“CANADA TO THE FORE” by Des Kelly

Until now, I have been concentrating on America, their “Country Music” singers, their superb “backing bands”, their “songs”, their new President, as a matter of fact, everything American.

Tonight, I sit here, in my armchair, thinking about many wonderful people who were very close to me, in life, who have now “passed on” to what would have to be, a better place, considering the “shambles” we call the World today.

“Country Music” is what we call it. I would now like to give it another original name, especially for the readers of eLanka. Very simply, “Life-Theme” is my name for this beautiful music that is done “Country-Style”(another original composition of mine), and folks, while, on the 29th of March, 2016, “My Dawn” as I will simply call her, passed away in Canada, and very much more recently, on the 24th of February, 2018(just yesterday), “Guitar-John”, as I call him , had his life also celebrated in Canada. Both were very dear friends and my message to them is, again, very simply, “Rest-easy”, both of you, we will meet again, very soon.

I suppose, thinking about these dear friends, I naturally started thinking Country Music, this time, from Canada. My Dawn loved music too, while the name Guitar John, speaks for itself. He could play the instrument superbly. I have been so very proud to know them both.

I have also  been singing the praises of many Country Music Stars who, I think “stand out” Stars such as Merle Haggard, Ray Price George Jones, Gene Watson, Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, & so many others, so why not Canada ?. To set the record straight, I will now mention the name Hank Snow, a Country music Legend from Canada.

I remember Hank Snow from the time I was a teenager, back in Ceylon, loved some of the songs he sang, and I believe he recorded plenty of great songs of eras past, but then, in the 80’s, once again from the land that is closely connected with America anyway, Then, here comes this guy that “connected” very thoroughly with me. After you listen to him, my friends, his name will be “Chiseled In Stone”,for you,  as well. His name is Vernon (Vern Gosdin), the song (above), is something very special indeed, sad lyrics, with

beautiful backing music, sung with so much “feeling”, it is certainly a “Life-Theme” song like no other. Listen & enjoy.

Desmond Kelly

Star of eLanka

(Editor-in-Chief)