The posthumous release of "The Secret Songs of Sam Larkin"
Sam Larkin was not a particularly well-known Canadian musician -- except to Canadian musicians themselves. They universally describe him as both a mensch and a mentor. Larkin died in October of 2013 from liver disease. Back in 2009, musician and producer Bob Wiseman approached Larkin to record an album. And now, six years later, he's released the result: "The Secret Songs of Sam Larkin" -- an album of twelve previously unrecorded Larkin tracks.
Shortly after Sam Larkin died, singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith shared with As it Happens his recollections of the musician, and how Larkin had influenced him both personally and professionally.
"I've always found him very mysterious. I mean Sam Larkin isn't even his real name. But...he was just such a great guy. He'd never really talk much about himself, he had a lot of kind words about what other people were doing. It was just eye-opening to hear his songs, and it just made me work harder at my songs." - Ron Sexsmith
You can listen to that entire interview here, and hear Sexsmith cover what was perhaps Sam Larkin's best-known song, "Mirabeau Bridge" below:
Wiseman was also deeply affected by his friendship with Larkin. A founding member of Blue Rodeo and a prolific solo artist and producer, Wiseman likewise credits Larkin for shaping his early experiences as a budding musician in Toronto. Here's how he explains why he chose to refer to these recordings as the "secret" songs of Sam Larkin:
"The guy had a love of being off the radar. I don't think he had any kind of criminal past, but he enjoyed being more or less anonymous in the world. I think it gave him a sense of freedom in putting out his work in a public context....I guess he thought the art would speak for itself, and otherwise it was just amusing to him to move that way." -Bob Wiseman
Wiseman launched an Indiegogo campaign to help fund the project. And tonight, friends and fellow musicians of Larkin's will gather at Toronto's Tranzac Club to celebrate the result, and perform songs from the album.
