Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing villages of the Maritime provinces and, later, the farms of the Canadian prairies and Great Lakes. Rogers died in a fire aboard Air Canada Flight 797 on the ground at the Greater Cincinnati Airport at the age of 33.
Rogers was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the eldest son of Nathan Allison Rogers and Valerie (née Bushell) Rogers, two Maritimers who had relocated to Ontario in search of work shortly after their marriage in July 1948. Although Rogers was raised in Binbrook, Ontario, he often spent summers visiting family in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.
It was there that he became familiar with the way of life in the Maritimes, an influence which was to have a profound impact on his subsequent musical development. He was interested in music from an early age, reportedly beginning to sing shortly after learning to speak. He received his first guitar, a miniature hand-built by his uncle Lee Bushell, when he was five years of age. He was exposed to a variety of music influences, but among the most lasting were the country and western tunes his uncles would sing during family get-togethers. Throughout his childhood, he would practice his singing and playing along with his brother Garnet, six years his junior.
While Rogers was attending Saltfleet High School, Stoney Creek, Ontario, he started to meet other young people interested in folk music, although at this time he was dabbling in rock and roll, singing and playing bass guitar in garage bands such as "Stanley and the Living Stones" and "The Hobbits". After high school, Rogers briefly attended both McMaster University and Trent University, where he performed in small venues with other student musicians, including Ian Tamblyn, Chris Ward and fellow Hobbit Nigel Russell. Russell wrote the song "White Collar Holler", which Rogers sang frequently on stage.
Rogers signed with RCA Records in 1970 and recorded two singles: "Here's to You Santa Claus" in 1970, and "The Fat Girl Rag" in 1971. In 1973, Rogers recorded three singles for Polygram: "Three Pennies", "Guysborough Train", and "Past Fifty."
In 1976, Rogers recorded his debut album, Fogarty's Cove, released in 1977 on Barnswallow Records. The album's subject matter dealt almost entirely with life in maritime Canada, and was an immediate success. Rogers then formed Fogarty's Cove Music, and bought Barnswallow during the production of Turnaround, allowing him to release his own albums. Posthumously, additional albums were released.[citation needed]
Rogers' songs often had a Celtic feel which was due, in part, to his frequent use of DADGAD guitar tuning. He regularly used his William 'Grit' Laskin built 12-string guitar in his performances. His best-known pieces include "Northwest Passage", "Barrett's Privateers", "The Mary Ellen Carter", "Make and Break Harbour", "The Idiot", "Fogarty's Cove", and "White Squall".
Rogers died alongside 22 other passengers most likely of smoke inhalation on June 2, 1983, while traveling on Air Canada Flight 797 (a McDonnell Douglas DC-9) after performing at the Kerrville Folk Festival. The airliner was flying from Dallas, Texas, to Toronto and Montreal when a fire of unknown ignition source within the vanity or toilet shroud of the aft washroom forced it to make an emergency landing at the Greater Cincinnati Airport in northern Kentucky.
There were initially no visible flames, and after attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, smoke filled the cabin. Upon landing, the plane's doors were opened, allowing the five crew and 18 of the passengers to escape, but approximately 60 to 90 seconds into the evacuation the oxygen rushing in from outside caused a flash fire. Rogers had initially been one of the passengers to escape, but he at some point re-entered the plane to assist in the effort to help others escape.
Rogers' legacy includes his recordings, songbook, and plays for which he was commissioned to write music. His songs are still frequently covered by other musicians, and are perennial favourites at Canadian campfires and song circles. Members of Rogers' band, including his brother Garnet Rogers, continue to be active performers and form a significant part of the fabric of contemporary Canadian folk music. Following his death, he was nominated for the 1984 Juno Awards in the category for Best Male Vocalist. That same year, he was posthumously awarded the Diplôme d’Honneur of the Canadian Conference of the Arts. In 1994, his posthumous live album Home in Halifax was likewise nominated for Best Roots and Traditional Album.
Stan's son, Nathan Rogers, is also an established Canadian folk artist with a voice and lyrical acumen similar to his father's. He has released two critically acclaimed solo discs and tours internationally as a solo act and in the trio Dry Bones.
A Matter of Heart
Stan Rogers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of feeling like an empty hole
With no kind heart or strengthening hand
To light the dark and secret soul.
Behind the walls of lonely protection
Afraid to give for what we may lose,
And to hide our sin, or let someone within,
[Chorus]
Put your life on the line,
Give your hand and pledge your time
To the love whose lips inflame you
Like some ancient and golden wine;
And to all it's a start in fulfilling greatest needs in part,
For in whatever we dream of what we some day want to be
It's a matter of heart.
We like to think we know what we're doing,
We always like to be in control.
The rational mind rules the passionate heart
Is what the ancient sages told.
But that can sound a little bit hollow,
When you're sitting by the fire alone!
And the rarest old wine tastes of ashes and brine,
When you've no one there to keep you warm.
[Chorus]
The way in which our pride will stall us,
When we know we should be losing control,
Puts us in the fear of falling and we let it go!
Our careful words are self-deceiving,
Though we like to call them 'pretense' and 'art',
But every old line is held in the mind,
When it's really just a matter of heart.
[Chorus: x2]
The song "A Matter of Heart" by Stan Rogers explores the fear of loneliness and the importance of love in our lives. The first verse describes the fear of being unloved and the emptiness that it brings. The lines "With no kind heart or strengthening hand / To light the dark and secret soul" suggest that love can offer comfort, support, and healing for our deepest emotional wounds. The second verse contrasts the rational mind with the passionate heart, implying that we need both in order to live a fulfilling life. However, the verse also suggests that rationality alone can become meaningless if we lack human connection. The lines "And the rarest old wine tastes of ashes and brine, / When you've no one there to keep you warm" emphasize the importance of intimacy and love.
The chorus encourages listeners to take a risk and give their hearts to someone they love. The lines "Put your life on the line, / Give your hand and pledge your time" suggest that love requires vulnerability and sacrifice. However, the chorus also implies that the rewards of love are worth the effort: "To the love whose lips inflame you / Like some ancient and golden wine; / And to all it's a start in fulfilling greatest needs in part." The final verse suggests that our fear of vulnerability and our attempts to control our emotions can prevent us from experiencing true love. The lines "The way in which our pride will stall us, / When we know we should be losing control" suggest that our desire for control can be a barrier to intimacy.
Overall, "A Matter of Heart" is a poignant reflection on the importance of love and the fear of loneliness. The song encourages listeners to take risks and be vulnerable in order to experience the rewards of love.
Line by Line Meaning
We live in fear of no one to love us
We're afraid of being unloved and feeling empty
Of feeling like an empty hole
We fear that we are incomplete without love
With no kind heart or strengthening hand
We need someone to support and encourage us
To light the dark and secret soul.
To help us reveal our true selves and overcome our fears
Behind the walls of lonely protection
We build walls to protect ourselves from being hurt again
Afraid to give for what we may lose,
We're afraid to give ourselves completely because we fear losing everything
And to hide our sin, or let someone within,
We hide our flaws and secrets rather than sharing ourselves with others
Everyone will have to choose!
We must decide whether to hide or reveal ourselves to others
Put your life on the line,
Take a risk and give everything you have
Give your hand and pledge your time
Commit to loving someone and investing time in the relationship
To the love whose lips inflame you
To the person who ignites your passion and desire
Like some ancient and golden wine;
Like a priceless treasure that must be cherished
And to all it's a start in fulfilling greatest needs in part,
Loving someone is the beginning of fulfilling our greatest needs
For in whatever we dream of what we some day want to be
Our dreams and aspirations can only be achieved with love
It's a matter of heart.
Love is the essential ingredient for a fulfilling life
We like to think we know what we're doing,
We believe we are in control of our lives
We always like to be in control.
We desire to be in charge and have everything go as planned
The rational mind rules the passionate heart
We favor logic and reason over emotions and feelings
Is what the ancient sages told.
This belief has been passed down through generations
But that can sound a little bit hollow,
This belief can sound unfulfilling and empty
When you're sitting by the fire alone!
When you're lonely, all you have is your thoughts and emotions
And the rarest old wine tastes of ashes and brine,
Even the best things in life lose their flavor without love
When you've no one there to keep you warm.
When you're alone, you miss the warmth and comfort of another person
The way in which our pride will stall us,
Our ego can prevent us from being vulnerable and open
When we know we should be losing control,
Sometimes it's important to let go and be vulnerable
Puts us in the fear of falling and we let it go!
Our fear of vulnerability can keep us from taking risks and pursuing love
Our careful words are self-deceiving,
We use language to hide our true intentions and feelings
Though we like to call them 'pretense' and 'art',
We justify our self-deception by calling it a form of creativity
But every old line is held in the mind,
Our self-deceptions stay with us and prevent us from being authentic
When it's really just a matter of heart.
We need to be honest with ourselves and others about what we truly feel and desire
Chorus
Love is essential for a fulfilling life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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