ea rly starters, late bloomers By Barbara Bruederlin on my knees scrubbing the kitchen floor and feeling quite sorry for my poor Cinderella Like flowers in a perennial garden, per- self,” she explains, “and I started singing a formers come into bloom at widely diver- blues song in rhythm to the scrubbing mogent times of life, some bursting forth with tion.” the first warm rays, others holding back till I’ve Got the Waiting for the Morning Blues the flush of summer has faded. The purple was the first of many songs that Carolyn aster is one of the last flowers to bloom in the penned over the years, as she taught herself fall, a colourful reminder that there is ample guitar, established songwriters’ groups and life and beauty in the waning of the year. began the foray into performing her original Carolyn Harley proudly calls herself a pur- songs. The night she attended her first open ple aster. Although a songwriter for almost mic, armed with three songs she had writforty years, she considers herself a musical ten, was a musical awakening. “I had a sense late bloomer. “I am only now,” she admits, of myself as a musician/performer from that “at the age of 62, releasing a professionally first time,” she maintains. produced CD.” If Carolyn Harley is a purple aster, Hannah Although singalongs around the piano Smart is a snow crocus who barely waits for were an important part of the social fabric the spring melt before pushing forth green on the Air Force bases where she grew up, it sprouts. A seasoned veteran at the grizzled wasn’t until Carolyn was in her early twen- age of 17, Hannah has always found her ties, a young mother with a small child, that passion in performing, making her public she felt driven to write her first song. “I was singing debut belting out O Canada at Calgary’s Race City Speedway when she was seven. “They let me sing it up in the tower,” she recalls. “Back then I was terrified Box 880, 36083 - 97th St. Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0 250.498.3711 of the crowds.” Is pleased to support winter events in the South Okanagan Now a performer with The Young Canadians of December 11 South November 18-19 Arts the Calgary Stampede Okanagan Sportsmens’ & Craft show at the and a student at the orgaAssociation 63rd annual Community Hall. This is a nization’s performing arts big event featuring loads black powder shoot. Call school, Hannah was very of local crafts and artisans 250-498-3205. comfortable headlining call 250-498-6649. last summer’s grandstand December 26 & 27 show. She attributes her Vaseux Lake annual November 26 Rotary ability to perform beClub hosts their annual Christmas bird count. fore nightly audiences of call 250-495-6164. Scotch Tasting event. thousands to her menCall 250-498-0700. tors and to the showbiz December 31 Okanagan drive she has always felt. November 27 the Legion Portugese New Year’s “I would always dance dance. Call for ticket hosts a Grey Cup party around my house singinfo 250-498-4985. in the lounge. Call 250ing songs I learned at 498-3868. pre-school and I would December 31 Mount put on little shows for my December 2 - 4 Baldy ski hill New Year’s parents,” Hannah recalls. dance on the hill. Visit Christmas on the “It has always just felt like www.skibaldy.com for Golden Mile winter at the the most natural thing to details. wineries. Call 250-498do.” The Travelling Mabels, 3743.
10 BC Musician | November - December 2011
meanwhile, are a mixed bouquet of threepart harmony wrought by Lana Floen and the mother-daughter team of Eva and Suzanne Levesque. In a band comprised of three generations of women, each member brings a unique sensibility. “Because of the generational difference, we all have different outlooks on life,” explains Lana, “and are influenced by different styles of music that have shaped our own style.” Despite those differences, it was clear from the first time they sang together that the Travelling Mabels were destined to blossom. At the 2008 CCMAs, where Suzanne had been nominated for bass player of the year, the three women found themselves at a Royalty Records party, where they were invited to sing together at the open mic. “By the time we came down from the stage we had three cards from industry people,” they laugh. “We all knew at that point that we had something special.” All three women recall strong musical influences early in their lives. “While all the other kids were out playing and running around, when the music started in the living room, I immediately was drawn to go in, sit and listen,” Lana reminisces. Too shy to sing alone until the age of 26, she was always mesmerized by harmony. “I sang with close friends and was always trying to get them to sing the lead line while I would try to harmonize.” “I grew up with a very musical father,” Eva adds. She would accompany her father on guitar while he played fiddle. She then became a strong musical influence for her own daughter, forming the Levesque family band. Although Suzanne began performing with the family band at 12, she admits that she may not have become a musician at all without family influence. “I remember imagining being a singer,” she says, “but playing the bass was sort of a necessity. Everyone in the family played an instrument and we had a bass at the time, so I became the bass player.” Some are born to perform, others overcome shyness, step in to fill a void, or simply take the long leisurely route to finding their voice. Once bit, though, the performance bug lasts forever. Says Carolyn Harley, “when I hit 70, I should be in full stride.”