Scotty Campbell & Souvenir
Scotty will always be linked to Toronto. I mean, that’s where the ‘people’ are and that’s where the real venues were (including his Sunday residency at the Cadillac Lounge) - in the big city just 60km from Campbell’s blue-collar home of Hamilton, Ontario. A short drive to a world that probably felt a million miles away from reality. If I had to guess, I’d bet there still exists parts of the Hammer to feel that way about T.O. I seem to recall Scotty telling tale of playing in rock bands, I think in Calgary or somewhere else out west in the early 80’s but it was back in Ontario where he embraced his lifelong passion for country music and brought it to the stage.
It was post-Handsome Ned era. I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure the closest thing resembling a country music band in Toronto by then was Blue Rodeo. No knock on them but as beautifully as Cuddy sings and as tasty as Bazil Donovan plays a Fender Bass, it’s not quite the same kind of country music that folks like Scotty or I gush over. So, he carved out a name for himself in Toronto and eventually across Western Canada backed on the strength of a veteran band who performed beautiful country music authentically and in a fashion that essentially none of their peers in Canada were willing - or able - to execute. I was too young to know or understand but seems to me for no less than 10 years beginning in the mid-90’s, Scotty Campbell and his Wardenaires stood atop the “Alt-Country” heap in Canada. And what the fuck “Alt-Country” is. I’m not sure. It’s not now what it was then, I know that. Those were the prime years of Robbie Fulks Honky-Tonk records and Scotty was a pal of Fulks and opened for Robbie when he’d come up to Toronto. Call it “Alt” or whatever you want, I don’t care because I know it was and what it is - Country Music.
I’ve drawn many parallels to Scotty in my own path as a touring artist in Canada playing this kind of music and with such a high expectation for its delivery… even when nuance and quality are lost on the better part of most audiences. You do it for love and respect to the genre and its traditions.I have 3 of Scotty’s releases in their original hard-copy compact disc form. Maybe that’s all of them, I’m not sure. The 1994-ish EP, Pitchin’ Woe, 2008’s Smokin’ & Drinkin’, and Damned If I Recall from 1999, which is where I found the song, Souvenir. At the height of my Boots & Saddle tenure and up to 2021 when I interviewed Scotty for The Northern Report Podcast, I was of the mind and stated openly a belief that Smokin’ & Drinkin’ was his best and the undisputed finest country music record from Canada in the first decade of this century. Though I still hold the latter to be true it was Scotty who insisted Damned If I Recall could be the tops in his catalogue. And if you’re asking me today, I’ll have to agree with the artist on this one. It’s really as fine and true of a country music album as there is. And I mean, it’s GOT to be at least considered for placement among the top-shelf of releases in Canadian Country Music history. Really good songs and some killer playing, too.
Of course, meant with no disrespect and performed with only love and the best intention, Souvenir is the only of the 10 songs covered on Lost Country that we approached decidedly different from its original form. We hope you like it, Scotty. And I hope you like it, too.
Souvenir is streaming everywhere this Friday. And, keep your heads-up as the live video premieres sometime this week ahead of the single.
Sean Burns -
At home in Winnipeg, MB
Monday, October 2, 2023
11:49 AM
Sean Burns - Souvenir
Studio:
SB - Vocals, Bass
Sean O’Grady - Drums
Grant Siemens - Guitars
Mike Weber - Pedal Steel
Engineered & Mixed by Chris Stringer
Live Video:
SB - Vocals
Grant Siemens - Guitar
Video by Brodie Parachoniak on location at Park Alleys [Winnipeg, MB]
Engineered & Mixed by Micah Erenberg
feat. Rachael Hoogstraten Searle & Daniel Peloquin-Hopfner