Every songwriter yearns for that next spark of inspiration. But St. John’s, Newfoundland, Local 1620 member Vince Carey – a longtime singer and guitar player – got much more of a flash than anyone would hope for.
A sudden blaze ripped through his chimney at four in the morning several years ago, setting off alarms and summoning the rescue efforts of a handful of members of the local volunteer fire department – who arrived within minutes and squelched the flames.
“As fires go, it was pretty minor, but it could have turned into something much worse if the workers hadn’t responded so quickly,” said Carey, 57, an industrial mechanic with Newfoundland Power and a 35-year IBEW member living in Witless Bay, a small community along the province’s eastern shore.
To show his gratitude, Carey penned a tune called “Hometown Superstar” that pays homage to the firefighters who saved his home, as well as to the 6,000 volunteer emergency responders across the province. Carey recorded the song last year at a local studio, and the track is featured prominently in a new training and recruitment video produced for the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Fire Services.
Watch “Hometown Superstar”:
“These guys are real heroes,” Carey said. “For them to freely give of their time and energy is amazing.”
“Hometown Superstar” also appears on Carey’s new nine-song CD “Dance Hall Days.” With confident vocals, sharp lyrics and lush arrangements, the album’s melodic, folk-inspired rock takes aim at current events by examining the economy (“Ain’t Worth A Dime”) and the realities of armed combat (“War”). But it also strikes a personal tone with the tender “Helping Hand,” Carey’s poetic tribute to his oldest daughter, who served in Afghanistan. Carey penned four of the album’s tracks and cites Billy Joel’s songwriting and Bruce Springsteen’s working-class grit as prime influences.
“There’s a nice story behind each of the songs,” said Pat O’Keefe, a longtime co-worker and one of the shop stewards at Newfoundland Power. “We knew Vince was a songwriter, but it was a real surprise and eye-opener when the CD came out. He put a lot of time and effort into getting this project up and running.”
Since Carey’s job requires him to travel all over the province, he doesn’t get to perform live regularly – though he has occasionally played to packed hometown crowds and performed an acoustic version of “Hometown Superstar” for the Witless Bay Fire Department at its annual Christmas dinner and dance.
Carey said that a union paycheck has been a blessing for him, as he bankrolled the “Dance Hall Days” project himself.
“Being in the IBEW has given me the financial resources and freedom to pursue the music that I wanted to make,” Carey said. “I have a lot of gratitude to the union for that.”
To hear clips from “Dance Hall Days” or to order a copy, visit www.vincecarey.net.
Photo of Vince Carey by Lillian Fidler. Used with permission.
