Sonny Don’t Go Away: A Tribute to Ron Hynes Due Out On October 20
A music video for “Dark River,” performed by Amelia Curran and Duane Andrews, has premiered today. The track is the second to be released from Sonny Don’t Go Away: A Tribute to Ron Hynes, a collection of 20 songs written by the beloved Canadian icon and covered by a collection of Newfoundland and Labrador-based artists, set for release on October 20 via Sonic Records. The album, produced by Alan Doyle and Cory Tetford, will be available at all digital retailers and streaming services, and physically on CD and limited edition double white vinyl.
“I’ve said this before, but it’s always noteworthy,” says Curran. “The thing about Ron Hynes, is that he was around. In the late 1990s, you could find me working the door at the Ship Inn or the Rose & Thistle in downtown St. John’s. Ron would play fairly often then. And there wouldn’t be a guest list, but he’d call out from the stage every so often, ‘she can come in, let him in, she’s good, he’s alright,’ etc. Owning the room. And everyone knew every word and I never gave that a second thought at the time. Cover was $5. Cash and coins in a french fry basket. And at the last song, I’d weave my way through the dark little Ship Inn dance floor and stash the lot in the kitchen behind the bar. And later, after hours, I was allowed to hang around. We smoked cigarettes, and I played songs. I was 20. Maybe 19. I could count my original compositions on one hand, and he gave me room to play them all. It’s all I’ve been doing since.”
Andrews says:
“It feels like as time continues to pass we’ll keep realizing more and more how infinitely great Ron is. I love hearing one of his songs out in the wild and still get more from them every time I hear one. I was especially excited to be able to work on this with the one and only Amelia Curran. We danced around ‘Dark River’ for a while looking for the right approach, we even talked about string quartets and grand arrangement ideas but in the end went with the most intimate setting of just one voice and one guitar which we found let the beauty of the song shine the most.”
“Dark River” follows the release of the first single, “Leaving on the Evening Tide,” performed by Tim Baker, lead singer of Hey Rosetta!
Ron Hynes, known as “the man of a thousand songs,” left an indelible mark on Newfoundland’s culture. Born in St. John’s and raised in Ferryland, Hynes released music for four decades, both as a solo artist and as a member of the famed Wonderful Grand Band. His music was covered by artists all over the world, and perhaps no song more so than “Sonny’s Dream,” the lyrics of which inspired this album’s title. Hynes passed away in 2015 at the age of 64.
Track list for Sonny Don’t Go Away: A Tribute to Ron Hynes
- Tim Baker – Leaving on the Evening Tide
- Amelia Curran & Duane Andrews – Dark River
- Quote the Raven – Godspeed (Requiem for Gene MacLellan)
- Alan Doyle & The Dardanelles – St. John’s Waltz
- The Once – Atlantic Blue
- Jodee Richardson – Cryer’s Paradise
- Mallory Johnson – River of No Return
- Joel Thomas Hynes – Last Chance Avenue
- Ennis Sisters – Lonely Song
- Matthew Byrne – 1962
- Barry Canning – Where Do You Get Off
- Cory Tetford – Shine Like Diamonds
- Glenn Simmons – Picture of Dorian Grey
- Yvette Lorraine – Where Does Love Go Wrong
- Rum Ragged – House
- Shanneyganock – If I Left You Alone with My Heart
- Fortunate Ones – No Change in Me
- Silver Wolf Band – Dry
- Mick Davis – Get Back Change
- Kellie Loder – Sonny’s Dream