B.C. senior releases first album of original songs at age 80

Sawatsky Sign-Off: Emma's 80 Album “You can do this!” Adam finds out how a Sidney senior realized the dream of releasing her first album at 80 years old.

Sidney, B.C. — When Emma Robbins was little, she would never have imagined that one day music would not be part of her life.

“I used to sing on the swing outside my house,” Emma recalls with a laugh.

“And the whole neighbourhood could hear me.”

Emma learned to play guitar at age eight, won regional singing competitions at 10, and by 16, was earning fame across the Maritimes, performing on TV every week.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” she says humbly, before showing me her picture on the cover of the TV guide.

“I just sang.”

It was a big deal when she married her first love John. And it was a big deal-breaker when they decided to start a family.

“You couldn’t be on TV if you were pregnant back then,” Emma says. “And that broke my heart.”

So Emma gave up her career as a singer to focus on being a wife and mother. While she relished her new roles, she says she missed music a lot.

“I did have some very rough years that I had to get through,” Emma says of life’s inevitable ups and downs.

“And probably music would have helped.”

During the roughest year of all, when John suffered a life-changing stroke, Emma suddenly started hearing lyrics in her head.

“It was a surprise to me,” Emma says. “I had never really written a song before.”

Yet Emma felt compelled to write about “roads getting tougher,” “seas growing rougher,” and a long-term marriage becoming stronger.

It was the first of nine songs she was inspired to pen before just putting them away.

“I never thought it would go anywhere,” Emma says.

The then-65-year-old was too focused on her new role as caregiver anyway.

Until Emma turned 80.

“I used it think anyone 80 was ready for the dustbin,” Emma smiles.

Emma’s son James knew different. He helped his mom set-up a laptop and microphone to turn her closet into a studio.

Surrounded by clothes, Emma recorded original country songs ranging from the emotional to the mirthful.

For Emma, it felt like no time had passed between age 18 and 80.

“This was just the way it would be when I would sing as a kid,” Emma laughs.

Sixty years after quitting her career, Emma found herself recording her first album, titled “80.”

After the original country songs were professionally produced, Emma released her collection on all the major streaming platforms.

She says John is proud and hopes listeners are inspired to never give up on their dreams.

“You can do this!” Emma smiles.

No matter how unconventional the stage, it’s never too late for a star to be reborn.