailing ability to weave stories, genres, and emotions with her formidable voice.
Twangy early influences from the family AM radio mixed with a dozen years of classical voice training throughout Belle’s upbringing led her into studying contemporary music in college. When Belle started performing full-time, she paired her voice with instinctive songwriting and a tinder-dry wit, and that provided all the fuel required to make hearts smoulder.
As an avid collaborator she has performed her music with the Regina Symphony Orchestra, was a guest vocalist on Colter Wall’s breakthrough debut album, "Imaginary Appalachia," and saw her co-writing and harmony-singing chops featured on Blake Berglund’s latest record, "Realms."
Belle’s 2018 album "Malice, Mercy, Grief & Wrath" highlights her tremendous voice and prodigious songwriting abilities, and showcases her varied musical influences from Link Wray and the Everly Brothers, to Cole Porter and Neko Case. The record was produced by Jason Plumb [Colter Wall]. While "Malice, Mercy, Grief & Wrath" contemplates the ephemeral nature of life, it also manages to address themes that are persistently unfolding in our lives: forgiveness, redemption and hope.
Belle Plaine has built a loyal following that continues to flourish. She has been rewarded with festival spots such as at Small Halls on Prince Edward Island and Regina Folk Festival in Saskatchewan, and appearances at industry events like Folk Alliance International and JUNOfest. Belle is proving her entrepreneurial spirit with multiple releases and cross-country tours under her belt – making it clear that she is a career musician who relishes sharing her voice, and her songs, with the world.
"If Patsy Cline and Blossom Dearie had a love child she would sing like Belle Plaine. Belle’s voice is old timey and jazzy. It has twang, crystal bells, and swing. You listen to this voice, and all of a sudden your cheatin’ heart has a very dry martini in hand, and you’re hearing something both timeless and brand new."
Dillon Currie is a Saskatchewan singer-songwriter and the lead singer, co-lyricist, and formative member of Saskatoon-based rock band, League of Wolves (formerly of Inside Pocket Music via Warner Music Canada). With League of Wolves, Currie has recorded at the renowned Noble Street Studios in Toronto with producer Gavin Brown (Billy Talent, Tragically Hip, Metric), co-producer/writer Maia Davies (Mother Mother, Yukon Blonde) and has toured Canada many times, sharing the stage with notable acts such as The Trews, The Tea Party, Glorious Sons, Yukon Blonde, The Beaches, and The Headstones.
Channeling songwriters like Elliott Smith, Andy Shauf, and Jeff Tweedy, Currie’s debut solo effort, a full-length LP entitled ‘Vines of Time’, is a sharp departure from his more raucous work with League of Wolves, and instead is a beautifully diverse collection of reflective, thought-provoking tales and introspective queries which expose the duality of the human condition. On ‘Vines of Time’, due out September of 2023, Currie toils with the difficult relationship between legacy and mortality, reflecting on themes of loss, growth, accountability, reconciliation, self-awareness, and identity. Pairing earnest song writing with gorgeous melodic delivery, the result is a collection of beautifully crafted narratives which meld familiar tales of the past, the present, and the future into one gripping existential crisis.
Born and raised in Maple Creek, SK, Dillon now lives in Swift Current with his partner, Kayla, his son, Enver (8), and his daughter, Rooney (3). After releasing his first solo single in December of 2020, Dillon has since released two more singles which will be featured on his upcoming record. Dillon is a former Junior A hockey player and proud Bonnyville Pontiacs alumni (AJHL), as well as a University of Saskatchewan graduate. Aside from his music career, Currie is passionate about his work as Community Connector with SaskAbilities—Swift Current where he works to connect youth and adults experiencing disability with their community through volunteerism and employment opportunities.
www.facebook.com/dilloncurriemusic
Catch Belle Plaine and Dillon Currie on Saturday November 18th, 2023 at Blenders Events at our new temporary location Beatty Playhouse, Great Plains College, 129 2nd Ave NE, Swift Current. Doors open at 7pm, music at 8pm. Tickets are available at Swift Current Pharmasave or eventbrite.com.
