Upper Nechako Country is a newly released CD featuring songs inspired by northern British Columbia, created by Fort Fraser women Heidi Burtenshaw. The back room of the Village Inn was nearly packed Nov. 19 at the CD release concert. Song titles such as ‘Walking the Old Railroad Trail’ and ‘Song of The Pine Bark Beetle’, make her country, folk, swing and yodeling sounds relatable to people living in the Nechako region. “It’s very inspiring here,” said Ms. Burtenshaw with a thick German accent. “I’m inspired by nature and I just love the north country.” Orginally from Germany, Ms. Burtenshaw moved to Canada in 1970 and has lived in Fort Fraser for 15 years. She lives in a cabin in the woods on a hill overlooking the Nechako; the place she does most of her writing.
As a little girl she loved to sing but it was just last year that she decided she wanted to record some of her music. Ironically, within a few weeks, she met a friend at a music festival who turned out to be a singer/song writer/producer. Nathan Tinkham, who has played and traveled with Lean Tyson, helped to bring her dream to reality this year with the release of Upper Nechako Country. Mr. Tinkham is also hoping to bring a ‘Wilf Carter’ type show to Vanderhoof in the spring, preforming his country/folk/yodeling music himself.