With his album Departures, his 2025 collection of “comfort-food songs from my Private Reserve,” Damn Coyote Chris turns again to themes of mortality, resilience, and the curious way laughter keeps us afloat. “Destination Funeral,” stands as one of the most personal and playful testaments yet to his lifelong songwriting craft.

Chris Nikiforuk-Rhyason — known to Alberta audiences for more than 35 years as Damn Coyote Chris — has long worked at the crossroads of music, tattoo artistry, and visual creation. As the force behind Them Damn Coyotes through the ‘90s and 2000s, he built a reputation for raw energy and unfiltered storytelling. With his solo work, Chris channels those same instincts inward, merging blues, jazz, and classical guitar techniques into songs that balance humour with unshakable honesty.

With a guitar in his hands and a story etched deep in his bones, Damn Coyote Chris returns with “Bethy’s Gift”, the soul-stirring fourth track from his 2025 album Departures — a record he describes as “an honest and personal collection of comfort-food songs from my Private Reserve.” “Bethy’s Gift” is a love letter, a farewell, and a reflection all at once — a gentle lullaby for those learning to live with loss.

“Stars out tonight / Dreams in my eyes / Wishin' I could fly up to that cloud and give it a bite…”

From the opening lines, “Bethy’s Gift” floats like a whisper across the night sky, full of memory and moonlight. The song is sparse but rich, tender but grounded — a snapshot of grief, wrapped in practical philosophy and unshakable human warmth.