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 Idiot
Stan Rogers Lyrics
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When the foreman's not around
I turn my back on the cooling stacks
And make for open ground
Far out beyond the tank-farm fence
Where the gas flare makes no sound
I forget the stink and I always think
Back to that Eastern town
[Chorus]
So I bid farewell to the Eastern town
I never more will see
But work I must so I eat this dust
And breathe refinery
Oh I miss the green and the woods and streams
And I don't like cowboy clothes
But I like being free and that makes me
An idiot, I suppose.
I remember back six years ago
This western life I chose
And every day the news would say
Some factory's going to close
Well, I could have stayed to take the dole
But I'm not one of those.
I take nothing free, and that makes me,
An idiot, I suppose.
So come all you fine young fellows
Who've been beaten to the ground
This western life's no paradise,
But it's better than lying down.
Oh the streets aren't clean, and there's nothing green,
And the hills are dirty brown,
But the government dole will rot your soul
Back there in your home town.
So bid farewell to the Eastern town
You never more will see.
There's self-respect and a steady check
In this refinery.
You will miss the green and the woods and streams
And the dust will fill your nose.
But you'll be free, and just like me,
An idiot, I suppose.
The lyrics of Stan Rogers's song, The Idiot, tell the story of a man who has left his beloved Eastern town and life behind to work in a refinery in the West. He often takes night walks, seeking some peace in the industrial landscape. Despite his fond memories of his hometown, he remains committed to his Western life, refusing to take "nothing free" and seeking autonomy in his work. He recognizes the irony in the situation, acknowledging that others might call him an "idiot" for choosing this difficult life, but he is content in his freedom.
The song is a poignant commentary on the plight of blue-collar workers in the Western world, particularly those who have few options and must work in challenging environments to make a living. The lyrics also suggest a desire for independence and self-determination among those who have been forced to leave their beloved homes behind. The song captures the dichotomy of life in the West, where one can be free but also isolated and disconnected from the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
I often take these night shift walks
During the night shift, when the foreman isn't around, I go for walks to take a break from the factory environment.
When the foreman's not around
When the supervisor is not present.
I turn my back on the cooling stacks
I walk away from the industrial cooling towers.
And make for open ground
I walk towards an open area beyond the factory walls.
Far out beyond the tank-farm fence
I go far beyond the fenced tank-farm area.
Where the gas flare makes no sound
Where the gas flare does not emit noise.
I forget the stink and I always think
I forget the unpleasant odor and start to reminisce.
Back to that Eastern town
I think about my hometown in the Eastern part of the country.
So I bid farewell to the Eastern town
I say goodbye to my hometown in the East.
I never more will see
I won't be able to see it again.
But work I must so I eat this dust
I have to work at the refinery even though I don't like it.
And breathe refinery
I breathe the polluted air of the factory grounds.
Oh I miss the green and the woods and streams
I miss the natural beauty of my hometown.
And I don't like cowboy clothes
I don't like the clothing style of the Western region.
But I like being free and that makes me
However, I enjoy the freedom of living in the Western part of the country.
An idiot, I suppose.
I may be considered foolish for choosing this lifestyle.
I remember back six years ago
I recollect six years ago when I moved to the West.
This western life I chose
I decided to live in the Western part of the country.
And every day the news would say
Every day, the news broadcast showed that factories in my hometown were shutting down.
Some factory's going to close
Some factories were getting shut down.
Well, I could have stayed to take the dole
I could have stayed and collected unemployment benefits.
But I'm not one of those.
But I chose not to.
I take nothing free, and that makes me,
I don't like accepting anything for free, and that also makes me,
An idiot, I suppose.
potentially foolish for not taking free benefits.
So come all you fine young fellows
Therefore, I invite all young men who are struggling.
Who've been beaten to the ground
Who have been knocked down by tough times.
This western life's no paradise,
Living in the Western part of the country is not ideal.
But it's better than lying down.
But it's better than giving up.
Oh the streets aren't clean, and there's nothing green,
The streets are not clean and there is no beautiful greenery.
And the hills are dirty brown,
And the hills are brown from pollution.
But the government dole will rot your soul
However, the government's unemployment benefits could have a negative impact on one's inner self.
Back there in your home town.
When you're living in your home in the Eastern region.
You will miss the green and the woods and streams
You will miss the beautiful nature of the East.
And the dust will fill your nose.
You'll be exposed to airborne pollution.
But you'll be free, and just like me,
However, you will be free just like I am.
An idiot, I suppose.
Even though some may deem you foolish for your lifestyle choice.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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