GIVEAWAY: Enter to Win Tickets to the Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival (Grass Valley, CA) 6/12-6/15
Tag: father’s day
Rachael Kilgour’s Tribute to her Extraordinary Ordinary Dad
Rachael Kilgour unravels the layers of her late father on the album, My Father Loved Me. Recorded in the cold of Toronto and produced by Rose Cousins (who also joins us for this conversation), this album carries the essence of Canadian roots and is a profound exploration of family heritage through the lens of an ordinary, hard working, and humble man who died in 2017. Duluth-born Rachael, and Rose, based in Halifax, reflect on their cold weather experiences, infusing the recording process with warmth despite the chilly Canadian setting.
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The core of our discussion revolves around Rachael’s deep emotional connection to the album, particularly her poignant exploration of the father-daughter relationship amidst the challenges of dementia. We navigate the themes of grief, death, and identity while learning about Rachael’s father, his impact, and how he continues to live on through Rachael’s personality and idiosyncrasies. They shared the struggle of anxiety and self-doubt, which the songwriter addresses on the album. We also get a look into Rose’s perspective on Rachael’s growth and the impact the vulnerable creative process has had on her songwriting. And then, we wrap it all up with a very fun Dad-themed lightning round.
Photo Credit: Sara Pajunen
WATCH: Rachael Kilgour, “Dad Worked Hard”
Artist: Rachael Kilgour
Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota
Song: “Dad Worked Hard”
Album: My Father Loved Me (produced by Rose Cousins)
Release Date: September 22, 2023
In Their Words: “My dad was an ordinary working man: trustworthy and stubborn with calloused hands and an unwieldy appetite. Work as a builder left him exhausted at the end of each day — he fell asleep reading bedtime stories, watching the hockey game, and even eating his own dinner. Thanks to his work ethic and my mother’s careful spending, I had a happy and safe childhood; one purposefully focused on relationships and cooperation in lieu of material success.
“In the final years of his life, dementia forced my dad to rely on others the way we had relied on him, even as he struggled to the end to maintain his independence. His last chapter left me thinking a lot about how we value life and labor. No one could look at my dad’s life and say he didn’t try hard enough, could they? And yet there we were making choices about his care from a place of financial limitation.
“I want to live in a world where every father, every human, can be afforded the very best of care in times of need, no matter who they are or where they went to school or what their particular talents were. Surely we are each worthy.” – Rachael Kilgour
Photo Credit: Sara Pajunen
WATCH: Merle Monroe, “Dad”
Artist: Merle Monroe
Hometown: Sanford, Florida (Tim Raybon) and Elizabethton, Tennessee (Daniel Grindstaff)
Song: “Dad”
Album: Back to the Country
Release Date: June 21, 2019
Label: Pinecastle Records
In Their Words: “Out of all the titles I have had, ‘Dad’ is the best. This song resonates with me on many levels — my own dad, the father figures I have had influence me through the years, and being a dad to my two sons. Words can’t describe how wonderful I feel when I hear ‘I love you, Dad.'” — Daniel Grindstaff
“To all the Dads who go to work everyday to provide for their family… Save a little back for a weekend fishing trip or have to buy gym shoes for their kids to play ball. Thank you Dad for all you do for us!” — Tim Raybon
Photo credit: Pinecastle Records
Daddy-O: A Father’s Day Playlist
This Father's Day (June 19), you could do what you always do and buy your pops the same pair of new socks that he doesn't need. Or, you could give dear old dad the gift of music. To get you started, we've pulled together some of our favorite songs about dads, written from both the perspective of fathers and from those of the kids who loved them. If you're feeling generous, pick up an album or two featuring songs from the list. If not, at least send dad a link to the Spotify playlist. Either way, his sock drawer will thank you.
"Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore" — Chris Stapleton
This tearjerker from Chris Stapleton is served up with a little twist, made all the more heartwrenching by his stellar vocals and somber delivery.
"Daddy Sang Bass" — Johnny Cash
This 1968 tune, written for Cash by Carl Perkins, is a testament to the bonds of both family and music — both of which, in this case, are anchored by dad and his bass.
"Undercover Dad" — Jonny Corndawg (now Jonny Fritz)
A snooping dad must grapple with what he finds in his teenage daughter's diary in this sweet, light-hearted tune from Jonny Corndawg's 2011 Down on the Bikini Line.
"Paradise" — John Prine
A father teaches his son about the perils of mountaintop removal in this classic John Prine tune from his 1971 self-titled debut album.
"My Father's Father" — the Civil Wars
Ghosts of the past and his "father's father's" blood on the tracks bring a prodigal son home in this song from the now-defunct duo's 2011 debut album, Barton Hollow.
"A Father's First Spring" — the Avett Brothers
One of the most profound statements on an album (The Carpenter) that grapples with bassist Bob Crawford's daughter's battle with brain cancer, "A Father's First Spring" tugs at heartstrings with lines like "I do not live unless I live in your light."
"Coal Miner's Daughter" — Loretta Lynn
"Daddy worked all night in the Van Lear coal mines," and his proud daughter wrote one of the greatest country songs of all time to thank him for that hard work.
"Welcome to Earth (Pollywog)" — Sturgill Simpson
Sturgill Simpson's new album, A Sailor's Guide to Earth, is something of a guidebook for living for his young son, and opening track "Welcome to Earth (Pollywog)" introduces us to "the greatest love [he's] ever known."
Photo credit: CarbonNYC [in SF!] via Foter.com / CC BY.