The Alberta Cattlemen’s and Alberta Country Gospel Opry will be hosting a pancake breakfast and Cowboy Church Service at the Ponoka Stampede Grounds, Sunday on June 30, featuring the “Fehr Family Band.”
Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. with the Cowboy Church Service to follow in the Stagecoach Saloon.
The Fehr Family Band is an acoustic Bluegrass Gospel group from west of Edmonton. They have been active in the gospel music festival circuit in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba over the last several years and now run the Deer Valley Meadows Gospel Music Weekend near Alix, Alta.
They enjoy creating lively arrangements of gospel and bluegrass standards, hymns, and their own original music. Their goal is to praise God’s wonderful goodness and power as they share the beauty of who he is and what he has done for them. Every member of the family has had musical training on multiple instruments.
James and Heather have been married for over 25 years and are the parents of 11 children. James is the leader of the family band and he keeps the band working together. He will also bring the message at the Cowboy Church service. Heather is the family’s homemaker and primary schoolteacher, and she keeps everything running smoothly. She is one of the band’s lead singers. Heather teaches piano lessons in association with Music for Young Children. She was the main piano teacher starting her children on their musical journey.
Their group consists of Samuel on the banjo and rhythm guitar, Isaac on the acoustic guitar, Julianna on the fiddle and ukulele, Rebecca on the fiddle and mandolin, Bethany on the Irish whistle, Felicity on the flute and Irish whistle, James on the upright bass, and Heather on the piano. They all bring together their harmonious vocals in a variety of combinations, trading parts from one song to the next. The youngest four children also join in on a few songs in each concert.
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The Fehr Family deeply appreciates the opportunity to play and sing together, and they especially enjoy the chance to meet and visit with the people they sing to. They have produced two albums (The Sunny Side and Joy to the World), and have an active YouTube channel where they post music videos of many of their well-loved songs. They’re constantly updating their repertoire, coming up with new arrangements to old songs, and writing new material. Each of their concerts features a wide variety of music styles and tempos and a mix of well-known and original songs.
The Fehr Family is excited to begin touring through the prairie provinces over the summer, spreading their message of hope and joy wherever they go.
Ponoka News is your source for all things Ponoka Stampede leading up to and during Stampede Week June 25 to July 1. Find more Ponoka Stampede stories here.
