This article appeared in the Dec. 12, 2012 issue of the Interlake Enterprise…by Teresa Carey…
Carol McCalpin of Gimli, and friend Joe Stamper, have made it to the semifinals in Manitoba Songfest 2013, a contest that is open to Manitoba musicians and showcases original, unpublished songs of any genre.
The pair had submitted fifteen of their own songs after McCalpin learned of the contest from an article published in the Interlake Enterprise last October. One of their songs, “Seams,” which they co-wrote was selected.
“About two weeks after the [Oct. 26] deadline I got an email saying we had been picked. I was pretty pleased. [Initially] we were pretty hopeful, but after hearing the other entries, we were pretty lucky to be chosen at all,” said McCalpin.
Stamper and McCalpin, both amateur musician-songwriters with day jobs, formed a group they call “3hours,” drawing on various musical styles spanning folk, rock, blues, country, Celtic, Classical and Latin. Both play guitar and piano, and well as sing, while Stamper also plays base.
The friends had played together in a band 30 years ago but had lost track of each other for many years, but about three years ago they reconnected and have since played a small number of gigs this past summer, at the Whytewold Emporium and the Arborg Rodeo.
“We just kind of started jamming out together and it worked,” said McCalpin.
The band’s unique name, “3hrs,” is so called because of the length of time it takes to travel in order to meet up to write and play music, a journey each makes weekly on an alternating basis.
Stamper lives in Brandon where he works as a Maintenance Supervisor for the Brandon School Division. McCalpin, meanwhile, makes her home north of Gimli, working at the Riverton Early Middle School as a teacher and librarian.
3hrs is one of 95 submissions received from across Manitoba, a number that is up from 25 submissions from the first Songfest contest last year.
A broadcast of the semi-final of Manitoba Songfest 2012 entries aired on CJ Radio stations last Saturday evening, and again on Sunday afternoon, with voting open to the public at the end of the programs.
“We have received 303 votes so far from listeners and fans on our Facebook page,” said contest originator, Robert Zirk.
“While the current vote totals are published on our voting page through the voting platform we use, they aren’t definitive until my co-producer and I have verified them after the polls close. “Tic Toc” by Termanill and “Wrecking Ball Blues” by Brent Alarie are currently leading in their respective semifinals so far,” Zirk said.
People who missed voting this past weekend can listen to all the semifinalist songs and cast their votes on the internet at http://vote.mb.songfest.net. Voting will remain open until Friday at 11:00 p.m.
Public voting will account for 50 per cent of the final score, with the other 50 per cent to be decided by jury. Six finalists will then perform live at the Park Theatre in Winnipeg in January.
Lyrics for “Seams“
“You never know where this path may lead to
Hard to say if someone’s gonna need you
Hesitate and you know it’s bound to leave you
Don’t hold on too tight, baby
It can burst at the seams
There’s a chance that you might forfeit your dreams
That box of junk holds some hidden treasures
What did you find today?
Pick a place; you can keep them close beside you
Don’t hold onto it too tight
It can split at the seams
Don’t forget that you might forfeit your dreams
I can’t tell if I’m flying or walking
Starting or stopping, listening or talking
Can’t decide if it’s inside or to go
I’d like to offer some insight
But it gets caught in the seams
Don’t let go, there’s a chance that you might dream
After drowning in some rainy clouds
I drifted to your shore now
Your waves washed my disposition
And I’ve always longed
To be holding on
To what once was a premonition
I’d like to offer some insight, baby
But it gets lost in the seams
Don’t let go, there’s a chance that you might dream”
