Photo: Ashley Ghostkeeper is a Métis artist who is deeply connected to music and storytelling.
By Nicole Goldsworthy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SaskToday.ca
Award-winning Métis singer-songwriter Ashley Ghostkeeper will perform in 14 communities across Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba this fall as part of a Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous tour aimed at bringing live music to intimate community venues.
The Saskatchewan and Northern Manitoba Tour is scheduled to run from Sept. 16 to Oct. 1, with performances planned in communities ranging from Riverside Estates and Regina Beach to Flin Flon, The Pas and Prince Albert.
Presented through Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous, the concerts are part of a long-running initiative that connects artists with audiences in smaller communities through performances in homes, community halls and other intimate venues.
Founded in 2007, Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous was created to expand performance opportunities for folk and roots musicians while increasing access to live music in communities across Canada. The organization works with local hosts who volunteer their time and venues to create unique concert experiences.
Tour stops are determined through an annual application process in which community members apply to host performances, helping bring professional touring artists to their local areas.
The organization describes its mission as fostering connections through music and creating memorable experiences where performers and audiences can engage in a more personal setting than is often possible at larger venues.
Janet Akre, a member of the Outlook and District Arts Council, said audiences can expect a warm and personal concert experience. Based on her experience with the Home Routes series over the past three years, performances are held in small, welcoming settings where attendees often have opportunities to chat with performers during intermission and after the show.
“Home Routes brings quality Canadian musical talent to our communities, with a personal touch,” Akre said. “This is a great way to be introduced to a wealth of current Canadian folk music from all over Canada.”
Ghostkeeper, a Métis-Cree country and folk artist with roots in Red Deer, Alta., blends contemporary country and roots influences with deeply personal storytelling. Raised in Red Deer, Alta., she grew up in a musical family and began writing songs at an early age, inspired by her aunt and grandfather’s guitar playing.
A guitarist and vocalist, Ghostkeeper’s music explores themes of self-expression, resilience and healing while drawing on both contemporary and traditional influences.
Her music explores themes of self-expression, resilience and healing, incorporating elements such as pedal steel guitar, fiddle, keyboards and traditional country instrumentation.
Since 2021, Ghostkeeper has performed across Canada in venues ranging from small community spaces to major festivals and arenas. She has shared stages with artists including Clay Walker, Jake Owen, High Valley, Aysanabee, Sacha and The Washboard Union.
Her music has also gained national attention through features on Apple Music, SiriusXM CBC Country and several Indigenous music playlists. She has earned three No. 1 songs on the Canadian Top Indigenous Music Countdown.
In 2025, Ghostkeeper was named Indigenous Artist of the Year at the YYC Music Awards and received additional nominations in categories including Solo Artist, Songwriter and Country Recording of the Year.
Organizers say the tour reflects Home Routes’ commitment to ensuring professional live music reaches communities that may not regularly host touring acts.
For communities such as Outlook, the concerts offer residents an opportunity to experience nationally touring Canadian musicians in an intimate setting that encourages conversation and connection between artists and audiences, Akre said.
Tour stops include:
- Riverside Estates, Sask. — Sept. 16
- Outlook, Sask. — Sept. 17
- Regina Beach, Sask. — Sept. 18
- Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask. — Sept. 19
- Nokomis, Sask. — Sept. 20
- Norquay, Sask. — Sept. 22
- Flin Flon, Man. — Sept. 23
- The Pas, Man. — Sept. 24
- Carrot River, Sask. — Sept. 25
- Melfort, Sask. — Sept. 26
- Saskatoon — Sept. 27
- Venue to be announced — Sept. 29
- Prince Albert — Sept. 30
- Abernethy, Sask. — Oct. 1
Ticket information is available through Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous at homeroutes.ca.