When you talk to Tim Isberg, his fondness for history—particularly Western Canadian history—shines through. His new album, Prairie Fire, will be released March 23, and he calls it a special project, noting, “It’s about real people and real events. It has a late 1800s theme.” He says it challenged him as a writer. “I needed to check facts. I started out to write a song or two, but it inspired me, and I realized I could make a whole album about these stories.”
Prairie Fire is Isberg’s third professionally released album, and he’s happy with how it turned out. “The nice thing about this album is that there is an educational component, an undercurrent.”
It makes sense for Isberg’s songs to include elements of history, and a strong sense of place. The Alberta singer-songwriter continues to weave music-making throughout a life that also includes military tours. “I still do some part-time work in the army. I’m an expert on Arctic operations, on training, so they still call on me for projects that involve joint operations with Canada, the US, and the Coast Guards of both countries.”
When asked to choose a song from the album for CKUA’s audience, Isberg picks “Fire Canoe.” He says, “It’s about early steamboats on the North Saskatchewan River and the South Saskatchewan River, and the place where they join together. I wrote the song from the perspective of the river, missing the steamboats of days gone by.”
Isberg hopes the album reaches music fans and history buffs alike. “I wanted to create an album that would entertain, but also inform people about the history of the Canadian prairies.”
Tim Isberg’s CD release concert for Prairie Fire takes place March 23 at the Northern Lights Folk Club in Edmonton. After that, he has concerts planned in Stony Plain, Calgary, Bragg Creek, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and his hometown of Fort Macleod. Find info and tickets at timisberg.com
Did you hear Tim Isberg in conversation with Tom Coxworth on Folk Routes, Sunday, March 10? Listen OnDemand now.
Tim will also be Grant Stovel‘s guest on Alberta Morning on Thursday, March 21.
