Arts
Bruce Cockburn gives thumbs up to cover of perfect song for Mental Health Week
It’s mental health week in Canada and some are going to great lengths to help spread the word.
Red Deer Musician Jesse Roads has always been passionate for mental health issues. Roads was developing a play list for online performances when he started work on Bruce Cockburn’s “Lovers in a Dangerous Time”. The song turned out to be special and Roads knew it would be a good fit for this particular mental health week, in the middle of a pandemic lock-down. He released the song and contacted Bruce Cockburn’s manager to let him know he would be using the cover of “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” to try to bring attention to people affected by mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cockburn’s manager passed on an endorsement from the star and Jesse Roads was off and running.
Roads decided that any money he’ll make from this song will be donated to the Canadian Mental Health Association. That could be a nice little donation as the song has been streamed 10,000 times since it’s release. More importantly Jesse is hoping to raise awareness for mental health issues and in particular to remind Canadians of the array of services made available by the CMHA. Roads is urging anyone who’s feeling down and out to check out mentalhealthweek.ca
For all those who are feeling alone and getting desperate to see other people the message of “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” turns to one of appreciation for the small group we’re all isolating with. This sparked an idea for the music video Roads would create for his cover song creation. He’s calling out for anyone and everyone to send in pictures of themselves with the people they’re isolating with. While this may be a hard time, it can also be one we look back on someday as being a special time.
“It’s all love right now and being together and connected with each other, supporting each other, building each other up, encouraging each other, and just really being kind to each other.” says Roads, “We wanted to create some sort of awareness and I thought it would be really cool to see all the pictures and include people from all over the world into the music video.”
Identify the people you love to mark Mental Health Week in Canada.
Here’s how you could find yourself and your loved ones in the video to be produced for “Lovers in a Dangerous Time.” Send your selfies or photos to [email protected] or dm facebook.com/jesseroadsmusic/”
“Thank you for doing Lovers in a Dangerous Time! I really appreciate your decision to use it to help the cause of easing the stress and suffering of mental illness. We’re all under stress from this unexpected source, and we know it’s going to take its toll on some of us. So, good on you! Bet of luck getting it around!”
-Bruce Cockburn
Lac La Biche County and Portage College have been making plans for a community celebration to honour three new 2021 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artists. Given the ongoing COVID-19 related challenges of convening in person, Portage College, Lac La Biche County, and the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards Foundation have moved the celebration to June 11, 2022.
This change has provided a new opportunity: for the first time in the Awards’ history, the host community of Lac La Biche County will celebrate both the 2021 Distinguished Artists and up to 10 new 2022 Emerging Artists.
Her Honour Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, says she is looking forward to honouring the Distinguished and Emerging Artists next summer in Lac La Biche.
“I appreciate the tremendous work that the community has already invested into this special celebration, and I know that the 2022 awards will be well worth the wait. In the meantime, I offer my heartfelt thanks to all of the artists, administrators and patrons across Alberta for everything that you are doing to keep the arts a vibrant part of our lives and our communities during this extraordinary time.”
The organizers look forward to hosting this prestigious event and showcasing Alberta’s diverse arts scene. Their June 2022 plans include opportunities to chat with artists, outdoor community celebrations featuring an Art Walk and Market, art classes and demonstrations, an artist retreat, and a celebratory awards gala.
Click to learn more about the Foundation.
This weekend’s Jammin’ For a Cure concert raised more the $40,000 for Cancer Research, with funds raised being earmarked for the work of Dr. Michael Chu, a clinician scientist at the Cross Cancer Institute. His research is for a new treatment known as Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.
The 18 hour live performance was a great event. If you missed it, we have the links right here for you.
Friday: Click here
Saturday: Click here.
If you missed the show on the weekend, check it whenever you wish, and share it. The concert featured some really good performance from local, regional, national, and international artists. A highlight for me was El Niven and the Alibi. After doing some crazy tours, one from Tijuana to La Paz, performing fully amplified street concerts, and another from Edmonton to New York, across to L.A. and back to Edmonton. More than 400 shows over 3 years hones your skill, and this trio has a ton of skill.
Here’s a video they recently released called Likker. If you like the thoughts of a mash up between a 6’5″ Freddie Mercury, Frank Zappa, Commander Cody, and then you put an old worn telecaster in this volatile combination of a man’s hands, and say to him, go out and do something magical, and maybe just a bit crazy, then El Niven should appeal to you. Click here to learn more about El Niven and the Alibi.
Original story from March 26, 2021
I think we can all agree that few of us have been touched more by cancer than any other disease. One of the organizations trying to make a difference is the Cure Cancer Foundation, founded by a group of volunteers with a desire to more directly fund research and treatment programs.
And, what better way to raise money than with live music. Let’s face, it’s been an awful year without clubs and bars open, and no concerts and festivals. So maybe take a break from Netflix this weekend and take some time and catch some amazing talent, many of whom you’ve listened to in your favourite venue over the years. Many have been very busy creating new work during this last year and I’m sure you’ll hear some excellent new music throughout the weekend. In fact, here’s something recent from Brett Kissell.
Juno and multi-CCMA winner Clayton Bellamy
Jammin’ For a Cure is a live concert event taking place over 18 hours, starting tonight at 6 PM when Alberta’s own Brett Kissel kicks off a night of great music with artists that include Clayton Bellamy, Martin Kerr, and Jesse Roads. (The full list of talent and the schedule is below).
Saturday, the music begins at noon with Confounded Dials. Some excellent solo artists and bands will perform throughout the day, including Josh Sahunta, Dahlia and the Villains, Stephanie Harpe Experience, Maria Dunn, Stevon Kayla, and John Hewitt.
Alfie Zappacosta kicks of the evening slate of acts Saturday night at 6 PM followed by artists like Hailey Benedict, Bardic Form, Amy Metcalfe, Kesara Kimo and guest Evrlove, and runs right through to 11:40 PM with Canadian Coldwater Revival closing the show.
I have been invited to appear on this bill as well and I’m pretty pumped to strap on a guitar and perform on Saturday at 3:40 PM for a 20 minute set. Having lost my mom to ovarian cancer in 1994, I do what I can to help.
And a big shout out to Jon Beckett and his talented, experienced team at Edmonton’s Production World for making all of this possible.
Remember these are free concerts.
Here’s the link for Friday (tonight).
Here is the link for Saturday.
Friday Line up
6-6:40 PM Brett Kissel
7-7:40 PM FKB
7:40-8 PM Olivia Rose
8-8:40 PM Clayton Bellamy
8:40-9 PM Stevon and Kayla Artis
9-9:40 PM Martin Kerr
10-10:40 PM Jesse Roads
11-11:40 PM Guitarface
Saturday starting at noon
12-12:40 PM Confounded Dials
12:40-1 PM Tracy Lynn Byrne
1-1:40 PM Josh Sahunta
1:40-2 PM Brenda Dirk
2-2:40 PM Dahlia and the Villains
2:40-3 PM Kaylee Caura-Lee
3-3:40 PM Kane Incognito
3:40-4 PM Lloyd Lewis
4-4:40 PM Stephanie Harpe Experience
4:40-5 PM Maria Dunn
5-5:40 PM Stevon Kayla and the Heavenly Band
5:40-6 PM John Hewitt
6-6:40 PM Alfie Zappacosta
6:40-7 PM Hailey Benedict
7-7:40 PM Bardic Form
7:40-8 PM Amy Metcalfe
8-8:40 PM El Niven and the Alibi
8:40-9 PM Darrell Barr
9-9:40 PM Kesaro and Guest Artist Evrlove
9:40-10 PM Danny Floyd Cole
10-10:40 PM Jusjrdn and DJ Kwake
10:40-11 PM Mightberea
11-11:40 PM Canadian Coldwater Revival
The whole purpose is to raise money. Here’s the link to make a donation right now.
As well, there’s a host of great silent auction items you can bid on, from autographed jerseys to signed guitars. Click here to get started.
About Cure Cancer Foundation
Cancer doesn’t stop. No matter what’s going on in the world, Cancer is always there, hurting those we love. Jammin’ For A Cure will be raising money for Dr. Michael Chu, a clinician scientist at the Cross Cancer Institute, who is leading the charge with a new treatment known as Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.
This therapy turbocharges the immune system to create killer immune cells that can wipe out cancers. This alters the patient’s own cells to be a new “barcode reader” and find the hiding cancer cells. This treatment is predicted to make the most significant difference in blood cancers such as multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma patients, even those with multiply relapsed cancers.
We want to help fund great research like this to help Albertans, and people everywhere, receive the treatment they need. Your support will provide hope to people who would otherwise die of their cancer – despite all the best-known treatments. You are giving people a better chance of a cancer-free outcome and more time with their families, friends, and loved ones.
Todayville is very happy to support this event. Click here to read more stories on Todayville.
