It was a capacity crowd at Buhler Hall in Gretna Friday evening as CFAM Radio 950 continued its 65th anniversary celebration with a very special concert featuring vocalist and violinist Rosemary Siemens, her husband Eli Bennett and a lot of surprise guests and friends along the way.  Nearly 460 people from across Southern Manitoba attended the event, which spanned Rosemary’s career, which was reflected in the title From Plum Coulee to Carnegie Hall - A Journey on Four Strings. 

"That was one of the most fun concerts I've ever experienced," said Siemens just moments after the show ended when CFAM Morning Show Co-Host Chris Sumner caught up with her backstage. "Taking people on a journey through my career, but most importantly having my family on stage with me, and close friends I've shared the stage with for so many years, and haven't been able to play with them in so many years. People like Loren Hiebert, and having my brother on stage with me for the first time, in like, twenty years and my mom and dad, and Grace and Orlando (Sukkau), Jayme (Giesbrecht), Nolan (Kehler), and my son Theodore, three years old, and he did such a beautiful job. Having him say the Lord's Prayer with everyone, and having him sing Praise God with everyone. It's just so special."

It was an evening filled with hymns, classical and bluegrass, and truly was a walk through Rosemary’s musical journey as an artist and performer, and as she indicated on stage, it was the first full concert she'd been part of in nearly two and a half years.

"I can't imagine a better way to kick off touring again," she said. "Just the audience, it was a packed house, and the audience was so responsive. Oh, I missed that harmony singing, and these people sang along all the time, and they were so responsive. It was a night I will never forget."

Looking ahead to what's next for Siemens and her award winning saxophonist husband, it's off to Ontario in September with shows at Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Catharines, followed by an appearance and performance on 100 Huntley Street, as well as providing music at the Conservative Party of Canada national leadership convention in Ottawa.

ensemble of performers at Rosemary Siemens concert

You can listen to the full conversation with Rosemary Siemens below.