Wendy Owens Abbott​​
MUSIC
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"The Storm" was written in my car, in my head on the drive home after dropping a friend off following an afternoon of listening to music. Ambrose and Jean Stone had hosted one of their loft concerts and Kim Dunn had performed. He spoke of writing music and how simple it can be for him. He would just look outside and choose a subject and start writing. So that is what I did. I saw storm clouds on a beautiful sunny day. It does have some reference to stormy relationships but I didn't see that on my drive home. The drive was only about ten minutes long, so it came really quick to me. Thanks Kim!
"Damn The Time" came at a very dark time of my life. My Aunt Clarissa had died of cancer, my bestfriend's mother Sharon and grandmother "Ducka" were killed in a horrible car accident and my 8 year old nephew, Jordan had died of cancer. I couldn't bring myself out of my funk. I sat myself down to write this song. Most of it came from trying to imagine how sad my friend was with the loss of her family, how close she was to them and how she couldn't talk to them anymore like she had did everyday for so many years.
Singing and playing guitar was the best way I knew to cope and this is the song that came from that.
Arnold was a prolific songwriter and gifted musician, who authored "Matthew's Voyage", "Home Again", "When I Say I Do I Will", "Angelina's Wish" and many other beautiful Cape Breton songs.
Arnold left us far too early and was credited with being among Nova Scotia's most gifted musicians and songwriters. He won several awards for songwriting and performed on both coasts as well as internationally.
When Arnold was enduring the last few weeks of his battle with cancer, he "instructed" his partner Laurie to ask me to sing for his farewell celebration. I was so taken aback that he would think of me at this time.
The celebration was just that. I had never experienced in all my days such an emotional yet beautiful goodbye. Being such an emotional writer, this song took me about 10 minutes to write when I got home that day.
I wish I had the chance to tell Arnold what an impact he had on me, not only musically but compassionately and how I look at people differently. What you see on the outside is hardly ever what is on the inside.
