"It's a very, very emotional process. I couldn't have taken on a more fun, heartfelt hometown project," says musician Kurtis J. Kopp.
A rock drummer with country, blues, reggae and funk experience, Kopp is the writer of North Battleford's official centennial song, Centennial Begins.
He's a North Battleford product himself, although he's travelled western Canada extensively performing as a musician and setting up for other artists as well.
When Kopp was first approached by North Battleford Centennial Committee Chair Tammy Donahue-Buziak about commissioning him to write the official celebratory song, he set about inspiring himself. Choosing a few songs he felt portrayed the emotional elements and energy he wanted for his song, he "played them on repeat" until his own ideas began to distill. Then he sat down and started the writing process.
He wanted it to mean something to the people of North Battleford, so he has incorporated as many memorable images into the lyrics as he could.
"Something for everyone," he says.
Kopp will be performing Centennial Begins at 10 a.m. Canada Day at the centennial celebrations taking place at the Battlefords Agricultural Society grounds. He will perform again at 5:45 with his band, Thick as Thieves.
He performed it at the May 1 centennial party in Central Park and again May 26 in conjunction with the student art showcase My North Battleford at the Don Ross Centre.
The song has also been recorded, with the assistance of Gord Hildebrandt, and is available for sale. Copies will be available at the Canada Day celebration and will be going into local businesses as well in the near future.
The cover design features an historic view of downtown North Battleford. The recording has the additional keepsake value of including the voices of current mayor, Ian Hamilton, as 1913's mayor, D.S. Walker, and the voice of the late Harry Dekker Sr., long time radio announcer of The Breakfast Club fame.
The CD is something tangible he hopes people will cherish as a memento.
Kopp is a multi-instrumentalist, playing drums, guitar, mandolin, djembe and harmonica. He is experienced in harmony and lead vocals. He is currently writing and recording his debut solo album, "Kopp A Feel," showcasing his talent on all instruments.
He may also bring in some of his musical friends to collaborate where he feels it's right.
"It's just for musical fun," he says, and there's no deadline. It gets done when it gets done.
He plans to do the recording in various places, from North Battleford to as far as Ucluelet, B.C.
Kopp's life has always been about music and between performing and working in the sound industry he makes a decent living, he says.
The son of Kelly and Lillian Kopp of Classic Trading Music Supply, he first sat behind a set of drums at the age of eight years. His parents, whose roots are also in North Battleford, are musicians themselves. In fact, his dad met his mom when he asked her to sing in his band.
"So, it's no surprise to see that I'm into music," says their son.
As well as being actively involved in the local music community, he's on the road frequently. He's worked with various bands and artists such as Juno award winning artist Donny Parenteau, Nashville recording artist Kenny Wade, Melanie Laine, Rattlesnake Romeo, At The Stroke Of Madness, The Greg Wood Project, Keith Bartlett, Bruin and Quinn Eberly, Troy Wakelin, Mindweiser, Thick As Thieves, The Buster Groove Band and Gypsy Mobile.
As a member of various bands, he's opened for Corb Lund, Default, David Usher, Gene Simmons, George Canyon, Ill Scarlett, Jordan Cook, Marty Stewart, Kenny Shields and Streetheart, Ten Second Epic, The Stereos, The New Cities, Tom Cochrane, Wide Mouth Mason and even 2005's Prime Minister Paul Martin.
CENTENNIAL BEGINS
A town was plotted in 1905 and plots were boughten by young men and their wives
Horses in teams, that railway it seems, attracted those traveling through
In 1913 in their hands were their dreams, this pioneer city was new
We love our home North Battleford so young and shining through
You've taught us many things we hold our spirits to
The soil that's turned
A good life earned
Like no place I've ever been
A hundred years upon us
Our centennial begins
Those King Street marches, that Beaver City pride, when Breakfast Club echoed songs from back in time
Abbott Field to the Field House revealed our Communities in Bloom
Students stand tall at school for us all we're always learning from you!
We love our home North Battleford so young and shining through
You've taught us many things we hold our spirits to
How baseballs won
Horseshoes rung
And where we learned to swim
A hundred years upon us
Our centennial begins
Centennial begins...
Water tower on a home town night, for all a memory in those shining lights
The past is told let the future unfold, united in all that we do
Success from the start, we built it from the heart, remembering how we grew
We love our home North Battleford so young and shining through
You've taught us many things we hold our spirits to
The best to come
For where we're from
Let's rise and celebrate
A hundred years upon us
Our centennial begins
Centennial begins...
Copyright Kurtis J. Kopp 2013
