CANORA - For anyone interested in Canada’s National Parks and what it’s like to work as a warden, being in the audience at the Wardens concert on April 10 was almost like being there.
In the attendance were 68 music fans, a number of whom commented that they “really liked the stories and the history behind the songs as well as pictures on the screen related to the stories.” They also added that the vocals and instrumental work was enjoyable and “The Canadian connection was very good.”
The Canora Composite School concert featured the stories of Ray Schmidt and Scott Ward, who each have extensive experience as National Parks wardens. The pair are the group’s songwriters, and tell fascinating stories of their experiences between songs.
Schmidt gave a warm welcome to all those in attendance.
“You live in a paradise here in Canora. If you climb up that beautiful Canora hotel, you just might see the tops of the Canadian Rockies, which is where we have worked with wildlife and also protected tourists.”
All four group members, including Nico Humby and Scott Duncan, sing during the concert, creating beautiful harmonies for the audience to enjoy.
As Schmidt put it, “We sing about the land we have helped to protect in Banff and Jasper national parks. We have rescued stranded tourists and protected wildlife.”
Almost 100 per cent of the Wardens songs are original compositions.
Fittingly enough, one of their songs is called Warden TV.
“Here is what’s on Warden TV tonight.
Horses were brushed, watered and fed
I’ve seen it all on Warden TV
Mountains and rivers, just like a dream
Up before dawn, patrolling the park.
With any luck, we’ll be home by dark.”
Schmidt said the Warden Park Service was started back in 1909, when Banff was patrolled by foothills cowboys, and “the storytelling tradition has been passed on ever since.”
He mentioned that not all traditions have been positive, as until the early 1970s, women were not allowed to apply as wardens. But before that, he said warden’s wives did a lot of under-appreciated work at the parks.
One of those wives was Dorothy Carleton, who was a Second World War war bride after marrying a warden named Ed. As Schmidt put it, “She was totally blown away by the size of Canada.”
But when she saw the park cabin that was meant to be their home, her first reaction was, “Where’s the house?”
After getting accustomed to being the wife of a park warden, she remarked, “The highlight of the week is the Friday night bath.”
After spending some time with her, Schmidt wrote a song called Warden Bride.
“Warden bride, living in the countryside
Warden bride, nothing like she’s seen before
Her skills grew with each passing year.”
Dorothy recently passed away at the age of 99.
Of course, forest fires are always a concern in national parks. The 2024 Jasper Wildfire was a challenge like few had ever seen before, according to Schmidt.
“We helped with evacuation,” he recalled. “It took us all night to get everyone out as there were 100 mile-per-hour winds bearing down on Jasper. They called in air tankers, but it was far too turbulent for flight. So our next step was to set up sprinklers to protect important town infrastructure, and that worked. Two thousand people were saved, but 300 buildings were lost. To see all that devastation was difficult. Firefighters from all over the province risked their lives to save us and our infrastructure.”
As a tribute to those firefighters, they wrote a song called Back Fire.
“Sparks dance in the evening, exploding in the heat of day
Firefighters muster to a monumental task
40,000 acres smoldering in her way
Gotta stop this wildfire before it’s too late.”
One of the songs written by Scott Ward is called Lonesome Trail and is a tribute to his wife and the things she put up with during his 35 years of working as a warden.
“I’ve got a lonesome trail in this heart of mine, thinking of you.
All alone in this town, stare at the walls, tonight I am thinking of you
Throw a log on the fire, rain is turning to snow.”
Schmidt said some of their music has its roots in Saskatchewan.
“One song is called Half-mile Honeymoon and it’s about my great aunt Alma who homesteaded near Radisson, Sask. Her wedding was in a blizzard, but of course everyone showed up. She said their honeymoon was the walk to their house.”
The Wardens have been performing for approximately 15 years across western North America, starting out as a way of responding to public demand.
“We had a warden centennial in Banff in 2009 and we joined forces to help entertain at that event with some original songs,” said Schmidt. “Things evolved from there and after a while people wanted to hear our stories and music everywhere!”
Schmidt said they have discovered that being musicians is a great way to connect with people, especially in small towns like Canora.
“Community halls and rural audiences are our bread and butter and we love it. We love the small intimate settings where we get to meet our audience and where we feel very appreciated. Our rural audiences understand our material so well because many of them are also connected deeply to the land.
“We want to put a smile on people’s faces,” he continued. “We’re in the business of making people happy and helping them feel proud of the places we’ve decided as Canadians to keep special forever.”
When Schmidt encouraged the audience to visit the Wardens merchandise table, he said, with a smile, “We brought it with us across the Alberta border, but not to worry, no tariffs here.”
The Wardens have released four albums, with the latest titled, Sold Out at the Ironwood.
Anyone looking for more information on their music and/or concert schedule is encouraged to visit thewardensmusic.com.
Don't count on social media to deliver your local news to you. Keep your news a touch away by bookmarking Canora Courier's homepage at this link.
Bookmark SASKTODAY.ca, Saskatchewan's home page, at this link.
