On Feb. 18, a song many years in the making from a Quesnel musician was finally released.
Brad Strang’s BC Strong is a tribute to everyone in the province who worked through tough times, be it from fires, flooding, landslides or the COVID-19 pandemic.
Strang recalls hosting people from Williams Lake during the wildfires of 2017, and even hosting bonfire jam sessions, with a string of Christmas lights filling in for the flames.
“That was the start of it,” Strang said.
“Seeing all of their anxiety, their tears… the neighbours helping each other, knowing no one would get left behind if we had to evacuate in minutes… Everybody was working together and making the best of it.”
With COVID-19, Strang remembers visiting neighbours and banging pots and pans in support of health care workers.
“There was so much stress and death and loss because of COVID, and once again everybody did what they did,” he said.
Finally, when the floods hit southern B.C. hard, Strang knew he had to put a song together in tribute for the province’s years of resilience.
The flooding especially impacted Strang, who credits a near-death car crash for his musical philosophy.
“As a 17-year-old kid, I rolled a car upside-down in an irrigation ditch,” he said.
“I just about drowned in that car. It was actually during that drowning that I had my conviction that my music was going to be about global unitedness, positiveness, and music that would hopefully help people.”
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Strang’s song can be found on YouTube. It features vocals from Laura Kelsey, who lives in Nanaimo.
“She’s a wonderful singer,” Strang said, noting Kelsey’s vocals can be heard in many of his other songs.
“I send her the files, and she sings. It’s really tough to do it long distance because you have to do it a few times… I need those people to round off (my songs) because I’m so rough with my voice.”
The instruments are a combination of Strang’s performances on a variety of instruments and a drum machine.
“I wanted a song that reminded people that we stood together and worked together,” he said.
“Not to forget the things that we lost and our loved ones, but something that would remind them how resilient we are.”
Strang has also recently released two albums, one of instrumental songs, and a collection of his songs titled Brad Strang’s Epic Journey.
Beyond recording, Strang says he’s missing jamming at open mic nights, which he used to do in Quesnel and Bouchie Lake, and hopes to return when venues begin hosting them again.
READ MORE: The Day They Closed The Old Mill Down in song
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com
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cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com
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