Friday, June 2, marked the 34th anniversary of the tragic and needless death of Canadian folk singer-songwriter Stan Rogers. He died at the age of 33 when a plane he was on caught fire after making an emergency landing. He was a prolific artist, working steadily from 1970 till his death, which occurred while he was flying back to Canada from a folk festival in the US. He wrote songs about Canadian life, songs that were inspired by Canadian history and songs that told great stories. We'll be saluting him this week on Come by the Hills with a special tribute in the first hour. Then he'll also feature in "Celtic Covers" in the third hour, and he may just make other appearances throughout the rest of the show.
I first came across Stan's work very soon after getting into folk music. He is thought of by many as a national treasure here in Canada. I always wonder what would have happened if that plane hadn't caught fire. What might he have made of our current times, for instance? He was never one to shy away from difficult subjects, but he always had an optimistic bent as well. He loved Canada and was interested in telling the stories of everyday Canadians in his music.
So join me this week on Come by the Hills as I pay tribute to a great Canadian who should never have left us as soon as he did. I'm up right after The Early Years with Steve Cutway on Sunday and the show is replayed right after The Smorgasbord with Jonathan Mosen on Friday! See you then!