Longtime Métis fiddler Melissa St. Goddard will bring her toe-tapping tunes to the stage this Thursday evening as part of an all-female line up at Music in the Park.
The event, a part of a summer line up of different performers every second Thursday in July and August aims to spotlight local talented artist in the region. St. Goddard, a local favourite known for her traditional Métis fiddle style, will close the night with a 7:30 p.m. performance.
"Louanne Anderson one of the organizers approached me about the idea and I thought it was awesome," said St. Goddard. "It's great to be part of something that uplifts women in music."
St. Goddard began fiddling at age 13, inspired by her family's deep musical roots.
"My sister was taking lessons, and I kind of grabbed her fiddle and just started messing around," she recalled. "My Uncle Mark, a well-known fiddle player, ended up teaching me."
Now at 35, she remains committed to keeping Métis fiddle traditions alive, and she sees her role as a woman in that space as important.
"There haven't always been a lot of female Métis fiddlers, but there's been a resurgence in recent years," she said. "It's such a great vibe sharing the stage with other women."
Thursday's lineup also features rising talents like 11-year-old country singer Jo-Hannah Atchison and Winnipeg-based country artist Emma Peterson, both expected to wow the crowd.
Looking ahead, St. Goddard will travel to Ottawa next month to perform at a global Indigenous languages summit.
"I'm not big on flying, but couldn't pass this up," she said.
While she keeps a low digital profile, "I'm pretty old school, but I'm on Facebook" St. Goddard remains active in Manitoba's fiddle community, regularly playing at festivals and contests, including the annual Portage fiddle contest in September.
Her advice for young musicians thinking about fiddling?
"Just give it a try," she said. "It's not as hard as it seems if you're dedicated, and kids pick it up like sponges."
Catch Melissa St. Goddard and fellow female artists this Thursday at Island Park for Music in the Park, starting at 6:00 p.m.
PortageOnline/Brittany Boschman
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