There shall I visit the place of my birth.
They'll give me a welcome the warmest on earth.
So loving and kind, full of music and mirth,
The sweet sounding language of home.
- From "The Mist Covered Mountains"
I am much saddened by the passing of the brilliant Robert Altman, of whom I am great fan, but I feel much more deeply the loss of John Allan Cameron.
As a Nova Scotia boy, it is hard to exaggerate just how great a role Celtic music played in my life. My father was the muscial one in our family. His Irish mother instilled in him a lifelong love of folk music in the Irish and Canadian Celtic traditions, and sing-alongs around the piano or organ were a staple of my childhood. My Nova Scotian mother also revelled in the Celtic music traditions, and Don Messer's Jubilee, Singalong Jubilee and The Pig and Whistle were all standard television fare in our home.
John Allan was the great ambassador of the Celtic music tradition. He helped transform the Canadian version of Celtic music from a quaint regional musical tradition to the powerful force it is today. Groups like Great Big Sea, The Rankins and Captain Tractor owe much of their success to John Allan's pioneering work. His reputation as a leader in Canadian Celtic music led to his being named a Member of the Order of Canada, the highest honour in a life not lacking in formal recognition.
He was renowned as a charismatic live performer who played the audience as well as he played his 12-string guitar. His signature cry of "Are you with me?" was always greeted with a roar of approval. I saw him at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax as a young man, and that show remains one of my most treasured musical memories. Sometimes his vocals were drowned out by the crowd singing right along with him, and at other times, audience members, transported by the power of his music, performed jigs or strathspeys in the aisles.
"Are you with me?"
Always, John Allan.
Tim - I was thinking about that today too. Never saw John Allan in person but always enjoyed him. Hardly seems that long ago does it?
Music has such a profound connection with memeories, and for me, just thinking about John Allan again whirled me back to my childhood days.
All of the sudden, I was standing around the piano with my parents and three siblings singing "Black Velvet Band", "Farewell to Nova Scotia" or, a family favourite, "The Mist Covered Mountains." I've always loved John Allan's version of that tune.
That's a fine tribute, Tim. I never saw him in person, but he was a wonderful presence on TV and radio for so long -- I remember him especially from visits he would have with Gzowski every once in a while, talking up a storm as well as singing. A lovely man.
I went to a fundraiser to help cover the costs of his medical treatment last year. Sad to hear that he's passed on.
Also, there's another Captain Tractor fan on this blog? Small world...
Love the Tractor!
"And it's hey-ho! Hi-ho!
We're comin' down the plains
We're stealin' wheat and barley
and all the other grains.
And it's hey-ho! Hi-ho!
Farmers lock your doors
When you see the Jolly Roger
on Regina's mighty shores!"
Great song, although they actually got that one from the Arrogant Worms. Although I still like the Tractor, they haven't been the same since Brock Skywalker left.
Was that The Arrogant Worms? Interesting. I've got a couple of their tracks in mp3 format on my computer - "Idiot Road" for sure, and "Gaelic Song" as well, I believe - but I don't have any of their albums. I'll have to dig up their version and compare. Thanks, Kevin.
Right on the mark about John Allan. Ex-pat Nova Scotian here too and John Allan had a profound effect on my musical upbringing. His was the first concert I attended as a kid and always enjoyed his performance, especially his killer 12-string picking. Thanks for offering your memories. He was a special guy.
I have many a good memory from seeing John Allan Cameron perform on the annual Kinsmen Telemiracle telethon (which alternates between Saskatoon and Regina). He was a mainstay on the telethon, volunteering, I believe, since its inception more than 20 years ago, until illness prevented his further participation. He, and other performers, helped the Kinsmen raise millions for phyically and mentally challenged people in Sask. He was a crowd favourite in Sask.,and will be sadly missed.
John Allan Cameron started my husband's career in the music industry, my hubby is Allie Bennett, John Allan's bass player, who will tomorrow be 1 of his pall bearer's. We are very sad for Angela and Stuart and our prayers are with them. John Allan was probably the nicest and most genuine person I have ever met in my life and Stuart is just like him so his persona will live on.
Please, rest in peace John Allan, and may you watch over your family and friends forever!
We love you
signed
Cape Breton
Thanks for writing, Leah. John Allan's legacy certainly sounds secure.
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I met Mr. Cameron and A. MacIssac at the Toronto airport in October of 2002, while was enroute to Cape Breton. I did not know who they were until Mr. MacIssac brought a CD to look at it. I started to speak to them and Mr. Cameron explained to me that A. MacIssac was the best fiddler in North America. When they left to board their flight to Thunder Bay, I was given the CD. How about that. The airport was full of travlers and just by chance, they sat by me.