Donna Hopper

Swifty Sense | The Swiftys will have to live up to their name as they run around to three Folk Fest appearances and a gig at the Pawn Shop next Friday.

DETAILS

Edmonton Folk Music Festival
Gallagher Park
Thursday, August 6 - Sunday, August 9

More in: Live Music

THE SWIFTYS
Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Gallagher Park. Canadian Mint session (with Danny Michel, Alana Levandoski): Stage 3, Fri, Aug 7 (8pm) • Concert: Stage 2, Sat, Aug 8 (12 noon) • Getting Here session (with Alex Cuba, The Skydiggers): Stage 5, Sun, Aug 9 (4:30pm)

w/ The Guaranteed, Roger Marin Band, Gordie Tentrees. Pawn Shop (10551-82 Ave). Fri, Aug 14 (8pm). Tickets available at the door.

“We were playing in Dawson City at the music festival there; I was with Old Reliable at the time,” recalls Swiftys frontman Shawn “Swifty” Jonasson. “They flew us from Whitehorse to Dawson City and back. It was a smaller type of plane. When we were flying back, I was sitting by the window, and I looked out and saw that one of the dual propellers gave out. It just died.... We were halfway to Whitehorse so they turned us around. Everyone was losing it. Tippy Agogo was on there with us and he was losing his mind. It was a close call. Usually all musicians fear is the road, not something like that.”

With the thoughts of the Jamboree Stage crash still fresh in our minds, stories of survival and near-death experiences are the main topic of conversation as Jonasson and I talk. The funny part was, with several shows coming up (including a stint at the Folk Fest), and a new band member possibly coming into the mix, it seems serendipitous to be chatting with a member of The Swiftys, the quintessential poster band for survival. After countless tours and lineup changes, The Swiftys have endured. What’s their secret? Well, it’s evolution, baby.

“We joke and call ourselves The Beer Joint Band ... but I don’t know what we are,” Jonasson says. “I mean, I hope it evolves, because if it doesn’t evolve, then it sort of dies, you know? When I think about the future, I’d like to make a record with more of the pared-down type of storytelling. A lot of Texas guys do that, where it’s more about the words and less about the instrumentation. I’ve got a studio in the works, so it’ll be accessible at all times. I’ve been renovating like crazy. So yeah, I hope it’s evolving, but I can’t say for sure.”

Change is inevitable, but his willingness to adapt suggests Jonasson has an instinctive understanding of what it takes to keep a career going. The list includes talent, professionalism, and passion. But without success, none of them is even relevant. But how does a country band find success beyond “mere” country fandom?

“The tough part is trying to get across to the mainstream without becoming the mainstream,” Jonasson says. “I think our music appeals to those people, but sometimes I don’t know what the deal is with us. You see guys do it but you almost question the integrity when they get there. You may end up having to sacrifice something and I don’t thing we’re willing to do that. Actually, I know we’re not ... but we’ll die trying. I just want to make a living doing it.

“I think there is room for us,” he continues. “It depends on where you place the bar, though. Success for me in the music industry is paying the mortgage and keeping the kids healthy. I’ll be happy if I get to that. If I can make a living doing this full-time, then that’s success to me. That is the foremost goal. I’m not sure where this is all going to go, but I’m not going to be done anytime soon, that’s for sure.”

That isn’t asking for too much, is it?