By Adam Prudhomme
Staff Reporter
Prior to embarking on the very 21st century activity of geocaching tomorrow night, guests at Conservation Park will have the chance to turn back the clock a few decades with folk-pop singer Andy Forgie.
Taking the stage at 6:30 p.m., his one-man show titled They Don’t Write ‘Em Like This Anymore will feature iconic songs from The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, James Taylor and more. His show will serve as the launch of Lennox and Addington County’s Mega geocaching event, though it’s free to anyone who wishes to attend, and they need not take part in any geocaching.
“I’m kind of an old dude,” jokes Forgie when asked about what the music of the 1960s and ‘70s resonates with him. “I grew up with that music and I do have a special spot for it in my heart.”
He certainly isn’t the only one as the music from that era has endured the test of time and is still popular today.
“I just think it was a very special time in what you might call the explosion of the singer-songwriter,” said Forgie. “Leading up to The Beatles, there was kind of a bit of a divide. There was the songwriter and the singer. That was sort of the way it was back in the day. Then when The Beatles came on the scene, and Bob Dylan and the whole explosion, all of a sudden the artists were also writing their own material. That turned it into a whole new game.”
Unlike many of the one-hit wonders or fads that have come and gone since that era, Forgie says the songs from that timeframe will always be remembered and performed.
“In every facet of the arts there have been a renaissance periods,” said Forgie. “Whether it be literature or architecture, or whatever the case may be. I really believe in the case of music, there was certain renaissance periods, whether it was the renaissance of music with Beethoven and that whole scene or the renaissance of The Beatles, Dylan and The Rolling Stones.”
Audience members may recognize Forgie from his other venture, performing as lead vocalist for All You Need Is Love, an internationally acclaimed Beatles tribute band. Along with playing all over eastern Ontario, he has taken the act to Belgium, San Francisco, Miami Beach, New York City and of course, Liverpool, England. Through his long storied career he has shared the bill with the likes of Peter Frampton, America, Jefferson Starship, The Zombies and others.
“I’ve had the chance to make music my life, and that’s not always an easy thing to do,” said Forgie. “I was able to diversify and do a little bit of this and that and when you add it all up I was able to carve out a living and enjoy what I do and along the way have some pretty cool experiences.”
During his show tomorrow night he’ll mix in some stories of his musical travels as well as share some insight into some of the iconic songs from that era.
“I like to talk about the songs and the artists and get into the behind the scenes that aren’t necessarily big secrets but not everyone may be aware of how a particular song came to be or what lead up to a song being composed and things of that nature,” said Forgie. “It’s fun to share those little stories.”
The event is sponsored by L&A County as well as the L&A Geocachers. Admission to the show is free, though guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.