Fiddlers evoke elders' memories in Whitehorse

A group of Yukon musicians have chosen an originalplace to record a live album: asenior citizens' home in Whitehorse.

Proceeds from saleswill go to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

FiddlerKeithaClarke says "it's become this community thing," for musicians to entertain residents atMacaulay Lodge.

One of the inspirations for the project is resident MaureenRoutledge, who remembers the names and melodies ofCanadian jigs and reels.

"Maureen would call out these really obscure fiddle tunes and I always wondered why she knew such really rare tunes," Clarke says.

The album featuresmusicians Grant Simpson and Rob Bergman as well as Yukon fiddlers Abby Cruikshank and Boyd Benjamin.

Residents of theMacauleyLodge watched and tapped their toes as the musicians recorded. Clarke says that presence adds to the recording.

"I think one of the neat things about doing a live recording is that it is live," said Clarke.

"Sometimesyou have these really special moments, sometimes it falls apart, sometimes there's the sound of utensils being washed in the background and things moved being around, but you know, that's just the way life is, we wanted to put that on the album as well."

Clarke said shehopes the album can be mixed in time to release the album at the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Fiddle Show in February.