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.
Straight and True
Stan Rogers Lyrics
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And I was back in Nova Scotia and all my friends were there with me
And they were drinkin' Diamond, singin' Carter and passin' them from mouth to mouth
It sounded like "goodbye" and I knew that I was headed South, the bitter South.
In my uncle's kitchen the songs are bitchin', or some Hank Williams' blues
And I can hear my cousin's voices singing, the very best that they can do,
And it doesn't matter what we're drinking, the ocean brings the flavor through,
[Chorus]
Straight and true!
There's something about it, I can't live without the Coast,
The rhythmic ocean, the clean wholesome motion of most of my friends there,
Swaying by the trees, singing of the sea, now.
City streets, they can't hold me when I'm most alone
I'm going on home.
I think I'm ready, my hands are steady, 'though that's something I've not always known,
And even if the West rejects me, there's some place I hold for my own,
And I soon will be there; do I love it? Yes, I guess that you could say I do,
Cause I'll be picking with my people where the music's always straight and true, straight and true.
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Stan Rogers's song "Straight and True" are filled with nostalgia for his home in Nova Scotia. The opening verse references a trip to New York where a freak weather event makes him feel like he's back in his hometown with his friends, who are drinking Diamond beer, singing songs by Carter and passing them from mouth to mouth. Rogers then shifts the scene to his uncle's kitchen in Nova Scotia, where everyone is singing and playing music, likely country music by the likes of Hank Williams. The ocean's flavor permeates their drinking, creating a strong sense of place and community. The love among them all is always "straight and true" regardless of what they're doing or drinking.
The chorus underscores Rogers's desire to return home to Nova Scotia, where the ocean and the community are integral to his being. The city streets can't hold him when he feels most alone, and he longs to be back among the swaying trees and singing with his friends about the sea. He's ready to return home even if the West rejects him since he knows he has a special place there where the music is "always straight and true."
Line by Line Meaning
At Lincoln Center, a freak o' weather brought a taste of sea,
Unexpected weather at Lincoln Center reminds me of the sea, bringing back memories of home in Nova Scotia.
And I was back in Nova Scotia and all my friends were there with me
I'm taken back to my home in Nova Scotia, surrounded by my friends and loved ones.
And they were drinkin' Diamond, singin' Carter and passin' them from mouth to mouth
My friends are enjoying Diamond beer while singing Carter's songs and sharing them with each other.
It sounded like "goodbye" and I knew that I was headed South, the bitter South.
The farewell songs sounded like they were saying 'goodbye,' and I knew that I would soon have to leave for a different direction, the South.
In my uncle's kitchen the songs are bitchin', or some Hank Williams' blues
The music in my uncle's kitchen is great, either some new songs or even some classics of Hank Williams' blues.
And I can hear my cousin's voices singing, the very best that they can do,
I can hear my cousins singing with passion, giving their very best performance.
And it doesn't matter what we're drinking, the ocean brings the flavor through,
No matter what we're drinking, we can still taste the ocean in it, and it connects us to our home.
And if none of this is fancy, the love is always straight and true.
Even if everything is simple and not luxurious, the love that we share with each other is always honest and genuine.
There's something about it, I can't live without the Coast,
There's an unexplainable something that connects me to the coast of Nova Scotia, and I can't live without it.
The rhythmic ocean, the clean wholesome motion of most of my friends there,
The rhythm of the ocean and the pure motions of my friends remind me of the authenticity and wholesomeness of home.
Swaying by the trees, singing of the sea, now.
Standing under the trees and singing about the sea reminds me of happy times with my friends and family.
City streets, they can't hold me when I'm most alone
When I'm feeling lonely, the city streets can't contain me, and I long for the connection I feel to my home in Nova Scotia.
I'm going on home.
I'm going back home to Nova Scotia, where I belong.
I think I'm ready, my hands are steady, 'though that's something I've not always known,
I feel prepared now, even though I haven't always been confident in myself.
And even if the West rejects me, there's some place I hold for my own,
Even if the West doesn't accept me, I have a special place in my heart for my home in Nova Scotia.
And I soon will be there; do I love it? Yes, I guess that you could say I do,
I'll soon be back in Nova Scotia, and yes, I definitely love it there.
Cause I'll be picking with my people where the music's always straight and true, straight and true.
I'll be playing music with my loved ones, where the music is honest and authentic, just like the love we share with each other.
Straight and true!
Straight and True refers to the honest and genuine love and music that is characteristic of the Nova Scotia culture.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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