WEYBURN - Saskatchewan-based singer Jeffery Straker has been expanding his fan base with his current tour of the United Kingdom, and includes a new very high profile fan, namely King Charles.
Just before he put on a sold-out show in London on Wednesday, Straker received word that not only had King Charles heard his latest CD, but he was touched by the song Straker wrote for his coronation, and wished him good luck for the remainder of his tour in England.
In a phone interview just before he went on stage on Thursday night at a venue in Northumberland, Straker explained how this came about.
As the king’s coronation approached, he was asked by Lieutenant-Governor Russ Mirasty if he might write a song in honour of the event.
“It’s a big challenge to sing about someone starting a new position,” he said, and he ended penning a song of encouragement that can apply to any person starting a new major chapter in their life, called “Better Than What We Had.”
Straker included it in the CD he released that October, and Lt-Gov. Mirasty arranged to send the CD to Buckingham Palace, to the Royal household, which Straker found out about a month and a half ago, just before he was to start his UK tour.
“I thought, ‘this is amazing! Is King Charles listening to it? Does he have a CD player?’ I knew it was in the palace, and the suspense was killing me,” said Straker.
While on his UK tour, he received a note by email from the Lieutenant-Governor’s office, telling him that not only had His Majesty heard the CD, but he was touched by his song written for the coronation.
“He also sent good wishes to me for my tour in England, and was signed ‘Charles R’,” he said.
He has been talking about the song in his performances, and will now make note of the King’s approval of it.
At his London show, special guests in the audience included the High Commissioner from Canada, former MP Ralph Goodale and his wife Pam, who are also from Regina, and the Agent General for Saskatchewan, who has an office in London.
Explaining more about the song, he said it came from what he was taught by his parents, namely that people should strive to leave the world better than they found it, and his wish for King Charles is that he will do the same.
Straker has been touring with guitar player Bryn Besse, and they play as a piano-guitar duo, which helps make a tour economically more feasible.
“I’m more of a folk-roots singer, so the piano and guitar work really well,” he added.
After Thursday night’s show, they have nine more in 12 days, and they will return to Canada on Remembrance Day, Nov. 11.
The response from his British audiences has been really good, said Straker, noting he had done a tour there two years ago, and some of the fans he made then have returned for his current set of shows.
“We’re seeing people come back, and there’s lots of new faces. In my repertoire I’ve got quite a few songs about Saskatchewan, and people are seeming to really appreciate them,” he added.
“These British audiences listen, and they’re friendly and they buy my merch,” Straker said, noting one fan even brought him a Yorkshire dessert pie.
