Stan Rogers

Stanley Allison Rogers (November 29, 1949 – June 2, 1983) was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter. Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely-crafted, traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by

Stanley Allison Rogers (November 29, 1949 – June 2, 1983) was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter. Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely-crafted, 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. Rogers' life was cut tragically short when he died in an airliner accident on the ground at the Greater Cincinnati Airport at the age of 33. A larger-than-life figure, both figuratively and literally, his influence on Canadian folk music has been deep and lasting.

Rogers was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the eldest son of Nathan Allison "Al" Rogers and Valerie Rogers (née Bushell), two Maritimers who had relocated to Ontario in search of work shortly after their marriage in July 1948. Although Rogers was raised in rural Wentworth County, Ontario near Hamilton, 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, handbuilt by his uncle Lee Bushell, when he was only 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 younger brother Garnet Rogers, six years his junior. By the time that Stan was attending Saltfleet High School in Stoney Creek, he started to meet other young people interested in folk music, although at this time he was also dabbling in Rock and Roll, singing and playing Bass guitar in garage bands such as "Stanley and the Living Stones".