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Prairie Joe outdoors in Virden

Prairie Joe, a band from Oak Lake is making a name for themselves with their country music. They have played as far afield as Saskatoon and Kenora, ON.
Prairie Joe
Prairie Joe on Jubilee stage in Victoria Park, Thursday, August 4, with (l-r) Michael, Joe, Rob and Russell Thiessen from Oak Lake.

Prairie Joe, a band from Oak Lake is making a name for themselves with their country music.

They have played as far afield as Saskatoon and Kenora, ON.

They entertained a crowd Thursday night, August 4, in Virden’s Victoria Park, singing gospel, old favourites including, “The Auctioneer’s Song”, as well as original songs.

Tight vocals, with terrific harmony were a crowd pleaser in this relaxed setting.

Prairie Joe is actually a five-guy band with four Thiessen brothers and brother-in-law, Curtis Szakacs.

All four brothers sing. Russell Thiessen, a cattle farmer by day, does the band’s PR work, arranging bookings which are keeping the band very busy this summer.

Michael Thiessen plays bass. Both he and Robert (Rob) work for Fort La Bosse School Division.

Rob plays acoustic guitar, bass drum (guitar case - less trouble than a drum kit) with one foot and tambourine with the other foot. Rob has also been doing some writing lately, which, with consultation from fellow band members, has become a strong part of Prairie Joe’s repertoire.

Joseph Thiessen, a dentist in Brandon, plays a variety of instruments including banjo and mandolin.

You will also hear a mouth organ in the mix.

Russell jokes, “I play the egg.”

The fifth member of Prairie Joe, keyboard player Curtis Szakacs, was away Thursday evening making music elsewhere with his wife, Bonnie (Thiessen).

The Prairie Joe foursome wove friendly banter throughout the performance in the park. The energizing music had adults clapping along; children were gathered in from their games in the park’s trees, for a couple of kids’ numbers too, letting their “little light shine” as dusk fell in Victoria Park.

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