Arts - Whiskey Tango’s home-grown talent

Whiskey Tango’s home-grown talent

SEPTEMBER 2006 — VOLUME 4 ISSUE 9

Across the shores of Heffley Lake the sounds of acoustic guitars and melodic voices can be heard as local residents Margit Hiemstra and Bodie Shandro play the night away.

The talented duo who form the band Whiskey Tango are regular performers at Sun Peaks, entertaining at local music venues and events. Together for three years and with influences from Seether to the Rolling Stones, the band plays an appealing mix of covers and originals encompassing a wide variety of genres from hard rock to country.

Hiemstra first picked up the guitar in 1996 and with a natural talent for music it wasn’t long before she was earning a living as a musician and guitar instructor. And that’s how the band began—Shandro was taking lessons from Hiemstra when they decided to perform at a few jam nights together. As they say—the rest is history.

Hiemstra is often compared to Joni Mitchell—her voice will send shivers up your spine when you hear her version of Live’s Lightening Crashes. Shandro’s voice can be likened to the deep tones of Brad Roberts of the Crash Test Dummies—in fact when he’s on stage listeners would swear it was Roberts. Although Hiemstra’s and Shandro’s voices are entirely different, they’re a perfect match as singing partners, each complementing the other.

A man of many talents besides music, Shandro has mastered a number of skills, including wood craftsman, guitar maker and rodeo rider. Although he handcrafted his first guitar in 1981, it wasn’t until 1996 that he started to play. A true piece of art, the guitar is custom-crafted from rosewood, mahogany and spruce.

Living the busy life he does, it’ll be awhile before Shandro has time to make any more instruments.

“I would love to make another one someday—when life slows down,” he laughs.

The band’s name, Whiskey Tango, originates from his memorable rodeo era.

“It’s an old cowboy phrase from the rodeo days—it means the last dance of the night,” Shandro says.

Inspiration comes from many places for Hiemstra and Shandro, but the calmness of Heffley Lake where they both reside allows for the quiet reflection that enables them to write their emotive songs.

It was one of these poignant songs that led to their first recording experience. The duo penned an entry for a songwriter’s competition in 2004 organized by Perry’s Recording Studio of Kamloops. Their composition was one of those chosen for From the Ashes—a CD that helped the Red Cross raise money to assist the victims of the 2003 wildfires. This was a turning point in their music careers and the catalyst for the release of their demo CD in 2005. The making of their CD was a significant highlight for the band.

“It was insightful and fun and (Doug) Perry was amazing,” comments Shandro.

With a strong base of local fans, their CD Live at Doug’s is a top seller locally. Hiemstra is thrilled about the success of their debut album, which she attributes to their loyal listeners.

Selena Olson is one of those fans. A former student of Hiemstra’s, she’s known the duet since they first started performing.

“I’ve been a fan since I first heard them a few years ago. Their voices sound so great together and I just love their harmonies,” Olson enthuses.

So look out for this talented ensemble—in the upcoming months they’ll be rocking all over Sun Peaks and beyond. The future looks bright for this pair, and remember—you read it here first!

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