Take a trip to a small town about 45 minutes away from Winnipeg.

Beausejour, Manitoba has a population of about 2,000. You can find the typical small-town fare such as an arena, a softball complex, a library, a few historic sites and even a curling club. But, among the town hot spots is the bowling alley.

The local lanes are also the regular site of the "Bowling Stones'" ladies night out. No, this is not a tribute band to the Rolling Stones. This self-billed group includes none other than Canada's first lady of the blues harmonica, a musical dynamo known by many as "Mojo Mama" but more frequently referred to as Tracy K.

You see, Beausejour is Tracy K's hometown. It's not only where she grew up, it is where she returned with her husband Jay to raise their three children after spending a number of years working the music beat in Toronto.

So now she likes to bowl with a number of her grade school friends, many of whom have children of their own. And in between the laughs and a little karaoke, the "Bowling Stones" find a little satisfaction on a regular basis.

"Nothing's better than having that as a security blanket," says Tracy.

Needless to say, security isn't the first word that comes to mind when you're trying to make a living as a blues musician. It probably goes without saying it's a bit tougher when you are a woman. And a woman on harp, now you're going out on a limb. Yet Tracy K stays the course.

"I don't think it's tougher as a woman so much as it is you're outnumbered," she explains. "The odds are against you period, because of demographics. There are 10 male guitar players to every one female guitar player. So the odds are there are going to be more guys getting the gigs than the chicks. I don't think it's hurt Bonnie Raitt or Rita Chiarelli or Sue Foley though."

Let's not ignore the other side of the argument, either. Many female performers will acknowledge they possess distinct advantages when it comes to their on-stage presence, qualities that can bring down the house.

"What female musicians have, if you want to call it a benefit or the upper hand, is the sexuality," observes Tracy. "There's nothing much sexier than a woman singing a medium-slow blues tune, kind of shaking the hips a bit with that sultry, sexy kind of thing going on. Whoa! That just sells, that sells big time."

It helps when you have plenty of talent too, and Tracy K can certainly hold her own in that department. Not only is she an impressive harmonica player, she has a voice that commands your attention. Add to that her songwriting and arranging skills, her versatility when it comes to musical styles, and her on-stage charisma and you've got someone special.

Of course, the woman-on-harmonica thing is what peaks your interest early on. Other than Chrissy Hynde of Pretenders fame, Big Mama Thornton, and American Lucy Van Sickle, there aren't many that jump to mind and Tracy K admits there is a "gimmicky" element to it all. You can't help but wonder where it all got started.

"As a teenager," says Tracy, "Sonny Terry was my first influence and when I was 18, I went backpacking in Europe with my best girlfriend and while we were in Germany, we worked for the Canadian army in Lahr flipping burgers for the soldiers.

"One of them was a guitar player and he had a couple of harmonicas kicking around. I'd pick one up and toot on it now and then. We were going down to the Mediterranean because winter was coming and he gave me one of the harmonicas and he said 'When you come back up this way, you better know how to play it.' So I played Oh Suzanna over and over and over on the train and my girlfriend refused to sit on the same train car with me because it was pretty painful."

Though certainly classified as a humble beginning, it was a significant step on a road which sees Tracy K making a mark on the Canadian blues scene. To appreciate her current status, however, you have to follow her musical journey - one distinguished by a little good timing but even more so by her own instincts and preparation.

Tracy K was supposed to be a teacher. After returning from her European travels, she was enrolled at the University of Manitoba where she was close to earning her degree in Education. With no concrete plans one summer, she took up her sister's invitation to spend some time in Toronto.

"She said 'Why don't you come out here this summer and do something with that voice of yours,' meaning my speaking voice because I had a very deep husky voice," recalls Tracy. "She was also an actress and her husband was in advertising so she said 'I could probably get you into some beer commercials or you could try your hand at voice-overs,' and I said 'Hey, fantastic!'"

So it was off to "The Big Smoke" and in short order, she was playing the coffee houses and quickly becoming part of the local music scene. Before long, Tracy K was following a new life path.

"The next thing you know, I was moving my stuff to Toronto and I never did go back and finish that degree," she says with a laugh.

She began networking with other musicians and eventually fronted her own band, a four-piece that specialized in southern rock. Soon after, she began to realize how ominous the business aspect of the industry was. To her credit, Tracy K decided to find another up-and-coming band and hook up as a back-up vocalist "and watch how this machine works." That led to her stint with an alternative rock outfit called The Blame where she observed from a distance.

"It was a great learning experience," she says. "It was the best thing I could have done. From there I got all kinds of session work as well and I was going to the blues jams at Grossman's (the prominent Toronto blues club) at the time so like I said, the blues has always been the truth behind it."