Calgary-based rock singer-songwriter, Tim Cambridge a.k.a. Timothy J recently released his single, “Olive (Don’t Lose Faith)”.
When Timothy listened to an audio cassette his grandfather left behind for his children, he was immediately inspired to write this song. The cassette was a recording of his grandfather talking about the anguish he felt after losing his wife, Olive, to cancer.
“I heard the recording for the first time on the day of my father’s funeral. I was very moved by the recording so I wrote the song,” Tim says.
What really struck Tim was his grandfather’s wisdom, finding faith in sadness and loss.
“We finished the song just before the COVID-19 lockdown. As it turns out “Olive” could just have easily been written about the world in COVID-19. I think listeners will find their own hope and comfort in this song.”
Musically, “Olive (Don’t Lose Faith)” is an atmospheric rock anthem about the human experience, both in life and death. The song begins with a bright and echoey guitar arpeggio, similar to a track on U2’s The Joshua Tree, until it is met with a powerful acoustic progression and Tim’s raw, operatic voice.
Tim sings of the trials and tribulations many people face, hammering chorus lines, “We are more than just flesh and blood / more than just time and space / don’t lose faith.”
The accompanying music video to “Olive (Don’t Lose Faith)” features footage of people all around the world experiencing their own triumphs and struggles. The footage of people in masks going on with their daily lives is strangely relatable and the video, blending with Tim’s lyrics, leaves a hopeful feeling for the future.
Check it out below, and find out more about Timothy J via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hey Readers, My Name is Tim Cambridge aka Timothy J. I am a singer-songwriter from Calgary Canada. I grew up in a small town in northern Alberta called Peace River. Music is My life and always has been. I have the privilege to perform and work with some amazing and talented people right here in Cowtown.
I have a new single out “Olive (Don’t Lose Faith)” and a full record coming out this Fall.
Tell us a bit about your music and writing style.
My music is melodic Acoustic based Rock with lots of vibe and atmosphere, Plus all the stuff you would expect like big guitars and drums.
Lyrically, I try to tell stories from my own experience or from observing people around me and imaging how that situation affects them. I find myself looking for the positive side of any situation so the listener is emotionally affected by the song but also uplifted.
My songs can be translated to the Live stage with my full band or performed stripped down with an acoustic guitar.
I know where the songs came from and how they speak to me, but I always wonder what the music and lyrics mean to the listeners. To me, that is one of the coolest things about songwriting.
How have you been keeping creative during the Pandemic?
With no live shows, I found myself with some extra time on my hands. I did a lot of practicing and songwriting. My current single Olive(Don’t Lose Faith) and two other new songs for my upcoming album were written during the lockdown.
I was able to go into the studio to do some (social distance) remixing and tweaks to the songs for the record.
This has been the longest I have gone without playing live in many years, so it was definitely an adjustment. That being said, I think my voice enjoyed the rest.
But I can’t wait to get back out there. I’m ready LOL.
If you were asked to suggest only one of your songs for someone to hear, which would it be?
I definitely have an emotional attachment to all my songs so that’s a tough question but I would suggest my current single Olive (Don’t Lose Faith). It is a song about loss and finding faith in something bigger than all of us. I think Olive really speaks to what we have all been going through the past year or so in the pandemic.
“We’re more than just a little flesh and blood .. we’re more than just a little time and space”
Canadian Beats is all about Canadian music, so who are your current favourite Canadian bands/ artists?
Wow, that’s a tough one, Canada has created some amazing artists over the years. I could list off so many Canadian artists that I have loved and have influenced me. But because the question is current favorite Canadian bands, I would say The Arkells, The Trews, Big Wreck, Matthew Good, Alanis Morissette, Metric, Arcade Fire, City and Colour/ Dallas Green to name a few. (Plus every other Canadian classic rock band I grew up listening to on the radio)