An award winning vocalist-pianist-songwriter will perform this Friday in Oxbow.
Penny Buhr Johnson of Caronport will hold a concert the evening of Feb. 1 in the Safe-Tee Management Building on Main Street. Concert-goers can expect to hear a variety of jazz, blues, country, folk, and gospel originals and covers. The event will start at 7:30 p.m., will last about two hours (will have an intermission) and will appeal to all ages. Advance tickets are for sale at This is It Dining in Oxbow, and tickets are also available at the door.
Penny grew up in a lively, music-filled home. When she was eight her family brought home a piano, which quickly became her beloved friend allowing her to vent, create and enjoy music with a passion. Throughout her school and church life, she participated in every musical and choir event possible, frequently receiving solos and leading drama roles.
After marrying, raising a family and teaching music for 20 years, Penny was confronted with a unique challenge in her life journey. Retinitis Pigmentosa, a genetic disorder affecting the retina, eventually causing blindness, forced her to consider a career change, resign from teaching, and explore a new avenue in music writing songs and performing for audiences.
In 2006 Penny and her family moved to Wawota and she began to focus on a musical career. With encouragement from her husband – who runs Ogy’s at White Bar Lake – she held a concert to introduce herself to the community. It was well attended and very well received
One night Randy King was a special guest singer at the church she attended in Wawota. Penny and her husband went to his performance. King is a member of the Country Gospel Music Association and when he learned about Penny’s singing career, he invited her to sing at a convention. She went for a few days, and received the New Female Artist Award.
Since then the family has moved to Caronport (coming back in the summer to White Bear).
Penny has had six CD’s recorded - Soulmates Forever, Vision, Growing Deeper, We’ll Be His Symphony, My Sweet Baby, and December’s Dream. Other musical highlights through the years have been were warming up for the Eddie Woolsey Band (a well known Mexican band) at La Paz El Centro Citidad Theatre to a sold-out audience of 1,500, receiving multiple music awards both Canadian and International (earning several “Golden Heart” awards for gospel music), starting a community children’s choir in Caronport - fundraising for Jireh Orphanage in Kenya, Africa.
In 2011 Penny was a Top 10 Finalist in the CNIB “iFactor” mega fundraiser in Muskoka, Ont., and was nominated for children’s Song of the Year He Knows Your Name.
In 2012 she was in the “Top 5” in Moose Jaw’s Golden West Radio Star Search Project.
Penny has performed for audiences as far away as Branson Missouri and Mexico and often in her home province of Saskatchewan.
Penny’s goal is to continue to write, record, and perform. She has plans for an instrumental album, children’s music story album, and more.
Her motto is: Dream! Life deals us challenges, so try harder, and find different ways to grasp it, but never give up! Spread the joy!”
marilyn@oxbowherald.sk.ca
