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Some national recognition for a Prince Albert singer/songwriter

Feb 2, 2011 | 5:36 AM

A singer-songwriter from Prince Albert calls herself fortunate, but a string of recent opportunities shows that Cahtleen Lesperance is making ripples at a national level.

Lesperance has found herself in the national spotlight as her song, Highway, was nominated with the novel Unless by Carol Shields as part of the CBC Canada Reads competition in Saskatchewan.

The contest highlights Canadian literature and this year pairs together a track by a Canadian artist with the nominations of Canadian novels.

Lesperance and her song are featured this week on CBC on the Afternoon Edition.

Lesperance said she was up against a lot of well-established singer and song writers and said she was thrilled just to be nominated.

This isn’t where Lesperance’s recognition ends, as she has recently received a grant of $8,000 from the Saskatchewan Arts Board.

“I applied to record for my next album. So I got the grant and I I’m completely thrilled and I’m very happy that Sask Arts Board has demonstrated or shown that they believe in my ability as an artist,” Lesperance said.

As self-proclaimed Saskatchewan import Lesperance, who is originally from Winnipeg, is flattered to be accepted by the local arts scene.

“My plan is to go to Halifax this summer and work in the studio this summer. Do some pre-production ahead of time and then go into the studio for July, August and then start working on the tracks there. “

She said she hopes to have a new album out sometime in 2012.

Until then Lesperance is keeping herself busy in the city, she’s half way through a fundraiser concert series that she has put together in Prince Albert.

The Boreal Sky Concert Series raises money for the local food bank. Her goal in the three part series was to raise $500. After the first two concerts she has already doubled that. Whit one more show to go, Lesperance lightheartedly said she’d like to see if they can make it to $2,000. Lesperance is also working to add a silent auction aspect for the final show.

The Last concert is at Great Western Coffee on March 13th at 7 p.m. Series Three features Robert O'Neil and friends with Matt Remenda.

sfroese@panow.com