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.
The Field Behind the Plow
Stan Rogers Lyrics
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Feel the trickle in your clothes, blow the dust cake from your nose
Hear the tractor's steady roar, Oh you can't stop now
There's a quarter section more or less to go
And it figures that the rain keeps its own sweet time
You can watch it come for miles, but you guess you've got a while
So ease the throttle out a hair, every rod's a gain
And there's victory in every quarter mile
Poor old Kuzyk down the road
The heartache, hail and hoppers brought him down
He gave it up and went to town
And Emmett Pierce the other day
Took a heart attack and died at forty two
You could see it coming on 'cause he worked as hard as you
In an hour, maybe more, you'll be wet clear through
The air is cooler now, pull you hat brim further down
And watch the field behind the plow turn to straight dark rows
Put another season's promise in the ground
And if the harvest's any good
The money just might cover all the loans
You've mortgaged all you own
Buy the kids a winter coat
Take the wife back east for Christmas if you can
All summer she hangs on when you're so tied to the land
For the good times come and go, but at least there's rain
So this won't be barren ground when September rolls around
So watch the field behind the plow turn to straight dark rows
Put another season's promise in the ground
Watch the field behind the plow turn to straight dark rows
Put another season's promise in the ground
"The Field Behind the Plow" by Stan Rogers is a bittersweet song that vividly portrays the struggles and sacrifices of Canadian farmers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The song paints a picture of a farmer on his tractor, plowing the land in the hope of planting a successful crop. He's tired and expects to be wet clear through by the end of his work, but he knows there's no turning back. His livelihood, his family's security, and his hopes for the future all depend on the season's success. He has to push forward regardless of the weather, the physical strain, and the emotional burden.
The song also highlights the heartbreaking stories of some of the farmer's neighbors who couldn't make it in the unforgiving environment. The farmer mentions the tragic stories of Kuzyk, who had to give up farming due to heartache, hail, and hoppers, and Emmett Pierce, who worked as hard as the farmer but succumbed to a heart attack at the young age of forty-two. These stories serve as a reminder of the precariousness of life on the land, and the heavy toll that it can take on farmers and their families.
Overall, "The Field Behind the Plow" is a powerful reflection on the joys and struggles of farming, and a tribute to those who work tirelessly to put food on our tables. It portrays the importance of perseverance, hard work, and hope in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Watch the field behind the plow turn to straight, dark rows
Observe the field transform into well-defined, uniform rows as you plow through it
Feel the trickle in your clothes, blow the dust cake from your nose
Notice the sweat on your body and the dust in the air as you work hard to prepare the land
Hear the tractor's steady roar, Oh you can't stop now
Listen to the constant sound of the tractor and do not give up now
There's a quarter section more or less to go
You have a remaining land area of around 160 acres
And it figures that the rain keeps its own sweet time
It is expected that the rain will arrive when it wants to, regardless of how long you wait for it
You can watch it come for miles, but you guess you've got a while
Although you can see the rainclouds in the distance, it is uncertain when they will arrive at your location
So ease the throttle out a hair, every rod's a gain
Slightly reduce the tractor's engine speed to avoid wasting too much fuel, and appreciate that every small measure of progress moves you closer to your goal
And there's victory in every quarter mile
Every 440 yards of completed work signifies a triumph over the harsh environment
Poor old Kuzyk down the road
Referencing the farmer down the street who had many setbacks
The heartache, hail and hoppers brought him down
Kuzyk experienced disease and insect infestations, as well as damage from hail storms on his crops, causing him to lose hope in farming
He gave it up and went to town
Kuzyk abandoned agriculture and moved away for a new livelihood
And Emmett Pierce the other day
Introducing the recent death of another farmer in the community
Took a heart attack and died at forty two
Pierce's heart attack was the result of the physical and mental stresses of farming, which cut short his life
You could see it coming on 'cause he worked as hard as you
It was obvious that Pierce was overworking himself because he was dedicated to his farm, just like the songwriter
In an hour, maybe more, you'll be wet clear through
After some time, you will be completely soaked with perspiration from the hard work in the humid, intense heat of the day
The air is cooler now, pull you hat brim further down
The surrounding climate is gradually cooling as the day goes on, so you need to adjust your attire to remain comfortable
And watch the field behind the plow turn to straight dark rows
Observe the continuing progress of your labor on the field
Put another season's promise in the ground
With each tilled section of ground, you are making preparations for the forthcoming planting season
And if the harvest's any good
If the crops are plentiful and successful at harvesting time
The money just might cover all the loans
The income from crops harvested at the end of the season may cover outstanding debts
You've mortgaged all you own
You've followed the norm of mortgaging everything you own to finance your business when you are in debt
Buy the kids a winter coat
Purchase a winter coat for your children as you are getting an income
Take the wife back east for Christmas if you can
If the finances permit, take the family on a holiday for Christmas
All summer she hangs on when you're so tied to the land
The wife sticks through the summer despite her farmer husband having to be attached to the land
For the good times come and go, but at least there's rain
Although there will be tough moments and good moments in life, there is always hope when it rains to refresh the soil
So this won't be barren ground when September rolls around
The land won't be left unused when September comes, as even when farming is hard, you have to keep going
So watch the field behind the plow turn to straight dark rows
Keep paying attention and working hard to reap the rewards that will come during the harvest season
Put another season's promise in the ground
Gain confidence in the upcoming season by preparing the land properly and planting seeds, resulting in a bountiful harvest
Watch the field behind the plow turn to straight dark rows
Take a moment to appreciate the feat of turning raw land into properly prepared crop fields
Put another season's promise in the ground
Continue to plant hope and dedication, knowing that with the right amount of effort and attention, you will reap a successful harvest
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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