Canadian Musician - November/December 2017 | Page 9

FIRST
TAKE
Taking Care of One Another
By
Andrew King,
Editor-in-Chief
We all knew it was coming,
but still, it hurt.
News of Gord Downie’s death on Oct.
17, 2017 spread quickly the next morning,
seemingly reaching every square kilometre
of the country.
If there was a silver lining to the numerous
reports, it was the way many highlighted
the activism and related initiatives The
Tragically Hip’s beloved frontman had
undertaken since his terminal diagnosis
nearly 18 months prior. Several of those had
to do with Canada’s reconciliation with its
indigenous residents and communities – an
issue Downie worked doggedly to inject into
the national consciousness.
It was inspiring as it happened – a
man bravely and admirably dedicating his
remaining days and, ultimately, his death to a
cause so clearly dear to him. It also resulted in
more music and poetry from a truly talented
creator, and I’ll accept that gift, selfish as it
may be.
Coincidentally, the unwelcome news
about Downie came at a time that we here
at Canadian Musician were working on a few
different projects with another very gifted
Canadian musician – one with an impressive
legacy in his own right who has also been
struggling with his health of late.
John Cody lost his singing voice to cancer
of the larynx. Soon, he’ll have another surgery
that will likely take away his ability to speak.
He’s being treated for colon cancer and will
soon undergo his seventh polypectomy
in four years. He also suffers from a severe
W W W. C A N A D I A N M U S I C I A N . CO M
degenerative autoimmune disease that
has robbed him of his mobility, is awaiting
surgery to remove necrotic tissue and prevent
potentially fatal infection, and has developed
diabetes due to digestive issues related to
his cancer.
While you may not know John Cody as a
household name, you almost certainly know
some of his work. Throughout his decades
in the music business, Cody has performed
and co-written with the likes of Tom Cochrane,
Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, Keith Urban, Holly
Cole, Grace Jones, and many others. Earlier
this year, he released his fourth and final solo
album, Hard Won: The Final Recordings, which
was cut just prior to his career-ending surgery
on his larynx.
This is a man whose life’s work in the music
industry has brought joy to literally millions of
people around the globe. This is also a man
who has been forced, by no fault of his own,
into poverty by a seemingly endless barrage
of health complications.
Whereas Downie – an icon of a bygone era
in the music industry – was able to dedicate
his time and creativity to important causes in
spite of his health, Cody is struggling to simply
survive and cope with his conditions. Despite
a very modest living space and lifestyle, Cody
relies on the generosity of family and friends
to make ends meet.
Fortunately, he’s received assistance from
the Unison Benevolent Fund (more on that
and John’s story in Mike Raine’s Indie Insider
piece in this issue) and has shared his story
to bring more attention to the increasingly
important charity. Canadian Musician
Publisher Jim Norris also spearheaded a
crowdfunding campaign through GoFundMe
to help offset some of John’s health-related
expenses and bolster the $21 that’s left over
from his monthly disability cheques after
paying his rent and basic utilities.
But here’s the thing. As it stands in our
crazy and ever-evolving music industry, I think
we’re moving into an era that will produce
many more stories like John’s.
It’s hard to make a full-time career in
music these days. Damn hard. And while we
at Canadian Musician remain committed to
helping you do it, we also recognize that,
collectively, as the Canadian music industry,
we’re going to need some things to change
for a “career in music” to still be something
to which people want to – and can – aspire.
The health, happiness, and well-being of
the veterans of our industry, I think, says a lot
about the state of said industry, and I’m not
sure we’re going to like what we’re seeing in
the coming years unless we work together to
(re-)establish an ecosystem that can sustain a
proper career throughout its proper lifecycle.
I really wish I could spitball a few of those
ideas myself, here and now, though the truth
is, I’m only just coming to terms with the
prospect of there being a lot more stories like
John’s landing in my inbox or cropping up on
my various news feeds going forward. What’s
worse is that such tragedies – accidents,
health complications, acts of god – could
affect children or other dependants and thus
be even more devastating.
John remains optimistic, humble, and
good-humoured despite it all, though not
everyone can be that strong.
As an industry, we need to come together
and devise ways to not on ly take care of one
another when such things are inflicted upon
us, but more importantly, be in a position to
better prevent them from happening in the
first place.
Unison is indispensable, and GoFundMe
campaigns are great, though ultimately,
they’re bandages and not cures. For the music
industry to survive, and for those working in
it to thrive, we need long-term solutions for
economic security.
How we go about that, I’m not sure, but I’ll
definitely be thinking a lot about it, and would
love to get the discourse started.
We all miss Gord, though I truly hope other
people forced into a situation like his aren’t so
burdened by hardships that they can’t be as
active, creative, and inspiring with the time
they have left.
Please visit
www.friendsofjohncody.com
for more about John and, if you’re so
inclined, to help.
CANADIAN MUSICIAN • 9