For local singer Randi Boulton, sitting down at her keyboard, sharing her tunes, and connecting with audiences brings a sense of joy like little else can.
She will be performing at Lacombe's Music in the Park on June 12.
Performances, presented by the Lacombe Performing Arts Centre (LPAC), run on Wednesday evenings starting at 6:30 p.m. on the Lacombe Memorial Centre’s Echo Stage through to the end of August.
Shows will be moved to St. Andrew’s United Church in case of inclement weather.
Boulton is a much-loved Central Alberta performer - showcasing her award-winning talents to audiences across the region.
That includes Calgary, where two summers ago she was attending a show featuring Jann Arden and was called up on stage to sing Arden’s smash hit Insensitive. Talk about a dream come true for Boulton, who has been an ardent admirer of Arden for years and has met her several times as well.
It also led to an opening spot for Boulton at one of Arden’s Calgary shows last August.
And then it happened again this past Christmas when Boulton attended a concert put on by Arden at Calgary's Jack Singer Hall.
"I still get such a high when I watch her perform," she recalled of that night. "She is such a legend - a Canadian icon."
Boulton had a front-row seat. Arden spotted her and invited her onstage.
"A little bit into the song, she said, 'Wait, wait...Randi Boulton - you get up here!'
"It was surreal - that place is huge. When I sat down afterwards, people around me were saying how lucky I was, and I said, I know! I couldn't believe it happened."
To top it all off, Boulton has again received an invite to open at an Arden gig this coming August.
Aside from these unforgettable opportunities, Boulton is enjoying a comparatively quieter routine these days at home in Red Deer with her fiance and her dogs. But her passion for music hasn't faded. She relishes opportunities to perform.
"It is the best. And It's about the people who show up. I sometimes have this complex where I think they've had enough of me, I'm old news now," she added with a laugh. "And people still come to the shows. It humbles me, and it excites me.
"It's also an outlet for me. And it's a reminder that, oh yes, I was given this gift, and the sharing of it is my favourite thing to do."
From the start, she has always written and sung with striking sincerity. Boulton started garnering serious attention at 12 years of age when she landed first prize in a talent show with her mom. She later won a songwriting contest at 14.
That led to being selected to play for Showcase ‘98 in Edmonton.
Ever since she’s become increasingly recognized for her powerful voice and her authenticity as an artist.
Her latest CD, Randi With an ‘I’, truly showcased her gifts not just as an artist but as a powerful communicator as well.
Meanwhile, ideas for songs are always surfacing in her mind as well.
"I have lyrics in my head all the time, and then I write them down." There are the happy songs and the more melancholic, reflective ones. Sometimes, writing serves as a cathartic process that has helped Boulton through the challenging times.
But whether she's laying down tracks or not, she takes joy in cheering other artists on as they see their dreams of recording come true.
"I feel a responsibility to encourage other people," she said, adding she's also happy to share things she has learned through her own experiences with emerging artists as well.
"I would say it's okay to not fit in," she said. "I know that a lot of people want to (discuss) what you look like, or how you sound." But a key to fulfillment is to be true to your vision and your approach to creativity, she said.
"It's a difficult path to go against the 'flow' of the water, but it will lead you to better waters in the end," she explained.
"It just takes time."
Following Boulton in the Music in the Park series is Strings Galore on June 19.