SaskMusic

Jeffery Straker

Categories: Musicians: Keyboard/Piano, Solo Artists, Songwriters/Composers

Genres: Adult Contemporary, Pop, Roots or Folk

Contact

Description

Singer-songwriter-pianist Jeffery Straker performs over 100 shows per year across Canada and abroad. He’s recorded for CBC radio’s ‘Canada Live’, had a music video chart in the top 10 nationwide and has toured internationally playing pianos in places as far away as Mexico, Chile and Peru.  His folk-pop hooks and rootsy story-telling have been featured in Film, TV, and theatrical productions while he maintains a touring schedule in venues ranging from house concerts to theatres and festivals, as well as shows with symphony orchestras.  Jeffery was the winner of the Vina Del Mar International Song Competition in Chile in 2014 representing Canada where he earned a Latin American fan following performing each night to a live audience of 20,000 and a TV audience of 150,000,000 viewers around the Spanish speaking world.  Originally from small town Saskatchewan, the classically trained pianist was raised by a church organist mother and an auctioneer father. He swears he was born under the piano on the family farm.

     Jeffery’s latest album Dirt Road Confessional (May 2017) launched at #5 on the iTunes Canada singer songwriter charts, & has played on CBC radio and college radio across the country.  It was voted a Top 10 album in Saskatchewan in 2017 and was also the #1 album in Regina SK as decided by readers of the Prairie Dog magazine.  Straker regularly draws comparisons to Harry Chapin, Kris Kristofferson, Jackson Browne and a young Billy Joel.

“Gifted in his ability to write intricate story songs buoyed by melodies that fit a listener's ears like a beloved broken-in glove." - Calgary Herald

Jeffery has launched seven albums over the last 10 years to both warm critical and fan response with several climbing into the iTunes top 10 singer-songwriter charts in Canada.  Concert demand has taken him from coast to coast across Canada and through Europe promoting his most recent work.  October 2018 sees him reunite with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra performing his songs in their 2000 seat concert hall (TCU Place), and in November Straker makes his National Arts Centre debut in Ottawa.   www.jeffstraker.com

News

• Concert Series in Saskatchewan Grain Elevators

  June 14, 2025

  Jeffery Straker is taking his songs across Saskatchewan in a seres of 7 shows performed at grain elevators this summer.  Called "The Prairie Skyscraper Concert Series" Straker first tried out the idea in the summer of 2024 as a unique way to launch his prairie-themed recording "Great Big Sky".  Combining heritage and culture, the concerts piqued audience interest with several selling out so a second series was born for this summer.  Four of the shows will be performed right inside the elevators, while 3 are performed outside with the elevator as the backdrop. For the indoor shows, since listeners are seated on chairs on the scale, Straker jokes, "these are the only shows where I get to weigh my audience".  Audiences have commented how good the acoustics are in the wooden surroundings of the elevator interiors.  Two shows are being produced in partnership with the Southern Prairie Railway. For those performances, listeners ride the train from Ogema to Horizon, attend the show in the Horizon grain elevator, followed by a return train trip to Ogema. 

  All show dates are listed in the graphic. Info and tickets are at jeffstraker.com 

• 

  Unique Album Release Concert Series

  May 24, 2024

  Folk Singer-Songwriter Jeffery Straker Celebrates the Release of New Album ‘Great Big Sky’ with Unique Performances at Saskatchewan Grain Elevators

  by Alan Hustak with contributions from J. Straker

  Jeffery Straker’s first job as a kid growing up in the small Saskatchewan town of Punnichy was cleaning out the boot of the Pool grain elevator with a five-gallon bucket. “That’s when I developed an intimate relationship with grain elevators,” he says with his wide trademark grin, “With the mice and the dust and everything.”

  The elevator where he worked was the last of four in Punnichy to be torn down several years ago. Its disappearance was part of the inspiration for the prairie troubadour’s latest album, Great Big Sky, that he’s releasing June 7th.

  One by one the prairie skyscrapers are disappearing like the dinosaurs. Once there were over 3,000 cribbed grain elevators across Saskatchewan, so tall they stood like exclamation points against the horizon. Now there are only about 180 still standing. Straker has always been bound to the prairies, he’s found infinite inspiration for his music in its landscape and its people. The death of both of his parents in the past 5 years has made him more reflective about his roots.

  One of the tunes he has written for the latest album pays homage to the vanishing prairie beacons.  “It was so much more than 2X4’s and timber, the last grain elevator was coming down today,” he sings, “Under their breath people said good-bye, they tried their best to take it all in stride, they just got used to people doing it that way. For years that Prairie skyscraper stood guard at the end of main street, farmer’s measuring luck by the bushel, hauled trucks of what they’d reap.”

  Most are being demolished because they have been replaced by concrete grain terminals and have become weathered tinder boxes or simply because some people consider them an eyesore.

  “Elevators have a lot of meaning to prairie folks, but it’s not something they really talk about unless you ask,” says Straker. “They were the first big, tall things on the prairies to proclaim ‘there’s a community here’. Now we’re watching them come down as our small towns shrivel. Elevators were always part of the furniture. They were part of the topography, they helped to define the geography and the look of the prairies.” 

  Great Big Sky will be launched in June with a number of concerts in several Saskatchewan communities that still have grain elevators. The “Prairie Skyscraper Concert Series” was Straker’s idea.  He has just completed a tour of Western Canada performing “proper theatre concerts”, and wanted to do something “in a totally different way.  Instead of being inside a theatre, I’ll take the show outdoors, with the backdrop of a big old elevator,” he says.  “And a few of these shows will be staged right inside elevators on the old scale”.  The series includes:

  June 15 Elbow SK

  June 19 The Museum of Wheat, Hepburn

  June 20 Southey (a 2nd show has been added June 27)

  July 4 Riverhurst

  July 5 Take a train excursion with him on the Southern Prairie Railway from Ogema to Horizon where he performs in the old Horizon elevator

  July 6 Gravelbourg

  July 7 The Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village south of Moose Jaw

   

  Concert info & tickets: https://mailchi.mp/jeffstraker/prairie-skyscraper-concert-series

  Jeffery thanks Creative Saskatchewan for the financial support in completing his new recording.

Events

Date	Event	Venue
Sep 25 7:30pm	Jeffery Straker	Bassment (The) Saskatoon, SK
Dec 4 7:30pm	Jeffery Straker's A Very Prairie Christmas	Bassment (The) Saskatoon, SK
Dec 5 8:30pm	Jeffery Straker's A Very Prairie Christmas	Bassment (The) Saskatoon, SK
Dec 13 8:00pm	Jeffery Straker’s ‘A Very Prairie Christmas’	Casino Regina Regina, SK
Dec 14 7:30pm	Jeffery Straker’s ‘A Very Prairie Christmas’	Casino Regina Regina, SK
Dec 19 7:30pm	Jeffrey Straker – A Very Prairie Christmas	Living Sky Casino Swift Current, SK

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Discography

• Vagabond

  Various Artists

  October 2012

  Produced by Danny Michel music/lyrics: Jeffery Straker "Four out of four stars" - Toronto Star

• under the soles of my shoes

  Various Artists

  Produced by Dave Thomson music/lyrics: Jeffery Straker

• Step Right Up

  Various Artists

  Produced by Justin Gray music/lyrics: Jeffery Straker

• Songs from Highway 15

  Various Artists

  Produced by Brian Moncarz music/lyrics: Jeffery Straker
• 

  North Star Failing

  Various Artists

  June 2015

  Jeffery and his piano-folk-pop music are often compared to a mixture of early Elton John, Ben Folds, Sarah Slean, Billy Joel and Harry Chapin. Straker’s new album reached #9 on iTunes Singer Songwriter chart in its 2nd week, and #6 in Saskatchewan sales in its 3rd week. “(This) is a pop record of the kind Elton John made in his peak early period. But Straker covers a wide swath of musical territory on this new disc, keeping us wondering where we might go next, while never losing sight of the importance of a finely crafted tune. Why doesn’t all pop music sound like this?” – Mark Rheaume, CBC Radio. Produced by: Dean Drouillard. Recorded at: The Rogue, Toronto ON and Studio One, Regina. More info: www.jeffstraker.com

  ...
• 

  Dirt Road Confessional

  Various Artists

  May 2017

  Straker’s latest brings a roots-inspired flavour to his piano-driven sound. The singer-musician and road warrior has created a recording that sounds like his multitude of influences: a little bit roots/country, a little bit piano-folk-pop, and a lot of wonderful stories. Lyrically, the album speaks to the tug between life on the road pursuing a dream of music and the longing for love and cultivating a relationship. Some songs have steel guitar accompanying the piano, others invite dobro and banjo for texture. Recorded at: Various studios in Echo Lake NS, Toronto ON, Los Angeles CA, and Regina. Produced by: Daniel Ledwell, Royal Wood/Lawrence Katz, Brad Prosko/Murray Pulver, Dean Drouillard, Robyn Dell’Unto.

• 

  Live with CBC Radio

  Various Artists

  July 2014

  The latest album from this international-award-winning singer/songwriter/pianist contains 14 tracks recorded by CBC Radio live in concert at the Mae Wilson Theatre in 2012, as well as 3 bonus tracks from a 2009 live CBC recording from Westminster United Church. Fifteen of the tracks have previously been released on Jeffery’s studio recordings, with two brand new songs included, “Friday Night Moves” and “Old Tin Drum.” Produced by: Bonnie Austring-Winter and Shauna Powers. Recorded at: live at Mae Wilson Theatre, Moose Jaw and WestMinster United Church, Regina by Chris Haynes. More info: www.jeffstraker.com Released: July 17, 2014

• 

  Just Before Sunrise

  Various Artists

  May 2021

  On May 7, 2021 singer-songwriter pianist Jeffery Straker released his latest full-length recording, “Just Before Sunrise”. The roots/folk/singer-songwriter album is described as a 'soundtrack of reflection' that reveals an optimistic outcome. In a way it asks the listener, ‘Where have you been? Where are you headed? Where would you like to be headed’? Written and recorded in the wake of the sudden loss of his mother these songs speak to the life long need to dream, to belong and to matter. The 10 song work produced in partnership with Russell Broom also features 2 co-writes/co-productions with Royal Wood. Singles have seen several playlist placements (Spotify, Amazon) spanning the roots, folk and country genres. Influences include: Harry...

• 

  Just After Sunset

  Various Artists

  October 2022

  “Just After Sunset” is a 5-song acoustic folk/roots EP, reimagining songs from Jeffery's 2021 LP “Just Before Sunrise”. With Jeffery’s previous eight albums being piano-driven outings, he changes gears with this EP by inviting acoustic guitar to lead the charge on four of the songs. Only simple hand percussion, foot stomps, and sparse piano add to the arrangements. All guitar tracks were performed by Bryn Besse (Regina SK). Track 5 (Heavy is the Burden) adds backing vocals and strings. The result is a striking collection of songs sitting at the intersection of contemporary singer-songwriter, folk and roots genres. The lyrics are reminders of what ‘has been’ and what ‘could be’ with the focus on the stories within.

  The album is availab...

Videos

• Ready to be Brave

  Words & Music: Jeffery Straker

  Produced by Versa Films, Saskatoon SK.

  Director Dylan Hryciuk

  Audio production by Russell Broom

  From the album "Just Before Sunrise", released May 7 2021

  https://music.apple.com/ca/album/just-before-sunrise/1563448907

   

• Heavy is the Burden

  Words & Music: Jeffery Straker

  Produced by Wavelength Entertainment, Regina SK.

  Director Chris Triffo

  Audio production by Brad Prosko From the EP "Just After Sunset" released Oct 6 2022

• Sing Your Song

  Latest single from this singer-songwriter-pianist out of Regina! The 2nd lead-up single from Jeffery Straker's forthcoming full-length album. Co-written with Ottawa's Juno winning folkstress Lynn Miles, audio production is by Steve Dawson at The Hen House in Nashville TN. The lyrics speak to finding the confidence to pursue a dream, to let your guard down & let your ‘real’ voice be heard. It encourages vulnerability to let people see the ‘real you’. The lyric video was shot with a real actual...