If you’re a music lover you know that sometimes when you’re feeling down a good song played at just the right time can turn it all around.   If you think of all that’s gone wrong for the province of Alberta during 2020 you might say this whole province could use a hug and a great tune!  Just as it looked like the oil and gas industries might be able to turn a corner, a dispute between Russia and Saudi Arabia early this year resulted in an historic downturn.  Then.. COVID.  Need we say more?  Well hopefully we can all get a hug from someone we love.  As for the tune, here’s a brand new option produced by Alberta artists.. for the entire Province of Alberta to enjoy.  It’s called “Sweet Alberta” and it just might be that special tune that becomes an anthem.  It’s that good. Co-written by Red Deer’s Scott Wiber (who also plays base on this track) and a fellow musician from London, England, this new single is officially out today (Friday, August 7).

Jesse Roads also from Red Deer is the lead singer and front man for this production. Based in Red Deer, Jesse’s a been touring Alberta and beyond for over 20 years.  Right up until COVID swept artists off the stage back in March he was filling up bars and performing for raucous audiences wherever he went. Check out this tune and you’ll see why this should be the song that takes you out of the summer of 2020!

Here are a couple of other tunes performed by Jesse Roads any new fan is going to want to hear.

Enjoy a taste of “No Love” a Jesse Roads classic.

This “COVID” concert was recorded live at The VAT this spring.  Check it out to get a real good taste of Jesse Roads and his fabulous band.   (Click ahead to the 41 minute mark for the start of the music)

Vannessa Brown is a professional birth, motherhood and family photographer specializing in the documentation of life’s “unplanned, unposed, and unexpected moments.” From a child opening its eyes for the very first time, to a father holding his wife and new baby beside the birthing pool, to a toddler gently cradling their new sibling on their lap, Vannessa is passionate about capturing the beautiful and fleeting moments of birth and life. 

With an academic background in engineering, Vannessa began to explore photography when she was pregnant with her son, and it was her research on birthing that inspired her interest in birth photography. Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Vannessa Brown Photography was officially launched in 2011, and after photographing her first birth in May 2012, Vannessa never looked back. 

As a photographer, each experience brings with it its own unique demands – for periods of up to 5 weeks, she has to be available at a moments notice, and it can take up to 50 hours to properly document a single birthing experience.

Photo Credit: Vannessa Brown Photography 

In the last 8 years, she has documented nearly 100 births in hospitals all across Edmonton, in birthing centres, operating rooms and midwifery clinics, as well as home births in bedrooms, bathrooms and living rooms. “It is an honor,” she says, “I am so grateful and thankful to the families who trust me to be a part of these life-changing events.” 

Much of her focus and creative approach has been informed by her own experience as a mother of two. From the moment of the actual birth, to the weeks and months after bringing a new child home, it is easy for special memories and moments to get lost among busy schedules and exhaustion. “You think as a mom, you’ll always remember, but you don’t,” she says, “it breaks my heart that I don’t remember all of the little things.” 

According to Vannessa, it is common for clients to be on the fence regarding birth photography. However, having been on both sides of the camera herself, as both the photographer and the photographed, “It is worth it,” she states simply, “these are details that are unique to each family’s journey. They are priceless.” 

In addition to birth photography, the packages offered by Vannessa Brown Photography include the Family Documentary Session, the Motherhood Session and the Family Mini Session, all specifically designed to capture life as it is. With a focus on real personalities and authentic family dynamics, Vannessa captures the moments you never knew you didn’t want to forget. Sessions can take place in your home or on location at a favorite local restaurant, park, or play area, creating real and lasting memories beyond the classic “Sunday best” family portraits. 

To learn more about birth, motherhood and family photography by Vannessa Brown Photography, visit https://www.vannessabrown.com.  

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