Songs for Sue
On Oct. 22, a benefit concert was held at Dublin Street United Church for local native, Sue Richards. The fundraiser featured many regional artists, including: Mike Sharp, Jessy Bell Smith, Jeff Bird, Nick Craine, and Tannis Slimmon, with Harry Manx headlining. Craig Norris, Kramdens singer and CBC host, emceed the show.
Sue Richards has been a staple in the Guelph community for twenty-five years and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2007. The night was both a celebration of life, friends, magnificent music, and a fundraiser, with all money raised going directly towards assisting Richards in living with this disease.
Mike Sharp started off the show playing a song called “I Don’t Know Why,” which was reminiscent of Ry Cooder’s 1972 cover of “Dark End of the Street.” Next was Jessy Bell, of Smith of Skydiggers fame, who sang a trio of slow, sultry blues numbers whilst playing a black Gretsch electric guitar. Her cover of Nina Simone’s “I Love My Baby” was utterly brilliant, and she ended with a tune called “These Blues Need Booze.”
Nick Craine and Jeff Bird played together on a few numbers. Using an echo-box for the guitar, they played this evocative instrumental called “Sounds of Sunrise.” Tannis Slimmon, with husband Louis on guitar, were up next; they played a trilogy of songs, which included “It’s My Time (the Change Song),” an a cappella version of “Skylark,” and an up-tempo gospel song called “Hosanna Hey!” featuring Jessy Bell Cook.
Finally, mystic headliner Harry Manx came out and provided a deliciously addictive raja sitar groove, playing songs off his appropriately titled album, “Ohm Sweet Ohm.” Manx’s first song, “Reuben’s Train,” sounded like an eerie Darjeeling freight train steamrolling down the track in the middle of the night. His second song, “Make Way for the Living,” was also a slower number like a John Hiatt outtake. Pulling out a banjo he dedicated “Don’t You Forget to Miss Me” to the absent Sue Richards, who was convalescing at home.
This was a great night of musical conviviality and transcendental memories shared by all artists who had stories to reminisce of about their times with Richards. If Richards is a symbol of hope, let it remind us in whatever we do, to always rise to the challenge with great courage and perseverance.