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Okanagan musician honours uncle with Remembrance Day song

Okanagan musician honours uncle with Remembrance Day song | iNFOnews.ca
Barry Mathers, second from left, plays with the Cruzeros in Zurich, Switzerland, 2007. Credit: Contributed: Barry Mathers

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A local musician thinks the Remembrance Day song he recorded 10 years ago about his uncle's wartime experience should underscore the futility of war for a new generation.

“I’m a pacifist myself,” Barry Mathers says. "But as I always say, we didn’t start it but we had to finish it. We couldn’t let Hitler carry one with what he was doing, it was as simple as that. I think its important for young people to realize that. It had to be done.”

Mathers and his band the Cruzeros released the song Nov. 11 on their Scandalosa album in 2005. It marks Mather’s memories of his uncle, who lost a leg soon after arriving in Italy during the Second World War, and his visits to the family when they lived in Osoyoos.

“He would always take his prothesis off right away, because it hurt him. It never fit right. I never heard him talk about the war and we didn’t ask. But he was the inspiration to me."

Mathers recently reposted the song to his Facebook page, along with a written tribute to his uncle, where it has enjoyed steady play amongst fans old and new as Remembrance Day looms.

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To contact a reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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John McDonald

By John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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