Sit down and sing, says mom

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

Kings County Register

For Wava Jordan's family, country music and a lot of love was how they survived the slings and arrows of life.

She can prove it: her scratchy cassette recordings of her kids as young as six make them grin now; for her, those tapes are a testament to the power of music.

Raising three children on her own, this Wolfville mom was determined to have a musical family.

"Besides, I knew it would keep them out of some trouble. Rick was a little devilish," she chuckles, looking over at the polished performer he is now.

Wava herself is a musician in her own right. Her father bought her first guitar from the Sears catalogue before there were any music stores in the Valley. She played and sang at the Wolfville school with friends and at house parties. Among her favourite country singers: Kitty Wells, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and the Carter Family.

She and her brother, Delmar Jordan, used to sing in harmony. In fact, she remembers them once singing, "Are You Teasing Me" at a barn concert in Gaspereau, organized by Murray Porter.

Over the years, Wava has written about 100 songs. Tough times and struggles most often inspired her. She poured her heart and soul into songwriting on occasion. She sees now creating those songs was a survival technique.

"They mean a lot to you. I'd get sorry for myself or low. Then, I'd realize that it was only about material things and I was blind to what was around me. That's where (the song) ‘Blind Man’ came from."

Son Allan started off on a Lowery organ with her encouragement. At about age 10, he would come home from school and play regularly.

"He was just a kid, but I recognized he had talent."

Leaving an unhappy marriage in Ontario in 1969, she recalls her children grew up close on Highland Ave. Allan and Rick were born exactly a year apart anyway.

Wava sent Allan briefly to well-known musician Keith Ross for a lesson or two. She recalls it wasn't long before he switched from organ to guitar. He grew to love it, she says, and is largely self-taught.

When the Spinney children were young, old-fashioned kitchen parties where guitars flourished were the family's entertainment.

"We'd sing until the wee hours. We sang until we couldn't sing anymore."

When the boys were 12 or 13, they visited British Columbia and first got excited by traditional bluegrass music. Initially keener about sports than music, Rick eventually decided to learn the banjo. In 1987, he had a few lessons with another local musician, Roy Thomson, and Canadian bluegrass great Vic Mullen. Then, he taught himself.

On one occasion, Rick came to her because he had a high school assignment to write a ballad. They talked over the concept and Wava ended up writing 'Here Comes Autumn,' now on their third CD.

In 1989, the boys began playing bluegrass in public with their friend, Steve Jackson. Then, in 1991, the two brothers, with their finely-tuned harmonies, formed a complete bluegrass band.

Wava has a box full of lyrics and a memory at 64 that has preserved all of the tunes. These days, however, she has to whistle or hum them since losing her voice a few years ago due to thyroid problems.

The Spinney Brothers have recorded four of their mom’s songs, and they know the box is there if they want to explore others.

Wava says she always knew her boys had great potential as musicians. Yet, she is just as proud of them as people.

“The men they've become - and my daughter, too. I am so thankful that I sat them down and made them sing. "

Today, she marvels at their four independent recordings and concerts in far flung places - Manitoba, Missouri and Arizona. Once they took her along to the home of country music, Nashville, for a memorable trip.

“I’m happy and amazed and so proud of their accomplishments,” she grins. Her persistence has paid off.

See the show

The Spinney Brothers Bluegrass Band has a concert booked for April 5 at Horton High School, when they’ll release their fifth CD. Showtime is 7 p.m. and tickets are $15.