Life shifts and changes like a winter landscape, the hummocks and waves of snow leaning this way and that, then depleting until eventually the season is gone, replaced by the budding of the trees and the sprouting of seeds.
Eventually grass grows, the sun lifts high and hot, but not for long, before it makes way for the colourful burst of autumn that pronounces another winter is coming.
For over three decades, Wayne Chaulk, Ray Johnson Kevin Blackmore have delighted audiences with cheek-breaking antics and their beautiful tunes celebrating the province that remains their home. Now they’re ready for season’s end, and will no longer tour as Buddy Wassisname and the Other Fellers.
I spoke with Kevin Blackmore last week and when asked for the one piece of advice for anyone in the spring of their creative arts career his response was, “get a bookkeeper.”
The trio was not Blackmore’s first foray into performing, and prior to that his experiences led him on one path that earned little money and another that made a considerable amount. He noted that the difference between the two was intent. The first was a rock band who hoped to make money, the other an entertainment act who knew they had to.
He points out that artisans, the crafts people, have a better handle on the mindset required to be successful.
Already well into adulthood at the start of Buddy Wassisname and the Other Fellers, the goal at the outset was to make a living at this, to treat it like a business.
“Capitalism is the only system that allows people to garner wealth when they’re not entitled to it,” Blackmore says. “We can amass wealth by pursuing the thing you want to do.”
The privilege of that is not lost on him and he says that people in this province have the talent.
He points out that artisans, the crafts people, have a better handle on the mindset required to be successful.
“Artisans have a direct understanding that what you do has to pay,” he said.
Talent is not in question. He talks about how daunting it is to do a performance knowing that half the audience is far more talented than he is. It’s those who learn to monetize their talent early on, who grow their audience one member at a time, that ultimately build a career that pays, not only in the way where you’re living a life you prefer to live, but making a living doing it.
The concept of permanence is as fictional as the books I write, and I’ve lots to keep me occupied.
With the band ending touring after their upcoming Arts and Culture Center appearances, the members have time to pursue new interests. Currently, Blackmore is involved in organizing Writers in Winter in Glovertown, an all-day event that gives local writers, especially new ones, the opportunity to share their work over the course of a day on Feb. 16.
And it turns out I’ll be moving on too. I was informed last week that the Central Voice will no longer be using as many columnists, so this will be the last Art & Soul column. I don’t know what will be at the bottom of page four from now on, but I would love to see your letters to the editor fill the gap where my words used to sit. Local voices should fill the editorial pages and if it can’t be mine, I’d like for it to be yours.
The concept of permanence is as fictional as the books I write, and I’ve lots to keep me occupied. Did I mention my book, The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott will be out in two weeks? So, if you see me out there promoting it be sure and come over to say hi. You know how much I love a good yarn.
A full interview with Kevin Backmore will air on the Bridges Radio program here.
Carolyn R. Parsons is an author who lives in Central Newfoundland and Labrador. She can be reached at [email protected]
