North Bay musician’s charitable anthem advances in international competition

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North Bay man's boomer anthem up for international prize

Northern Ontario boomer’s catchy tune raises money for charities

Being a Boomer Ain't Bad - Official Music Video

A northern Ontario ‘amateur’ musician’s lighthearted ode to the baby boomer generation has advanced to the semi-finals of an international songwriting competition.

Stan French’s song “Being a Boomer Ain’t Bad” is among the semi-finalists in the Comedy/Novelty category at the International Songwriting Competition based out of Nashville, Tenn.

The song will now be reviewed by established artists and music industry executives who will judge entries equally on melody, composition, originality and lyrics to determine finalists and an overall winner.

“My song, ‘Being a Boomer Ain’t Bad,’ apparently... ain’t bad,” French said after learning of his semi-finalist status.

The grand prize is US$25,000, which French has pledged to donate to selected charities if he wins.

All finalists will also be included in public voting via the ISC website to determine the People’s Voice Winner.

French previously told CTV News that he initially wrote the song a couple of years ago while on his way to play old-timers’ hockey at the West Ferris arena, when he started thinking that being a boomer isn’t bad at all. He began humming a catchy melody and decided to write lyrics and record the uplifting tune.

Charitable mission

French said he entered the competition to potentially help promote the song but also to test whether it was as good as he believed. As president of Bay Search and Rescue and chief pilot with Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) North Bay, the 70-something volunteer said he wasn’t looking to launch a new musical career.

“I’m far too busy as a volunteer as president of BAYSAR and chief pilot with CASARA North Bay. The logical alternative was to record the song for charity,” French said.

“Given my position with BAYSAR that runs Project Lifesaver, I knew which charities I wanted to support: One Kids Place, the Alzheimer Society and the VON Smile Program.”

Project Lifesaver provides transmitters that help police locate clients who may wander off due to conditions like dementia or autism. Currently, 73 clients in the Nipissing District are fitted with the devices.

“Once I decided why I was going to record the song, the how just fell into place,” French said.

Community collaboration

French said he had no trouble recruiting volunteer musicians who formed the band The North Bay Boomers to accompany him in the studio. They included Pat O’Kane, Chris Clarke, Bob Bartlett, Neil Kennedy, Linda McCarthy and Janis Herzog.

Canadore College provided the studio, while the Capitol Centre, the North Bay Granite Club and Osprey Links Golf course contributed locations for the video.

“As a retired senior, you’re going to have the challenges and losses — things like losses of friends or losses of things like eyesight and hearing,” French said in an interview last year when the song was released.

“There’s going to be challenges. But if you can laugh at those and say that’s part of life, that’s good.”

The video shows French staying active by playing hockey, curling and pickleball, greeting neighbours, taking a cruise and seeing the doctor — while also forgetting sometimes where he is.

All royalties from the song support One Kids Place, The Alzheimer Society of North Bay and Sudbury, and the Victorian Order of Nurses SMILE Program — three charities that refer clients to BAYSAR and support families needing Project Lifesaver.

Community impact

One Kids Place currently has 49 children on the autism spectrum in the program. The funding will help offset the cost of Project Lifesaver enrolment.

“It’s incredibly comforting to families that they have a number to call, and it immediately mobilizes a team to go and find their child,” said One Kids Place volunteer coordinator Jesse Reid, speaking with CTV News last year.

“As nice as it is to have this minor recognition, since I released the song to help raise money for charities that support people in need of Project Lifesaver, my hope is that this news will result in more people streaming the song or viewing the music video for the benefit of the charities,” French said.

“Since the song’s release last May, the streams and views of the video have grown fairly steadily. Project Lifesaver continues to grow as a valuable service to North Bay and area, and my song that helps support Project Lifesaver has become a success right along with it.”

“Any further success for the song will hopefully translate to even more success for BAYSAR and Project Lifesaver,” French added.

“Being a Boomer Ain’t Bad” is available on major music platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. The music video is available to view above and on French’s YouTube channel and website.

With files from CTVNorthernOntario.ca journalist Eric Taschner

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