When people ask me about the types of events and venues that I have played in my musical career, I proceed to tell them how I have played festivals, bars, weddings, corperate functions and funerals. When ever I mention funerals it seems to strike a lot of people with curious questions.
“Funerals? What kind of music do you play at funerals?” - I don’t know if its because they are used to seeing me play Benny and the Jets on a Saturday night and can’t imagine me playing a song at a funeral, but a lot of times people are puzzled when I mention this.
My aunt Patsy, my uncle Lionel and I have a long list of funeral services that we have played music for. Part of this reason is because the friends and family from the Gatineau Hills are like a large community that we belong to where people often volunteer and help each other out during family functions and events and unfortunately the more people you connect with the more people you lose some day.
Wayne Brennan was a community man. He dedicated his time to his family and his community and both benefited greatly from all the work he put forth. He was a member of the Lion’s club and a councillor for the township of Low. When I think back to being a kid I can remember him as the guy I would always see at community events up in Low.
I remember he was that guy who was always either fixing something or taking out a garbage bag or painting something. He was always amongst the many faces that created the sense of community and familiarity in Low. Unfortunately Wayne suddenly and very shockingly to his family, passed away at the age of 69. His son Tim got ahold of me and wondered if I wouldn’t mind singing a few songs for his dad’s funeral. So this week I found some time to learn a couple of songs requested from the Brennan’s.
If you want to see the measure of a person who gives their life’s work to their family, friends and neighbours, then you should have seen the people who showed up today filling the church in Farrellton. There were cars parked along side of highway 105 because there just wasn’t enough space to for the many people who were touched by Wayne Brennen.
Although it is sometimes hard to juggle a busy schedule, I feel good about lending a hand in memory of a man who lent his to so many people. Here is a song I leaned for the funeral called “Remember when” by Alan Jackson.
“Funerals? What kind of music do you play at funerals?” - I don’t know if its because they are used to seeing me play Benny and the Jets on a Saturday night and can’t imagine me playing a song at a funeral, but a lot of times people are puzzled when I mention this.
My aunt Patsy, my uncle Lionel and I have a long list of funeral services that we have played music for. Part of this reason is because the friends and family from the Gatineau Hills are like a large community that we belong to where people often volunteer and help each other out during family functions and events and unfortunately the more people you connect with the more people you lose some day.
Wayne Brennan was a community man. He dedicated his time to his family and his community and both benefited greatly from all the work he put forth. He was a member of the Lion’s club and a councillor for the township of Low. When I think back to being a kid I can remember him as the guy I would always see at community events up in Low.
I remember he was that guy who was always either fixing something or taking out a garbage bag or painting something. He was always amongst the many faces that created the sense of community and familiarity in Low. Unfortunately Wayne suddenly and very shockingly to his family, passed away at the age of 69. His son Tim got ahold of me and wondered if I wouldn’t mind singing a few songs for his dad’s funeral. So this week I found some time to learn a couple of songs requested from the Brennan’s.
If you want to see the measure of a person who gives their life’s work to their family, friends and neighbours, then you should have seen the people who showed up today filling the church in Farrellton. There were cars parked along side of highway 105 because there just wasn’t enough space to for the many people who were touched by Wayne Brennen.
Although it is sometimes hard to juggle a busy schedule, I feel good about lending a hand in memory of a man who lent his to so many people. Here is a song I leaned for the funeral called “Remember when” by Alan Jackson.