No matter how bad you think your life is, there is always someone who is worse off.
That is what inspired singer/ songwriter and actor Tom Jackson to start the Huron Carole back in 1987.
“ We’re revisiting the first Huron Carole because people don’t really know the story behind it and it is such an enchanting story,” Jackson rumbled over the phone getting ready for this winter’s tour, which begins in Victoria on Nov. 30 and which comes to Lethbridge to the Yates Theatre, Dec. 2. He is bringing back some familiar faces on this year’s annual tour to raise money for food banks in each community he plays all across the country.
The show features familiar faces Beverly Mahood and Shannon Gaye, who have been performing with the Huron Carole for many years, plus One More Girl, Britt and Carly McKillip and their dad Tom, who is also Jackson’s musical director.
“ The first half of the show is the story of the event through song. The second half is the actual Christmas concert portion of the show,” he summarized adding they won’t cover exactly the same songs played during the first event.
“ I don’t actually remember what I played at the show 27 years ago,” he continued adding he clearly remembers the event that inspired him to start the Huron Carole.
“I remember I was living in a little hole in the wall in Toronto and I was looking out the window and saw a man. I decided to help him. It was 1 or 2 in the morning and I saw a bundle in the street and saw a group of people approaching it — the kind of people who when they approach and you cross the street to avoid. But instead I decided to help. I never did get his name,” he said adding he discovered the bundle in the street was actually a man and steered him to the closest soup kitchen and then realized how much help the soup kitchen itself needed.
“ I gave myself a shove and took a deep breath and I realized how many people I knew and decided to get them together and play a concert. I became addicted to something else — saving lives,” he continued.
The Huron Carole, as it came to be known, has exploded since then, raising over $200 million in cash and food donations for Food Banks and Soup Kitchens across the country.
“We still have a huge job to do, he said, observing food bank use has increased and almost 50 per cent of food bank users are children,” he said adding supporting the Huron Carole means helping your own community.
“Because every penny raised at the door goes to the three local food banks,” he said.
He has heaps of praise for the performers.
“ Shannon Gaye is a fantastic singer. She sings jazz and R and B music. She’s one of the best voices in Canada that you’ve never heard,” he said.
“And Beverly Mahood sings country music. She is always eager to help and One More Girl, Britt and Carly McKillip— I watched them grow up since they were eight and nine years old. They are dear friends of mine. Their dad has been my musical director for many years. They are on the road to stardom,” he said.
He is also excited to introduce Winnipeg singer/ songwriter Don Amero to the tour.
“ I’m from Winnipeg originally and so is he. He‘s a great guitar player and a great songwriter. This will be his first tour with us,” he said.
“ This event has become a great event It is essential to help on the ground floor,” he said .
The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $53.50.
