Re: Stan Rogers - 30 years on
Can't believe how fast the time really goes.
A big highlight for me was the day Stan's album "Live at the Groaning Board" (The Groaning Board was a Toronto pub at the time) was being recorded.
A group of us fans went there early as the show was to start at noon as I recall. The bar was getting set to open at noon and I joined the line up for drinks and Stan joined in behind me in the line.
He was very humble as I remember and we just had a short conversation. Subsequently he autographed the album for me and I still have it in my collection.
Following his passing once things were settled there was a celebration of his life concert held in the Bathurst Theatre in Toronto as I recall.
Joe Lewis, a Toronto radio host from the Ryerson FM radio station CJRT was the MC for the evening and there were a host of guest appearances including Stan's brother Garnet. There was no fee to enter the concert hall but a donation box was available.
Despite the sadness it was a very joyous event.
From what I gathered from close sources, although unofficial, a washroom fan on the aircraft overheated and caught fire and Stan had opportunities to exit the plane but held back to let others go ahead of him.
He was a no nonsense guy though and didn't suffer fools lightly.
"Harris and the Mare" a song Stan wrote which is on the "Live from the Groaning Board" album has a line :
"I was a conscie in the war saying what the hell is this for,
but I had to see his blood to be a man"
It talks about a young intoxicated man (Cleary) who enters the pub where (Stan) and his (wife) were enjoying a quiet pint of stout and Cleary threatens to steal Stan's wife and a brawl ensues.
The song has a really great arrangement and is my favorite on the album. The guitar as I recall is in the "DADGAD" tuning.
Will always miss you Stan but it's good your music is living on.
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