Don’t know about you, but I never know when a song is just going to grab me, wrap me up and have it’s way with my head. Sometimes its just a melody that won’t let go and other times it’s lyrics that seem to capture some thought or view I’d had (oh, it happens sometimes….no, really!!!) and spills it in concise verbiage. This isn’t a daily occurrence. I never know when it might happen but when it does, that tune is stuck in the ol’ brain bucket for quite awhile.
Recently I was attending my aunt’s funeral in Wiarton, ON . Yes, home of Wiarton Willy. In fact, my late aunt’s farm was right next to the Wiarton Willy Inn …. but I digress. I was a church goin’ lad in my “yeut” and those old spirituals always felt good inside. I’d never heard such a personal styling of “In The Garden” written by C. Austin Miles as the one sung that afternoon by the Administrator of the Care Home, Charles Young , backed by a lonely piano. It will be remembered for a long time.
While driving back from Denny and Bob Marks father’s wake with my friend Calvin, we were listening to the radio and from Alan Jackson’s new album ‘Precious Memories’, they played his version of that classic hymn “How Great Thou Art”. I noticed within seconds Calvin was belting out his version so I joined in. Together we had a non-musical but memorable duet moment that still makes me smile thinking of it.
I think my most memorable though was not long after the September 11th horror. I was returning late from Wednesday Night A’s hockey and as I pulled into my garage, again, it was Alan Jackson’s “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?” that caught me off guard, mesmerizing me until the song was completely over, leaving me blubbering like a baby and wiping tears for a long time. I guess that degree of madness being so close for the first time, comparatively, with so much destruction and death , so many mourning families and communities, left many not knowing what to do or think. His verse:
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers?
Stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love? … seemed to exemplify my selfish thoughts then of just how lucky we were. Yessiree Bob, music is a helluva strong medium.
By the way, I just got Roxanne Potvin’s new CD “The Way It Feels”. She’s from Gatineau, Quebec, and just moved to Toronto. I first heard this young 23 year old blues artist when she opened for Ray Bonneville last year at NAC’s – 4th Stage. Wow!!! What a disc. Has this gal come a long way. It’s evident throughout, the strong impact Colin Linden as Producer made, creating fabulous mixes around her strong, versatile vocal offerings. Blues lovers should love it.
On a more local note, a local band who disbanded in 1986, Outta Control, have reformed and hosted a CD Release at none other than the Trout Lake Hotel in downtown Ompah, on Saturday. Rick Killingbeck, Joe Asselstine, Mike Lush and Billy Henry look forward to seeing you at future gigs.
Also, I want to congratulate Charlotte Arthur for successfully hosting her first house concert on Saturday,when she presented an old favourite of my family from Hamilton’s Festival of Friends, blues singer / songwriter Paul Langille. His growling pipes and stellar guitar playing thrilled those in attendance.
Support live music everywhere!