By Chris Lewis | Jan. 28, 2021
Some members of the Southern Shore’s hockey community recently got together in the name of music and sport.
Jackie Sullivan is a Calvert native whose music career has expanded greatly over the last decade or so, starting with her debut album in 2002, Out of the Rain which earned her Music NL’s Female Artist of the Year prize and the CBC Galaxie Rising Star award. Since then, she has been keeping herself busy with pen on paper and microphone in hand.
Sullivan’s most recent musical project however is one that holds an especially important role in her career after she was able to combine the memories and stories of her father with the local hockey scene along the Southern Shore.
Sullivan’s newest song and upcoming video, Fiery Hockey Blood, was spawned from the collective stories of her father Gerard Sullivan and his long time friend Kenny Williams. She described both of their deep loves for the game of hockey.
“My dad experienced several strokes a couple of years ago, and certainly lost his fire after it all occurred,” Sullivan said. “The only person he wanted to see was Kenny Williams. The day that they got together and started reminiscing about hockey, I saw an incredible change in my dad that day. I knew then that the game of hockey was much more than just a game. It’s brought them so much joy in their lives.”
Williams, from Bay Bulls, is a legend on the Southern Shore, and respected throughout the province, as a minor and senior hockey builder, arena manager, and much beloved recontour. He has been dealing with health challenges of his own the past few years.
Their love for the game got Sullivan thinking. She described the hockey spirit in her home region as a ‘go big or go home’ attitude, and said her father exemplified that in his time playing.
This, she said, is what compelled her to begin writing the song. Before long, she was in the studio recording, and was even able to score some vocals from Chris Andrews of Shanneyganock to add to the project.
“The song kind of took on a life of its own,” Sullivan said. “Everything just started to snowball for us, and I thought it was deserving of a music video to go along with it… I thought it would be cool to get a player’s perspective intertwined in the project.
Sullivan reached out to Fermeuse native and NHL great Ryan Clowe, who was more than happy to get involved.
“Ryan provides an incredibly nostalgic commentary about growing up on the Southern Shore, and how the passion and fire for hockey really shaped him and helped him achieve his goals of becoming an NHL player,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan even got Hockey Night in Canada Sportscaster Bob Cole to hop on board and call an old play from a Herder Championship of years gone by. This is what Sullivan considers one of the most exciting aspects of the video, even managing to get Cole in an old Southern Shore Breakers jersey.
Back in November of 2020, the shooting process began for the video inside the Southern Shore Arena and around Calvert, Sullivan’s hometown.
“There were lots of little kids involved, some old Breakers players, and some coaches,” Sullivan said. “For me, this was about capturing the legacy of hockey on the Southern Shore and across the province because, as I’ve come to learn, everybody seems to have a hockey story. While this was inspired by dad, I think it speaks to the magnitude and importance of hockey culture in our province, and even across the country.”
The video is set to release on Friday, January 29.
