Links to the breadcrumb
The acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer aims to help emerging Indigenous musicians shine.
Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association (LR) board members Sheryl Kimbley, Donny Parenteau, Paul Lomheim and Roland Corrigal pose for a photo in Prince Albert, Sask. in January 2023. Photo by Submitted by Donny Parenteau
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When Donny Parenteau began his musical career in Saskatchewan, he knew he wanted to play the violin on the biggest stages in the world.
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The acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer now has a new dream: to help emerging Indigenous musicians across the province shine.
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“Throughout my career I’ve had people call me for advice,” he said. “‘What am I doing here? What am I supposed to do here? I wrote this song, but I don’t know if I’ll ever do it. And I’m like, ‘You have to get that out of your head. You have to make the four walls overcome what you’ve learned in your craft and take it to the next level. But that’s often the problem. People don’t know where to go.”
This inspired him to found the Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association (SIMA).
The association will host an awards ceremony to highlight the breadth of Aboriginal music in Saskatchewan.
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At many major music awards in Canada, Parenteau has found that Indigenous music is often listed in a single category, regardless of genre. He himself has been nominated three times for Native Recording of the Year at the Juno Awards.
But at an Indigenous awards ceremony, the wide range of Indigenous music produced in Saskatchewan today can all get some time in the spotlight.
“We’re going to have different indigenous artists playing all kinds of music – all genres from powwow to rock to heavy metal to rap,” he said. “There is so much going on there right now. And I’m only talking about Saskatchewan.
Parenteau also believes it will make Saskatchewan the first province to host its own Indigenous Music Awards ceremony.
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“Someone asked me…why did it take so long to happen?” he said. “And I don’t know why. But the important thing is that he’s finally here. It’s time.”
The awards ceremony is only part of what SIMA will do. As Parenteau began building the association’s board of directors and reaching out to friends and colleagues in the music industry, there was so much enthusiasm that the idea just kept growing. .
Now, Parenteau says SIMA will be there to help Indigenous musicians in Saskatchewan at every stage of their career.
“Our main goal for this organization is to use all of our knowledge so that someone from a small community who has just started playing and doesn’t know what to do can call us,” he said. “And we can be a helping hand in guiding you to that next step.
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“Our Board of Directors has a wide range of knowledge. It’s absolutely phenomenal. If we don’t know the answer to your question, I guarantee we know someone who does.
When he returned to the provinces in the early 2000s, he says, an organization like this would have helped him break into the local music scene.
“It could have led me down this path much more easily.”
He knows exactly what doors he wants to open to talented young Aboriginal musicians in the province.
“That’s how I imagine it,” he says. “We will meet a 12 or 14 year old who will introduce themselves and all of us, as a council, will guide them. And when they turn 25 or 26, they will receive their first major award in Canada. And they’re asked, “Who do you want to say thank you to?” How did you start? And they will say, “The Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association”.
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“Then I sit down and beam with pride and say, ‘Wow. We created it. We created it.'”
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