Willie Thrasher & Kevin "Sipreano" Howes
Photography by Amanda Leigh Smith
Words by Amanda Leigh Smith and Kevin Howes
Music can change your life. It can shape how you
see yourself and how you see the world. It is one of the most transformative
and educational tools we have. It helps us share our stories, allows us to
connect to others and to our spirit in a way that has no comparison.
Willie Thrasher, born 1948, is a trailblazing
singer-songwriter based in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, who uses his
music to educate and inspire his community and those around him. At 5 years of
age, Thrasher was taken from his home in Aklavik, Northwest Territories and
placed in the Inuvik Federal School, a federal initiative of the Canadian
government designed to assimilate Indigenous children into mainstream society.
For over 10 years, he was strictly forbidden to practice his traditional
Inuvialuit culture. Needless to say, it was a devastating experience for
Thrasher, his family, and thousands of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children
across Canada. The recent Canadian government sanctioned Truth and
Reconciliation Commission has publicly acknowledged this tragedy as a “cultural
genocide.”
Thankfully, music was a lifesaver for Thrasher.
After discovering a drum set at high school, he taught himself how to play
while pounding out his frustrations. In the mid-1960’s he drummed for the one
of the first Inuit rock bands, The Cordells, but at the advice of a stranger he
began to tap into his Aboriginal roots for inspiration rather than the Top 40
charts. Thrasher learned to play the guitar and started to write songs about
his life, his people, and nature, spending the next several decades gigging
across Canada and into the United States with other Indigenous musicians.
Thrasher’s debut LP, Spirit Child, was released in 1981, but due to
limited media and industry support it failed to receive the attention it
deserved. Nevertheless, he continued along his musical path. Over the last 10
years, Thrasher has performed as a city sanctioned busker with his partner
Linda Saddleback on Vancouver Island. He is a recognized storyteller,
ambassador, and a treasured pillar in his community.
In late 2014, Thrasher was one of 23 artists and groups featured on the
Grammy-nominated compilation Native North America (Vol 1): Aboriginal Folk,Rock, and Country 1966-1985, which introduced his music to new generations.
After a 15-year journey by producer Kevin “Sipreano” Howes, this
2-CD/3-LP/digital set, has raised awareness about these nearly forgotten
stories and songs. Howes, born 1974, is a music historian, journalist, record
collector, DJ, and a champion of marginalized music and culture with a long and
respected relationship with the Canadian music scene. Learning about and
working directly with musicians whose stories were never featured in mass media
and in reference books has given Howes a special insight into the musical past,
something that he openly shares through reissues projects like NNA V1
and the Jamaica-Toronto series. His extensive research has been
incorporated into academia and has helped to blossom career resurrections and
forge friendships with many, including Willie Thrasher.
