Once again, The Wildrose Yodel Club brought a delightful mix of talent, passion and a genuine love of music to Rimbey.
For the 16th consecutive year, the group performed to a crowd of close to 400 at Spring Fest in the Rimbey Community Centre, May 4.
Their performance was the highlight of the evening that included a meal, a multitude of give-a-way prizes and a dance featuring the music of Jana and Danny.
Member Fred Salvisberg is pleased with this year’s Spring Fest.
“We have had lots of positive feedback from it,” he said. “It went well. If the audience is having fun, we’re having fun.”
Salvisberg is grateful to their sponsors and for the opportunity to perform at the community centre.
“It is a great facility,” he said. “As we are a purely a cappella group it is important the acoustics are good.”
The Wildrose Yodel Club was formed in 1997 by 10 immigrants from Switzerland with a passion to sing and yodel. The club now has 16 male members coming from all walks of life and professions. The singers range in age from 20 to 78. Joe Rohrer and Ernie Gisler, the group’s oldest members, are also charter members.
Salvisberg, also a charter member, said the club began when the men got together several years ago, had a few drinks and ended up singing some of their favorite tunes.
Their musical talent did not go unnoticed and before long they were performing in various venues in central Alberta communities including Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary. Throughout the years they have performed for charity events in seniors lodges and churches across ventral Alberta. They have also performed at Long Beach, Calif., Wisconsin and Quebec.
The group sings mostly in Swiss and German but also performs some rock and roll tunes such as The Book of Love and Breaking Up is Hard to Do.
“I think we are doing quite well considering none of us are professional, we are all just amateurs who love to sing,” said Salvisberg. “For us it’s all about having as much fun as possible and enjoying what we do. Singing is good for the soul, good for your health.”
He encourages young men who love to sing to consider joining the Wildrose Yodelling Club.
“We need new blood. We are all getting older and we would be happy to welcome new members.”