The young — and the young at heart — still love Penner
After more than four decades in the business of entertaining children, Fred Penner admits with a laugh that his beard’s grown longer and whiter. ‘That’s what happens. Time goes by,’ says Penner, 71. And yet, the Winnipeg-based multiple Juno Award winner i
When: May 11 to 15, with on-site activities from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends; festival will remain open for early evening concerts as needed
Where: LeBreton Flats Park
Programming: Fred Penner; Danish puppetry show Boxy George; Scottish play The Secret Life of Suitcases; Australian show New Owner; Quebec’s Kif-Kif Sisters; Montreal’s Puzzle Theatre; Machine de cirque from Quebec; Swan River, a show by Ottawa’s Skeleton Key Theatre
Tickets and info: ottawachildrensfestival.ca
Q How does performing feel to you now, at 71, compared to when you were starting out?
A It’s like reconnecting with old friends now, that generation that grew up with me … the Fred-Heads are having their own kids, and the grandparents, and they’re all coming back to the performances. So it’s this really lovely completion of a cycle, in a way. I’m certainly enjoying it as much as I ever have.
Q Is is harder to be a road warrior now?
A You know, the travel can be a little challenging along the way. It’s all the realities of being on the road that cause occasional bits of stress. But I’ve learned how to do this pretty well now after 45 years. But the performance, and the music, and the audience, and the songs I write and the rest of that have been so consistent that I really look forward to getting back on stage and reconnecting with my fans.
Q Are you slowing down at all or easing back on touring ?
A Instead of the journey slowing down, at this point, it has accelerated, and it has broadened. Whereas years ago it used to be a couple of festivals and some softseat concerts, now its broadened into early childhood conferences, symphony concerts … so there are multiple possibilities. But I’m as busy as I want to be now … it’s a matter of pacing myself and (my wife and I) find lots of time to get some R and R.
Q Your most recent record, Hear The Music, won a Juno this year. What’s the story behind this collection of duets with people like Ron Sexsmith and the Good Lovelies?
A It was a really exciting project. Many of those tunes I had begun over the last number of years, but they hadn’t expanded into two-, three-, four-minute songs that I needed for the album. It required a batch of creativity to get in there and expand them to where I wanted them to go. We looked at specific songs and said, “Who would be a good sound to bring to this particular tune?” It was just a matter of picking and choosing and seeing if these players were available. They were all excited to be a part of this. The next project, I’d love to do something similar again.
Q Why do you think you’ve been able to attract and hold several generations of fans?
A In the beginning, I had certainly no idea where the career would ultimately unfold. A really important part of it was working with special-needs children. My sister was a Down’s syndrome child. I’d been involved with physically and mentally challenged kids in Winnipeg as I was growing up. That was sort of the foundation that brought me into performing for children and for families.
I was learning really carefully how valuable music is in the life of a child. That’s almost a mantra: Never underestimate your ability to make a difference in the life of a child. That stays with me.
It wasn’t just getting up and singing a couple of bubbly songs. Many of the songs go very deep. They’re getting into an emotional level. Creatively, they’re eclectic, to say the least, in a wide range of styles that I’ve always enjoyed playing. I think the audiences now have seen me in so many different configurations along the way, it’s somewhat iconic at this point, and they’re really excited about continuing the relationship. I’ll keep doing this as long as I’m physically able and creatively able to do this.