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Berglund and Belle Plaine coming soon to Humboldt

Blake Berglund and Melanie Hankewich (Belle Plaine) may have started their musical journeys separately but it did not take long before their musical paths became intertwined.
Blake and Belle
Blake Berglund and Belle Plaine are on their way to Humboldt for their June 8 show. Tickets for the show are available at Shoppers Drug Mart, the Community Gathering Place, Brian Grest (231-8284), and any member of the Community Gathering Place Executive. photo by Chris Graham, courtesy of Blake Berglund

Blake Berglund and Melanie Hankewich (Belle Plaine) may have started their musical journeys separately but it did not take long before their musical paths became intertwined.

“I really came to love (Hankewich)’s music as soon as I met her,” says Berglund, “then we were brought to the point where collaborating would be a good decision and dammit, we had chemistry.”

Berglund, Hankewich, and their band will be bringing that chemistry and love of music to the Community Gathering Place on June 8 with the Belle Plaine and Blake Berglund concert. All proceeds will be going towards the Gathering Place.

Along with their own music from their own respective albums, Berglund says there is a much loved history of male-female acts throughout the history of country music.

That’s been a fun type of archetype to walk into, says Berglund, and they are going to bring some of those couples to the Humboldt stage.

“If you look back on those duos we’re very conscious in trying to bring that show to an audience as well.”

Giving the audience a night out and a fun disconnect from daily life is high on Berglund’s list of what he wants to bring to his audience. We do not always get that opportunity in today’s society, he says, and being able to bring the community together is also a focus for Berglund.

“Being able to be a part of something that at its very core is a community event, that’s special in its own right.”

For Berglund, the biggest thing he wants to take from Humboldt is a chance to come back.

Love of music started early for both Saskatchewan based singer/songwriters with both Berglund and Hankewich picking up piano at a young age.

Hankewich remembers her grade 1 teacher from Rose Valley School sitting her parents down and telling them how she excelled at singing, remembering the words, and probably even correcting the other kids, she laughs. After dedicating years to her craft, it became a question of whether she wanted to give up gainful employment.

“It took a while for me to see that I really did want to do this as a career or at least give it a try.”

For Berglund it was a long and winding road from her early start at the piano to starting his musical journey at 23 years old, making the jump from punk to rock and now to country music.

“I have developed a core country fan base and a very country sound but it’s still an evolving country sound.”

For more information on Berglund and Hankewich, visit their websites, www.blakeberglund.com and www.belleplainemusic.com.

Tickets for the show are available at Shoppers Drug Mart, the Community Gathering Place, Brian Grest (231-8284), and any member of the Community Gathering Place Executive.