New Saskatchewan Day song honours musician’s Prairie roots

Born in Steinbach, Man. and raised primarily in Saskatoon, Thiessen spent his early years surrounded by the people, communities, and scenery that would later become the inspiration behind his songwriting.

Although he now lives in San Diego, California, he said Saskatchewan continues to influence both his identity and his music.

“It’s got a very unique beauty to it — a very simple, just peaceful sort of beauty,” he said.

For Thiessen, that beauty comes from the things that make Saskatchewan different: the sunsets, snow-covered landscapes, and familiar rural scenes that remain vivid in his memory.

“I love snow, especially at Christmastime,” he said. “And I love just wide-open spaces and beautiful sunsets, and the old grain elevators, which are not as common, but they’re embedded in my memory.”

The idea for Saskatchewan grew from a trip back to the province with his parents, where simple moments on rural roads sparked new creativity.

“It was accidental,” he said. “We were just driving around Saskatchewan through some of the small towns and started doing some video taping, and then I just got this idea for a song.”

That moment eventually became the song Gravel Roads Take Me Through Saskatchewan, along with a music video created from footage captured during the trip. But Thiessen said there were still more stories waiting to be told.

“There was much more inspiration left over once I left Saskatchewan,” he said.

“Then I started to think about all the places those gravel roads can take you, and all the little small towns that I haven’t yet seen or visited.”

Once the idea took shape, Thiessen returned to the songwriting process that has guided much of his music career.

“I just simply write a song with my guitar,” he said “I get a melody in mind that goes with the chord progression, and then the words just come to me.”

Although he typically records in his home studio, Thiessen chose to work with a professional producer to help him.

“I’m not a polished kind of guy. I’m not a perfectionist,” he said. “But for this particular song, just because of the spirit of the song and the melody, I think it needed more.”

For Thiessen, the song is about recognizing the communities that aren’t well known but hold an important place in Saskatchewan’s identity.

“There’s a lot of really quaint, unique towns in Saskatchewan that nobody’s even heard of,” he said.

“People have heard of Regina and Saskatoon, maybe some of the larger towns, but I thought it was time to put these smaller towns in the spotlight and celebrate them.”

Those memories stretch back to his childhood – from farm life and Prairie winters to small-town moments with family. Thiessen remembers visiting places like Dalmeny, where simple experiences left lasting impressions.

“I remember my grandma living there as well, and we lived on this little acreage right on the freeway,” Thiessen said. “There wasn’t a lot of traffic that went by, but I have a lot of good memories,”

He said those everyday experiences are what continue to inspire him and his music.

“I love the culture. I love the atmosphere,” he said. “I love the sort of slow pace of life.”

Growing up in Saskatchewan also shaped the way Thiessen approaches both his career as a psychologist and his work as a musician.

“I think growing up in the Prairies grounded me in common sense,” he said. “You could get caught up in all the psychobabble and all of that, but it frees me up to just be myself with my patients.”

That same grounded approach carries into his songwriting process.

“It’s just such a rich resource to draw from as a songwriter,” he said. “It’s the spirit of the community and the geography and all the memories.”

Through his music, Thiessen hopes listeners — whether they grew up in Saskatchewan or have never visited — can feel a connection to the province.

“I hope that above all, they decide, ‘I’ve got to actually visit it,’” he said. “Because unless you’ve been there, you don’t really capture the essence of what Saskatchewan is all about.”

For Thiessen, the song serves as a reminder of the deep connection many people have to the province.

“I hope that it stirs up a pride of where they come from, and just a pride of who they are as residents of Saskatchewan,” he said.

As people across the province celebrate Saskatchewan Day, Thiessen hopes his song encourages people to appreciate the province’s history, culture, and beauty.

“Be proud of where you come from,” he said.

“Some great people came from Saskatchewan and did some great things, and it’s just something to be treasured — not something to get through.”

Thiessen said Saskatchewan is more than a location on a map. It is the gravel roads, the small towns, the prairie sunsets, and the memories that continue to follow him wherever life takes him.

“It’s just really beautiful,” he said. “Every time I’m up there I’m like this is incredible.”

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CKOM News, Joshua Potter

by CKOM News

New Saskatchewan Day song honours musician’s Prairie roots

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