Globetrotting musician happy to work locally

There are those who never truly settle in life but can nevertheless put their feet down, with ease, in each and every place they choose.

But ask Lyndell Montgomery if growing up on a fishing boat in northern British Columbia has anything to do with her quasi-nomadic (at least until recently) lifestyle and she might reply that you've merely scratched the surface.

These days, the 36-year-old musician is nestled comfortably in Dalkeith, retrofitting an 1877 farmhouse and maintaining its garden in an effort to stay off the grid, and was just hired as the new event coordinator at Beau's All-Natural Brewery.

"After 16 years of touring, this is the first time I've had a job when I'm at a desk, at the same place, and at the same time," she laughs.

It was just over six years ago when Montgomery, an acclaimed violinist and bassist, found herself looking for a change of pace. At the time, she and her then-partner, Ember Swift, had been keeping their home and studio in Toronto for about 16 years.

But the pair hardly spent any time there for, from about 1988 to 2004, their musical talents brought them on a touring circuit to the likes of Asia, Australia, India, and Europe, as well as nearly every state in the U.S.

Montgomery estimates that they spent about 250 days on the road every year, releasing 10 albums and one DVD along the way.

"I got to see so much of the world that I would never get to see if I wasn't on the coattails of work. But I can't really call it work," she recalls, a smile stretching across her face.

On the plus side, there's little doubt her new job at Beau's will keep her off the open road; this time, however, it involves commuting around the Ottawa Valley to promote the brewery and organize events in the region. Then, of course, there's the behemoth, Oktoberfest, with this year's edition having entered the planning stages almost immediately after the last one ended.

But Montgomery says she's ready because, well, she's sort of done it before. And it's all about good organization and the right timing.

"It's not that different, putting out a record and planning an event. Only you would have to compare Oktoberfest to making that record and... going on a national tour."

What really appealed to her about Beau's, she continues, was the independent and charitable mandate of the company: "The do-it-yourself effort really works for me. Regulations and systems, colouring within the lines, I would implode within a week... so the independent side is totally key.

"And it's a lateral move, something I can do while making a record, doing stuff at Bobby's (Lalonde) and Terry's (Gillespie)," she adds, describing her goal of self-producing an album. "I've just always wanted to make a record that's my own, from top to bottom."

Sure enough, what attracted Montgomery to the area surrounding Vankleek Hill was its "generational diversity," a place where people of all ages and interests can collaborate on projects, events, and the like.

She happened upon Dalkeith, in particular, while searching real estate listings several years ago, looking for a way to get closer to the Montreal-Ottawa corridor. Listings for farm properties in eastern Ontario kept catching her eye and, after consulting with a local agent, she and Swift decided on the circa-1877 farmhouse in the village.

"Dalkeith is full of interesting people, not your average nine-to-five working schmoes and regular farmers," she laughs. "And musically, there are tons of people around here - Lalonde, Gillespie, McGarrigle, Wainwright - so I don't miss the city at all."

At the same time, finding home in a rural area meant that Montgomery could begin the process of settling down for the first time: "It's become what I always wanted after traveling for so long. Finally, I get to be the person that has some kind of stability."

Moving here also allowed her to begin living out a philosophy she felt strongly about. Though still in the process of retrofitting the home, Montgomery estimates she can now grow about 60 per cent of her food supply for the winter. "The door is always open, the soup is always on," she confides.

"I grew up on farms and something I always wanted to do was be more self-sustainable. It's really important for me to get off the grid. The house I'm living in was built in 1877 - and it certainly wasn't on the grid then.

She is quick to note, however, that her definition of stability doesn't necessarily mean sitting at home and working a quiet job.

"Having some stability was my main motivation (in coming here), but that's not what I love about Beau's. The creativity is still there," Montgomery explains.

As the brewery's event coordinator, she is essentially taking on some of co-worker Darren Stevens' task load, as his public relations role continues to grow alongside the company's geographic and internal expansion. The position is as diverse as the number of events the brewery puts on.

"The things required for Oktoberfest are very different than a tasting at the ninth hole of a golf course or an event with a non-profit, charitable organization."

Montgomery will create and coordinate events, making sure they run smoothly and ideally, intertwining them with musical and educational aspects. Food pairing events are high on the list, as craft beer continues to attract the type of market that wine once held exclusively.

Not to mention the 30-some simultaneous events that Beau's will be hosting this coming summer: "I'll be on the road, trying to plan, drive, sound check, and all the while, you're on the phone planning out the next six months. You have to be organized, however you do it."

And as she continues to brainstorm on Oktoberfest in the current "quiet season," ideas for Vankleek Hill-based events (like the "four fiddling Fridays of March") linger in her mind.

"Oktoberfest is the biggest, but I'm sure there are lots of little things I have to learn along the way," she admits.

Reflecting on it at the end of the day, Montgomery seems to believe her work at Beau's was meant to be. Even if, during her interview for the event coordinator position, she had to explain that she was about to leave on tour for five weeks and that both her interviewing skills and office experience were limited.

"I'd taken in a resume a few times, for various jobs, but I just always had this sense I would work at Beau's... this prophetic notion," she recalls.

Without a doubt, Montgomery has her work cut out for her. Yet somewhere along the way, she is determined to accomplish one very important goal: winning the Vankleek Hill demolition derby.

"Entering the demo derby is definitely on my to-do list," she smiles, reminiscing her (much-unforgotten by the public) experience in a previous year. "I finished fifth and it was probably the best adrenaline rush of my life."