John McDermott performing at The Playhouse on Nov. 5
Published Tuesday October 27th, 2009
Singer John McDermott's latest CD, Journeys: Bringing Buddy Home, is guaranteed to make the hardest of hearts soften and have those with soft hearts crying without reservation.
Journeys: Bringing Buddy Home is an incredibly moving tribute to those soldiers who have died in active duty and to the veterans who've served their country. The first track is called Dreamer. It is dedicated to the late U.S. Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy.
McDermott first met Kennedy in Boston in 1995. They struck up a friendship. McDermott used to spend a lot of time visiting Kennedy at his home each summer. The song Dreamer is the story of someone who envisions a world without hunger, war and a place where we live at peace together.
This August he had the honour of being able to sing, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, at Kennedy's wake before he attended the funeral mass.
Welcome Home is dedicated to all of the Vietnam veterans who, in 2007, were finally recognized by the U.S. congress and Senate which declared March 30th as National Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. It is guaranteed to cause your eyes to water.
McDermott says the song that moves him the most in this album is the title track, which was written by Eric Bogle. It's the story of a father and son as seen through Bogle's eyes.
"He had such a turbulent relationship with his dad. When he died, the one thing in his will that he wanted Eric to do was to come back (to Canada, from Australia) and dispose of his ashes. When he did do that, he took them to a place he and his father used to go to when they had a relationship. It was a beautiful place and that's where he released the ashes."
Along The Merry Road to Hell is a tribute to McDermott's brother, Michael.
Michael McDermott had demons that hounded him throughout life. He constantly found solace through a whiskey glass. There was nothing the family could do to save him.
"My brother was a brilliant man. He was a millionaire twice and he pissed it all away. My brother Tony would track Mike down to keep an eye on him. But Michael could not stop. All the interventions in the world won't do anything unless a person wants it. He died shortly after my mother died. We had three go that year; my mother, my brother and my sister."
The Sky Belongs To Dreamers is dedicated to the memory of Father Mychal F. Judge, chaplain of the Fire Department of New York. He was the first recorded victim of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. When he heard that the twin towers had been hit by hijacked jetliners, Judge rushed to the site. He administered last rites to some lying on the streets, then he entered the lobby of the World Trade Center's north tower. There he continued offering aid and prayers for the rescuers, the injured and dead. When the south tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m., debris flew through the north tower lobby and killed many inside, including Judge. There is a photo of Father Judge's body being carried out of the World Trade Center that makes it appear as though he is sleeping. That's what The Sky Belongs To Dreamers is all about.
The song Bringing Buddy Home was inspired by the images of fallen soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan being loaded into a C-17 to be transported home. The images we don't see on our television screens are those of the grieving loved ones of those fallen heroes. The pain of that grief is expressed in the words of this song and it is palpable.
In McDermott's opinion, it's one of the most moving songs Eric Bogle has ever written.
McDermott wrote To The End of The Road We Go shortly after his father died. It celebrates the journey his parents were willing to make from Scotland to Canada to help give their 12 children a better life and a chance for a brighter future.
"They had given everything away to people who needed it. All we took were suitcases. My parents looked at it as a way to give us an opportunity."
While he was recording this music he knew this CD somehow needed to do more than simply entertain.
So he joined forces with Canada Company which provides support to military personnel and their loved ones.
"I think everyone should own one of these CDs because I know that the revenues from it are going to do some phenomenal work. The Canada Company is a registered charity so you can see where the money is going. Recently they have just given out scholarships to children of military personnel who were killed in active duty," says McDermott.
Journeys will not be available in stores; however, it will be sold at all of McDermott's shows. He has invited a couple of veterans to come on tour with him to meet people, share their stories and to talk about what Canada Company is about and to help sell the CD too.
He has a heart for veterans and soldiers now engaged in active duty. His father was a tail gunner in the Second World War and one of his uncles died as a prisoner of war at that time.
His tour will begin on Oct. 31 and will focus on veterans, their sacrifices, dedication and love of country. He will perform the songs from Journeys and others when he is in Fredericton at The Playhouse on Thursday, Nov. 5.
McDermott has performed at this venue many times but the concert he remembers most vividly is the one during which a fire broke out while he was on stage.
"About halfway through the set, this wonderful old fellow leans forward and says 'Hey John, the lights are on fire, buddy.' I said, 'I beg your pardon?' He said, 'You've got a little fire going on there, buddy.' I thought it was a joke so I did another song. Then he leans in again and he says 'John, the lights are on fire.' I look up and the lights are on fire!"
The lights were lowered and his piano player started to play, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
"Some old guy in the back row says 'Hey McDermott, if you think you are cutting the show short, think again.'"
The fire was extinguished and the show went on. This is the type of rapport he has with his audience. Unlike many performers who remain in their dressing rooms, he is in the lobby before and after every show. Some fans even ask to run their fingers through his full head of curly hair.
Many of those fans will likely be in the audience next week when he performs the songs from Journeys for them.
When it comes to a journey, McDermott has been on a remarkable ride since his professional singing career began in 1993. He's travelled the world, has become internationally famous, produced albums that have sold millions.
He's won countless awards, received much recognition, has visited the White House four times and has met seven presidents.
He has the ability to dine with kings and converse with commoners. His sense of grounding comes from his large family who remind him who he is and where he comes from.
If you would like to see and hear McDermott sing these hauntingly beautiful songs when he performs at The Playhouse, contact the box office for ticket information.
Since this show is billed as a salute to veterans, The Playhouse will offer a discount on the regular ticket price for military personnel, veterans and their families.
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