FORT FRANCES—Music-lovers can enjoy the sounds of pipes and drum music—and help support a local community group at the same time—now that the Fort Frances Highlanders’ first-ever CD, “Border Crossings,” went on sale this week.
Pipe major Dr. Bruce Lidkea said Wednesday he just received the shipment of new CDs on Tuesday and is eager to make them available to the public.
“We’re very, very excited,” he enthused. “It’s been a huge project for us.
“We started the project over a year ago, and have been kept pretty busy with all the planning and the practising, and getting everything all lined up.
“We got the recording done in two very, very long marathon sessions—one in October and one in November,” added Dr. Lidkea. “Then it took a long time to get the producing and manufacturing process done.
“Some of the tunes are copyrighted so we had to get permission from publishers to mass-produce them.
“Now, all the paperwork’s done, the bills are paid, and we’re ready to share it with the public,” he remarked.
“Border Crossings” contains 14 tracks, with a total running time of about 45 minutes.
“It’s a nice mix of traditional tunes and some modern compositions,” said Dr. Lidkea.
There are about 34 members on the Highlanders’ roster, and some of the tracks feature up to 25 of them playing at once.
The CD is available now at Drs. Lidkea, Elliott and Lidkea on Scott Street, but Dr. Lidkea expects them to be sold soon at the Rainy River Future Development Corp. office in Fort Frances, Gillons’ Insurance in Emo, and wherever the Highlanders go.
Down the road, they’ll likely be sold at even more locations, such as Fort Duty-Free, to be sold to tourists. Dr. Lidkea also would like to find a location in Rainy River to sell them.
“We’ll make sure they’re very available,” he pledged, adding a total of 1,000 CDs are available for sale.
The CD costs $10, with all proceeds going back into equipment and uniforms for the Fort Frances Highlanders.
“This is a good way to support the band,” said Dr. Lidkea. “I think it’s going to be a great thing for people who want to mail out a little bit of Fort Frances to friends and family that have moved away.
“I hope it’s a big hit this coming Christmas,” he chuckled.
Dr. Lidkea said the CD was made possible through a Community Incentive Grant, which the band got through the RRFDC. “They’ve been very, very good to us,” he noted.
The CD cover design and print production was donated by the Fort Frances Times Printing.
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)
Fort Frances Times
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