Jim Hamilton

Giving Back to the Community Through Music

It is said that stories are all we are. Stories are how we connect with ourselves and with each other, and perhaps no one understands this better than Jim Hamilton. The talented local singersongwriter and pianist will launch his latest CD, The Stories We Tell Ourselves, in a concert on May 14 at the Port Arthur Polish Hall in support of the Children’s Centre Foundation.

“This concert came to be when I started recording this CD. I really began thinking about how I wanted to launch it,” Hamilton says. “A lot of the material on this CD was driven by my experience in the elementary schools working in a program called Circle of Wellness, as well as by my family and life experiences.” Hamilton, who is also a trained teacher, was one of the founding members of the program, in which artists of all disciplines work with Children’s Centre staff, teachers, and students to explore mental health and wellness through the arts. “Working with the students had a profound effect on me, helping the students make their own statements and teaching them the art of music and songwriting,” Hamilton says. “Knowing how special my time with the students was to me, I approached the Children’s Centre and said that I wanted to launch the CD, but I also want to highlight those amazing moments in the classrooms and give back to youth.”

When attending the concert, people can expect a night filled with incredible live music ranging from adult contemporary to jazz and pop. Fellow musicians Dan Zadkovich, Dave Isherwood, Brian Campbell, Olivia Korkola, and Nancy Hamilton will also perform. “During the concert, I will be singing almost all original songs. I may throw in one or two covers too,” he says. “Nancy will also sing. Same with Dan and Dave, and Olivia will play the fiddle. It will be a real eclectic evening. They are all so incredibly talented.”

Half of all CD sales, whether digital or hard copy, will be donated to the Children’s Centre Foundation in support of mental health and wellness. “It’s been really excellent working with Dayna Pupeza at the Foundation, who has helped organize everything and make this possible,” he says. “And the Lakehead Public School Board, with whom I did almost all of my work, is the main presenting sponsor for this concert. I am just so thrilled and grateful for that and to be able to do this and have all of the support that I do.”

What could be better than an enjoyable evening of live and local music supporting an incredible foundation that does so much good for the youth in our community? Head over to the Polish Hall on May 14 and let Hamilton tell you his story.

For more information, visit jimhamiltonmusic.com.

“Working with the students had a profound effect on me, helping the students make their own statements and teaching them the art of music and songwriting.”