There Ain't No Easy Road

Fred Eaglesmith, he calls himself, the Canadian singer, guitar player and songwriter who has accumulated a loyal throng of fans with his alternative country music. His original name, however, is Frederick Elgersma, descendant from a Friesian immigrant family in Ontario. Filmmaker Huib Stam films Eaglesmith in Canada, and also when paying his first visit to Friesland. On a windy graveyard, he walks among the graves bearing his family name, while a distant relative explains. He feels kinship with the country, which reminds him of Canada. 'This could have been Lake Ontario', he says, driving along the water. As a result of his visit, he sheds some prejudices about his ancestors and relatives. He tells about his religious upbringing and his life as a musician. Stam also follows him on the road, with the decrepit touring bus, the eternal dressing rooms and stages and of course a lot of music.