
Stan Rogers was the quintessential Canadian troubadour. So many of his songs have entered the cultural vernacular as if they were born from the land itself - instant "traditional" tunes ("Northwest Passage", "Mary Ellen Carter", "Barrett's Privateers" to name just a few). And, of course, many people encountering Voyageur have chosen to sing Rogers' songs with this guitar in their hands. Stan died tragically in 1983 during a cabin fire on the tarmac of Cincinatti airport so he and Voyageur never had a chance to meet - though they certainly had the same kind of outlook on Canadian history.
So I was delighted to provide Voyageur for Paul Mills - the producer of Stan's records - at last night's "Tribute to Stan Rogers" concert at Hugh's Room, featuring Mills, Ariel Rogers, Rick Taylor, Arthur O'Brien, Tannis Slimmon, Fred Jorgenson and Laura Smith. Paul (pictured) lead the second set on Voyageur with Rogers' "Working Joe".
Although Voyageur won't be part of the show tonight, if you'd like the chance to discover (or rediscover) the music of Stan Rogers, they're hosting a second night at Hugh's Room tonight, November 19th.
Special thanks to Paul Mills, Tannis Slimmon, Ariel Rogers and Holmes Hooke.
Posted at 12:44 PM