The Oppenheimer Report 8/22/16

Thousands gather at River Mill Park in Huntsville to watch The Tragically Hip broadcast
(Photo by John A Macdonald)

Last weekend marked the fifth Burk’s Falls Country Jamboree music festival and, for the first time ever, there were two stages. On the main stage were the traditional country acts and on the second stage, located in the nearby Burk’s Falls Legion, were various different kinds of acts, including rock, folk, and local singer songwriters (the category wherein I fall). After years of hearing about the band, Friday night, under a bright orange harvest moon, I finally saw and heard The Good Brothers perform live. These guys have been a part of the Canadian music scene for around forty years, and they were exceptional, far exceeding my expectations for an entertaining night.  A relative newcomer to Canadian music, I’m always trying to learn something about Canadian songwriters, and I always ask friends, and even perfect strangers, what song would they like to hear on my radio show and why. Not only does this ensure an eclectic mix of music, but some of the recommendations have become new favorites of mine. Some of the songs are amusing as well  ... for example: “If My Heart Had An Ass I’d Kick It For Loving You”, by Gerald Collier. The other day, I was talking to a technician working on some Wi-Fi issues in our house, and when he heard the Good Brothers were playing locally, he volunteered that one of his favorite Good Brothers songs is a tune called “Honk On Bobo”. Of course I looked it up, and  I love the message. It will air on this week’s show, with an explanation about how I learned about the song. My musical education continues to be random, interesting, and I hope entertaining to others.

 

Millions of Canadians tuned in to CBC on Saturday night to watch the final concert of the legendary Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, broadcast from their hometown of Kingston, Ontario. We recorded the concert and watched it after a full day of music at the festival. I didn’t think I’d make it through the entire concert, but once it began, I could not turn it off. I’ve been a fan of The Hip for about 25 years, and front man Gord Downie is one of my songwriting heroes. Much of The Hip’s music weaves a lyrical tapestry of the country where they live, and the band is hugely popular throughout Canada. News of Downie’s terminal brain cancer has saddened so many, and this final concert was, of course, bittersweet. There were many outdoor gatherings set up to view the broadcast on a big screen, and I’m so glad that CBC found this wonderful way to ensure that all those who could not attend one of the final concerts in person were able to see the very last live concert so well filmed. By the way, kudos to CBC for their spectacular Summer Olympics coverage as well; it might have been the best sports coverage I have ever seen. One of the main reasons I am so supportive of the local music community, and of Hunters Bay Radio, is that I feel music brings the community together. I know I am idealistic to believe this, but I feel music transcends gender, class, race, politics, and all the other things that divide us. As yellow journalism continues to poison our perception of the human community, I think a lot of Canadians are proud to have a band like The Hip who are at once so uniquely Canadian, but also such a cool, fantastic band on the world stage. As I become more and more aware of my mortality, I continue to write songs in the hopes that when I am gone, one or two of those pieces of me will live on. It is sad that Gord Downie is so ill and will probably pass on before he turns 60. Of late it seems as if many of the best and brightest are being taken before their time. My friend James Carroll comes to mind. Nevertheless, when Downie leaves this earth, as we all will some day, he will have left behind a rich legacy of his poetic lyrics, and he will be appreciated and enjoyed by millions, long after he takes his last breath. How many of us can say this?

Speaking of The Tragically Hip … one final note in the “small world” department. One of the bands that played last Saturday night was a band from Gravenhurst that we love called Bet Smith and the Currie Brothers. I bought my ’62 Kay Red Devil guitar from Andrew Currie who, along with his brother Rob owns the wonderful Currie's Music Store in Gravenhurst. The last track on Man Machine Poem, which is the thirteenth and last album The Tragically Hip will ever record with Gord Downie, features a drum track created by Andrew and Rob Currie, and recorded at the music studio in their store. The song was built around that drum track and, in Gord Downie’s own hand writing, Rob Currie is listed in the credits of that final album. I think that is very cool.

 

  - Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2016 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED